Common House Martin
@commonhousemartin.bsky.social
Ornithologist, Birder & BTO C-Permit Ringer in the #AshdownForest, with the #CuckmereRingingGroup and #SussexBarnOwlGroup. Also one of the founding members of the #RanchoTangaré bird ringing station in Ecuador.
🇬🇧 British List: 211 🪶 Life List: 576.
🇬🇧 British List: 211 🪶 Life List: 576.
Winter thrushes are one of the main targets for the #AshdownForest ringing site at this time of year, while plenty around only a handful of Redwings and Fieldfares caught so far among the Goldcrests and Redpolls!
November 15, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Winter thrushes are one of the main targets for the #AshdownForest ringing site at this time of year, while plenty around only a handful of Redwings and Fieldfares caught so far among the Goldcrests and Redpolls!
New pair of #Altberg boots! Just in time for getting back out to the #AshdownForest site at the weekend! No doubt these will be on my feet for many years to come 😁
November 6, 2025 at 6:51 PM
New pair of #Altberg boots! Just in time for getting back out to the #AshdownForest site at the weekend! No doubt these will be on my feet for many years to come 😁
With the 2025 ringing expedition at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve having come to a close, the results include: 474 new birds ringed of 100 species, of which 29 have not been ringed before! A phenomenal result and a big thank you to the team as well as my boots which sadly will not return. 🫡
October 31, 2025 at 7:40 PM
With the 2025 ringing expedition at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve having come to a close, the results include: 474 new birds ringed of 100 species, of which 29 have not been ringed before! A phenomenal result and a big thank you to the team as well as my boots which sadly will not return. 🫡
Some more exciting birds caught and ringed at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve. Great Antshrikes both male and female, as well as Golden-olive and Guayaquil Woodpeckers.
October 27, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Some more exciting birds caught and ringed at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve. Great Antshrikes both male and female, as well as Golden-olive and Guayaquil Woodpeckers.
Result! A target species, Choco Toucan trapped and ringed, that's a bit of pressure off our backs! 😅 #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve
October 24, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Result! A target species, Choco Toucan trapped and ringed, that's a bit of pressure off our backs! 😅 #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve
Bit of a slow day today at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve, but quality over quantity with this excellent Little Cuckoo! Now set up at area two for the next few days 😁
October 21, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Bit of a slow day today at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve, but quality over quantity with this excellent Little Cuckoo! Now set up at area two for the next few days 😁
Brilliant first day at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve, 27 species including three Collared Araçari! Great to ring this species, that I missed out on last year and to add more to the database!
October 19, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Brilliant first day at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve, 27 species including three Collared Araçari! Great to ring this species, that I missed out on last year and to add more to the database!
First tarantula of the trip, seen whilst setting up mist nets at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve in western Ecuador. Anyone knows the species? 🕷️ #tarantula
October 19, 2025 at 2:07 AM
First tarantula of the trip, seen whilst setting up mist nets at #RanchoTangaréNatureReserve in western Ecuador. Anyone knows the species? 🕷️ #tarantula
Packed and ready for the third ringing expedition to
#RanchoTangaréNatureReserve in Ecuador for the next two weeks! Excited to see the changes and potential new species since reforestation started!
#RanchoTangaréNatureReserve in Ecuador for the next two weeks! Excited to see the changes and potential new species since reforestation started!
October 16, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Packed and ready for the third ringing expedition to
#RanchoTangaréNatureReserve in Ecuador for the next two weeks! Excited to see the changes and potential new species since reforestation started!
#RanchoTangaréNatureReserve in Ecuador for the next two weeks! Excited to see the changes and potential new species since reforestation started!
A busy morning out on the coast with the Hope Gap Ringing team, with 91 new birds including this awesome male Kestrel! Great to get a new bop species in the nets 🦅
September 27, 2025 at 7:15 PM
A busy morning out on the coast with the Hope Gap Ringing team, with 91 new birds including this awesome male Kestrel! Great to get a new bop species in the nets 🦅
Another great ringing session at the #AshdownForest site this morning with 47 birds caught including this lovely Siskin and the first winter Redpolls! Alas the passing House Martins didn't play ball 😕
September 26, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Another great ringing session at the #AshdownForest site this morning with 47 birds caught including this lovely Siskin and the first winter Redpolls! Alas the passing House Martins didn't play ball 😕
Mega day at the #AshdownForest site with 80 birds ringed! Including the first Bullfinch ✅ for the site! Numbers were up thanks to 40 House Martins who decided to play ball and go for the sound lure! Plus a lovely Firecrest amongst the Goldies 😁
September 9, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Mega day at the #AshdownForest site with 80 birds ringed! Including the first Bullfinch ✅ for the site! Numbers were up thanks to 40 House Martins who decided to play ball and go for the sound lure! Plus a lovely Firecrest amongst the Goldies 😁
Another slow morning despite the break in the rain this week at the #AshdownForest site today. 20 birds with a Redstart (likey one of the last this year) and a Tree Pipit being the highlights.
September 5, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Another slow morning despite the break in the rain this week at the #AshdownForest site today. 20 birds with a Redstart (likey one of the last this year) and a Tree Pipit being the highlights.
