Copeland Island Visited Part 2

6.30am came early especially as we didn't get to bed until 2.30am after ringing the Manx Sheatwaters yesterday.!!  Another wonderful sunny day and we set off to put up about 7 mist nets but before I telling you a bit more about that, I want you to see this photo which I took on my belly of a field of Bluebells cascading down into the sea beyond.  What a way to start a day!

Bluebell Heaven

So at 6.30am, those that were up assisted Shane to erect about 7 mist nets at different sites and then marked them on a map in the ringing laboratory, (See these areas were marked on 3rd photo below.)

Ringing Laboratory

Yellow tags are the position of mist nets

The fine net is strung across trees or poles so as to lie in the flight path of a bird. A bird flies into the nearly invisible net and falls to a fold at the bottom of the net where it usually gets entangled. These nets are used especially in bird ringing and are typically never left unsupervised. 

Mist Net

A bird that falls is quickly removed to avoid injury to the bird and to prevent it from falling prey to predators.  At least 2 people checked on every trap every 15 minutes and if a bird was caught, with great care, they would remove it and place it in a cotton bag with a string tie at the top and then bring it to the ringing laboratory.  From the mist nets we catch, several Blackbirds, Robin, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Swallow, Sparrowhawk and Water Rail.  I will see how far we get today with this post and show the rest tomorrow.

Shane, an experience ringer and Duty Officer, showing a trainee
the correct way of  taking a bird from the net.

                                                                                 Robin

                                                                     Reed Bunting-female

They ringed several Blackbirds, both male and female and the very short clip below shows a male blackbird being released.  This Blackbird was a re-cap, and Ron, another member decided to look up the records they keep on the island that date back to 2008, to see if it had been caught and ringed on the island.    Indeed it had in 2008 but interesting enough it had been caught at least 5 times every year since.
The Bird Observatory has been operating for the past 60 years and has all these records.

This is the code on youtube -  http://youtu.be/w7AUnosoIqY   Note the many Swallows flying about.

Now I am going to show you a series of Swallow shots.
 

Well I think perhaps that is enough for today. Plenty more tomorrow.  So it is time for a break!  So I am off to the loo.  Now this is not just any loo.  Oh no!  This is a 'loo with a view'.

You start at the top of a cliff.  In fact do you see the vacant/engaged sign at the bottom of the railing?  Well if it is engaged, there is a lovely seat to sit on and wait taking in this wonderful scenery.

Now we have the loo in sight but you need to watch your footing and the hand rail runs out and the stones could be slippy!  Hold on, we're nearly here.

Wow! Made it,  This loo is in fact a flush toilet.  You can see the sign to tell if it is vacant.  I better go in and sit on the throne.  No peeping now!

Just make it!  What a relief but what a view.  If you sit there long enough, you will see Puffin and Razorbill and of course an inquisitive seal might wonder what you are doing! Stefan Greif photographed the seals.

So while I sit here in the peace and quiet to contemplate, I will leave you with an overview of the island.  So until tomorrow, for the next installment, have a good weekend and  happy birding.

 This is the code for the video on youtube if you cannot see it here - http://youtu.be/99xqaScOkCc

Thank you for visiting my blog today.