A dreadful week

And not just talking about the weather, either. That has been bad enough, stopping the painters from getting on with painting the outside as quickly as they had hoped. It, the weather, has been grey and miserable, with long periods of drizzle since the weekend. Today, it increased in intensity - and the wind picked up, too. This has meant I've only been able to net for four, quite short periods since my last missive.

With the wind turning to the north in the east of the country and thousands of birds making landfall on the coast, the autumn migration is really underway at last. Down here in the south-west, the most noticeable event has been the increase in Starlings, with flocks of 25-50 passing overhead. This is a species which breeds in the village in small numbers; they like the thatch but the owners don't like the birds so exclude them with wire netting along the eaves.   
            

I have heard just 2 Fieldfare south, seen a couple of dozen Redwing/Song Thrushes moving north-east and witnessed the unusual sight of ca. 25 Mistle Thrushes over the garden. Other returnees include a Nuthatch working the nearby tree lines and a pesky Grey Squirrel taking advantage of my fat-balls. The trap has come out of store. Say no more.

Well, on to the 18 new birds caught and the 7 re-traps:          Goldcrest 3, Blue Tit (1), Great Tit 2 (4), Coal Tit 3 (1), Blackcap 1, Blackbird 2, Chaffinch 1, Greenfinch 2 & Goldfinch 4 (1). 

All birds were at about their average weight and fat scores that one would expect for this time of year with the current temperatures (that are due to collapse and go minus tonight), with the exception of one male Goldcrest that weighed in at 4.8g; not a disaster if it could find sufficient food before nightfall.

Starling - I do kinda miss them

 Remember the clocks go back to GMT this weekend with the consequence of lighter mornings for a while.

Back home

We're up and running again!

Last week I returned to Bedford to attend to family matters and to do some shopping while I was there. I was back home last weekend and managed to get in one day's ringing before I was off again. The weather was not very conducive for much migration to take place, but I gave it a go in the orchard between the intermittent showers.

Birds caught (22) and ringed (19):

Collared Dove 1

Gt. Spotted Woodpecker 1 - young female (5ogc)

Blue Tit 5 (1) - just 2 juvs.

Coal Tit 2 (2)

Wren 1 - cock bird

Chaffinch 2 - of the female persuasion

Goldfinch 5

Siskin 2 - both adult males

Fema;e 1CY Gt. Spot. Woodpecker - note a few red feathers in the crown but buff collar

This was very much the same fare as recent efforts and typical of the month of October. Three species were conspicuous by their absence - Long-tailed Tit, Blackbird and Dunnock.

I then had the pleasure of travelling east and meeting up with my sole surviving 'C' permit  holder from Bedfordshire days. [My other 'C's and 'T's all opted to transfer to senior members within the ringing group.] It turned out that the weather was not very conducive  to "non-stop" ringing once again; being near the coast made it doubly so. A vigorous front passed backwards and forwards over much of southern England, depositing fair amounts of rain that caused local flooding.

However, I was able to ring plenty of my favourite bird - Goldfinch, while Amanda got stuck into Lesser Redpolls. My trainee got to grips with a few 'crests ... but I did wrest a Firecrest from her, the second this year, but eons away from the previous two, which were 'ringing ticks' at that time.

Male 1CY Firecrest

Back home, the weather improved albeit slowly, enabling me to erect a net in the orchard ready for the morning. It so happened that the day, (today), although not spectacular from a meteorological standpoint, turned out to be a steady one and I had 32 new birds by the end (tea-time actually), plus 4 "I had prepared earlier".

Total for the session, covering 9 species:

Goldcrest 3 - included all tail shapes, Euring ages 2, 3 & 4

Blue Tit 4 (1)

Great Tit 3 (2)

CoalTit 6 - all juvs.

Blackcap 1 - 1CY male

Robin 1 (1) - the ringed bird from July as a juv.

Chaffinch 1 - young male

Greenfinch 1 - adult female (1st for a while)

Goldfinch 12 - 50% adults

Male 1CY Goldcrest

The Siskins turned up late in the day but decided on a collaborative effort and stayed high over. One or two often arrive at 'first light' but always sneak in from next door and return the same way. I'll be moving the feeders the other side of the net to see if that entices them.

The weather promises to be 'fair' for a few days after misty starts; who knows, we may be in for some more birds to ring.

Note: individual birds that have been recaptured are always given in brackets, (n), on my blog

Allez oop

Despite the weather it has been a good week in most respects. I have been able to do some ringing every day, though Tuesday only saw 1 new Blue Tit in the bag before the wind got up.           

