Bennachie Ringing Demonstration 13 April 2019

On Saturday 13 April we were invited to host a ringing demonstration at the Bennachie Visitor Centre.

It was a very chilly day but the sun was shining and we had a great turn out with the event fully booked with lots of young people plus a few passers-by getting involved too.

Photo by Alison Sutherland

 The centre’s well stocked feeding station, complete with blind and automated feeders, made the perfect place to set some mist nets. Although the nets were visible in the strong sun we had a constant stream of birds to show the visitors and ended up with a nice variety of species with highlights including a treecreeper, a goldcrest and a pair of great spotted woodpeckers.

A 5F goldcrest. Photo by Alison Sutherland

The team at the traditional post ringing demo pit stop (a bus on the A96!)

Caitlin Tarvet

Caution - nest boxes!

Thursday night is Raymond's nest box night. This spring the Aberdeen RSPB Phoenix Group have been coming most weeks (not just to carry the ladder and go up to the dangerous boxes - honest!). There are 22 starling boxes and 20 for tree sparrows. We're now starting to ring some chicks which is good.
All visits are finished off with a cuddle of the lambies of course!

Ringing Demonstration

Every winter we hold a several ringing demonstrations for local schools and wildlife clubs. The Phoenix Group sessions are becoming legendary as everyone aims to let the most viscous blue tit go! Below are some pictures of the most recent session earlier in the month as well as some from last year’s sessions; at one we were lucky enough to catch an adult buzzard.
These sessions are always good fun and we usually have a good game of fitba too!