The 'Rustic' lifestyle

12/09/15

A significantly quieter day here at Pasvik. At our Nyrud ringing site, a 6 hour session provided a mere 23 new birds. Despite the total, we again caught another rarity, when a Rustic Bunting was found in one of our mist nets. The team have caught a small number of these on their trips to arctic Norway, and so therefore hopes were high for a repeat on this trip, particularly so with the later date.

So when Hugh came back from checking at net saying he had heard a ‘ticking’ Little/Rustic Bunting hopes were high. And by the very next round, in sauntered Hugh with a smile on his face. A cracking Rustic Bunting!

Juvenile Rustic Bunting

Instantly striking in comparison to the numerous Reed Buntings, the bird possessed smart red streaking along its flanks, a pale pink bill and a stunningly patterned rump.

Rustic Bunting rump (CR)

Rustic Bunting head pattern (CR)

Rustic flank (AW)

Today we held a ringing demonstration for a couple of local schools, showing them what species live locally to them. Lots of happy faces were evident when a few birds were captured and shown to them.

Educating the next generation (SJ)

Totals for this morning:

*RUSTIC BUNTING	1
Reed Bunting	13
Great Tit	8
Greenfinch	1
Totals	23

Back at base, we again opened the feeder net. Great Tits were again the most common species, followed by Willow Tits. A good number of Greenfinches were around, and 2 young bird found their way into the net. Highlight here though was a single male Siskin which became the most recent addition to the ringed list.

Male Siskin (CR)

Great Tit	3
Greenfinch	2
Siskin	1
Totals	6

Away from ringing, the team saw both Parrot and Common Crossbill flocks, migrating flocks of Cranes and Black Throated Diver, and rather randomly a Snow Bunting, which flew around the ringing site a couple of times calling. 

A stunning male Parrot Crossbill

Great Grey Shrikes are being seen increasingly regularly around the ringing site.