Caught a break in the weather this morning and managed another 20 birds at the #AshdownForest site. Including Grasshopper Warblers, a Dartford Warbler, Redstarts and even managed a few House Martins before the flock was spooked by a sparrowhawk!
August 28, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Caught a break in the weather this morning and managed another 20 birds at the #AshdownForest site. Including Grasshopper Warblers, a Dartford Warbler, Redstarts and even managed a few House Martins before the flock was spooked by a sparrowhawk!
First wader ringing session of the Autumn with the Swale Wader Group last night/this morning! Absolutely fantastic time with 60 odd waders caught and 7 ringing ticks ✅, it was awesome! Dunlin, Whimbrel, Curlew, Grey Plover, Redshank plus Bar/Black-tailed Godwits. Lots learnt and ready for round 2 😁
August 23, 2025 at 10:07 AM
First wader ringing session of the Autumn with the Swale Wader Group last night/this morning! Absolutely fantastic time with 60 odd waders caught and 7 ringing ticks ✅, it was awesome! Dunlin, Whimbrel, Curlew, Grey Plover, Redshank plus Bar/Black-tailed Godwits. Lots learnt and ready for round 2 😁
Another busy morning today at the #AshdownForest site with 45 birds ringed. The highlights included a Grasshopper Warbler and a Firecrest! Plenty of Chiffs and Willow Warblers about as well as ample juvenile tits.
August 18, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Another busy morning today at the #AshdownForest site with 45 birds ringed. The highlights included a Grasshopper Warbler and a Firecrest! Plenty of Chiffs and Willow Warblers about as well as ample juvenile tits.
Another 8 Redstarts today, smashing the site record with over 40 ringed this year. Plus quite a few Whitethroats this morning at the #AshdownForest site, along with a Sedge Warbler that was clearly passing through!
August 12, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Another 8 Redstarts today, smashing the site record with over 40 ringed this year. Plus quite a few Whitethroats this morning at the #AshdownForest site, along with a Sedge Warbler that was clearly passing through!
Another slow but steady morning at the #AshdownForest site today with 31 birds caught and ringed. Redstarts galore with 8 caught including one of the pullus ringed from one of my nest boxes 😀 bit bigger now! Then this evening I joined my trainer in Seaford for Herring Gulls!
August 8, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Another slow but steady morning at the #AshdownForest site today with 31 birds caught and ringed. Redstarts galore with 8 caught including one of the pullus ringed from one of my nest boxes 😀 bit bigger now! Then this evening I joined my trainer in Seaford for Herring Gulls!
Another successful evening session last night at the #AshdownForest site with another Nightjar caught and ringed!
August 6, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Another successful evening session last night at the #AshdownForest site with another Nightjar caught and ringed!
More Swift success in Uckfield last night! #SwiftsOverUckfield
July 31, 2025 at 4:39 PM
More Swift success in Uckfield last night! #SwiftsOverUckfield
A brilliant day of ringing yoday, first three Honey Buzzard ✅ pullus at undisclosed and confidential locations. Then after a failed attempt yesterday evening and spending the night thinking up a new strategy, this evening resulted in Swift ✅ success in Uckfield!
July 26, 2025 at 10:56 PM
A brilliant day of ringing yoday, first three Honey Buzzard ✅ pullus at undisclosed and confidential locations. Then after a failed attempt yesterday evening and spending the night thinking up a new strategy, this evening resulted in Swift ✅ success in Uckfield!
Another warm morning at the #AshdownForest site! Some nice birds caught and ringed before the heat set in, including Redstarts, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Robin, Goldcrest and Wren. With the star birds being a lovely male Linnet and a young Tree Pipit to finish off with!
July 11, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Another warm morning at the #AshdownForest site! Some nice birds caught and ringed before the heat set in, including Redstarts, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Robin, Goldcrest and Wren. With the star birds being a lovely male Linnet and a young Tree Pipit to finish off with!
A tad breezy at the #AshdownForest site this evening, didn't stop the Nightjars though! Decoy deployed and a catch in the first half hour...almost too easy 😅
July 4, 2025 at 9:49 PM
A tad breezy at the #AshdownForest site this evening, didn't stop the Nightjars though! Decoy deployed and a catch in the first half hour...almost too easy 😅
Another glorious morning in the sun at the #AshdownForest site! 21 new birds including the first Whitethroat of the year and yet another Siskin to end on! A very nice way to spend a Friday morning...with bit of luck the conditions might be good for a Nightjar attempt this evening 🤞
July 4, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Another glorious morning in the sun at the #AshdownForest site! 21 new birds including the first Whitethroat of the year and yet another Siskin to end on! A very nice way to spend a Friday morning...with bit of luck the conditions might be good for a Nightjar attempt this evening 🤞
Another good session at the #AshdownForest site this morning with 36 new birds caught including good numbers of Redstarts, Blackcap and a very welcome single Siskin!
June 25, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Another good session at the #AshdownForest site this morning with 36 new birds caught including good numbers of Redstarts, Blackcap and a very welcome single Siskin!