The garden produced 96 new birds (10, 1, 16, 11, 12, 26, 20) and 13 recaptures of 10 species using one 60' in our small orchard. Thursday morning at  Highbridge meadows yielded 21 new plus 3 re-traps including a new species, Grewo, originally from Five Bells, a couple of km to the north-west. There was a passage of Chaffinches but no Mipits or Swallows. Saturday at the meadows saw the temperature down to 0C with clear skies and just 4 new AA rings plus 2 re-traps. 12 Jays moved overhead from the direction of the Crown Estate (mainly coniferous) towards the Quantocks (large tracts of deciduous) at 08:30 and 4 Meadow Pipits took an interest in the "tape" but decided to avoid the net and moved on. Just 2 lone Swallows were seen hastening south. There was a noticeable increase in the number of Siskin feeding high in the Alders, which coincided with their attraction to the garden feeders.

Siskin - male 2CY (October)

*** Birds trapped at the meadows = 25 (4):
Green Woodpecker - control
Blue Tit 1 (1)
Great Tit 4
Long-tailed Tit 7 (3)
Chiffchaff 5
Wren 1
Blackbird 1
Robin 1
Dunnock1
Chaffinch 4

The main event at the house was the number of Goldfinches that appeared from Tuesday onwards. Until now, it has just been the local birds - that know their way around the feeders without getting caught too often.

1CY Goldfinch - After PJ moult

1CY Goldfinch - During PJ moult

 *** Birds caught at the house = 96 (12) [excludes any same week re-traps]
Blue Tit 10 (6)
Great tit 3 (1)
Coal Tit 8 (1) - 2 adults
Chiffchaff 2 - both 'long-winged' @ 64mm
Robin (3)
Dunnock 1
House Sparrow 1
Chaffinch 1
Greenfinch 1
Goldfinch 59 (1) - a dozen adults, F=M
Siskin 10 - influx Fri/Sat (6/7th Oct); 8 adults, 2 juvs

Coal Tit - 1CY

Just thought that I'd show some "rear views" for a change. I will be going to be away from the village for much of the next two weeks and therefore ringing at the house will have to be snatched "as and when". However, my pliers will be in use elsewhere!

Norfolk

Apart from having to tow a caravan 265 miles to Snettisham, and back, it was a relaxed week visiting friends and family, back in Jenny's "homeland" and a place where I have spent many, many days birding, either alone, with pals or leading birding holidays.

Amber relaxing on holiday

Apart from seeing and hearing the Pink-feet going over to the salt marshes every morning, and seeing the fantastic Knot flock being moved by the tide, the highlight was being able to see the "Sea-Henge" exhibition in the Kings Lynn Museum at last. I was also able to take Jenny to the spot where it was built way back in 2049 BC, where we used to go to catch Sanderling. Back then, we just assumed it was part of a fossilised forest.

Now for a family pic - Jenny and her younger brother, John, at his 14th century farmhouse.

Jenny & John King

 ... and afterwards, J & A at Knettishall Heath in the evening sun.

We followed up a lead from Dawn Balmer (and family) and found "Natural Surroundings", a cafe and nature reserve tucked away on the Bayfield Estate. It was a surprise to be greeted by an old ringing friend, Andrew Cannon - and also to see four Red Squirrels from another friend's place, namely Bill Jordan's Pensthorpe reserve. The pictures are rubbish since these critters just wizz around at frenetic speed!

H S R S 

'Natural Surroundings'

Andrew sells Norfolk produced sunflower hearts that have a high oil content at £30 for 20 kg. Get some if you're in the area! A bargain!

The next two days

Two more mornings were spent down in the water meadow orchard (21 & 22 Sept). The Friday was cloudy with the wind easing and Saturday was brighter with the wind picking up again. Altogether, we had 33 new birds with a mere 3 recaptures.

Under-tail coverts of Grey Wagtail (1CY)

The red-letter bird on day 1 was another Grey Wagtail; the rest of the cast comprised mainly of 'King Harry's, a pleasing return to autumn ringing. With a small Mipit passage going on, I 'tape lured' two specimens, both 1CY birds with short (UK) wing lengths.

Simultaneous shedding of greater coverts in juvenile Goldfinch (late Sept)

Day 2 was less successful but we handled yet another Song Thrush and our first Goldcrest of the second winter period. However, the star prize 'today' was to be a 3F Reed Bunting, yet another 'new for year' species. 

The full count was as follows:
Goldcrest 1 - adult male
Chiffchaff 2 (1) - new birds both adults
Blackcap 2 - both males
Blackbird (1) - aged '4M' Aug 2011             
Song Thrush 1 - another juv
Robin 1 (1)
Dunnock 2
Grey Wagtail 1 - 1CY
Meadow Pipit 2 - 1CY

Contrast between greater and primary coverts - 1CY Chaffinch

 Chaffinch 3 - 2 adults & 1CY
Greenfinch 4 - all juvs undergoing PJ moult
Goldfinch 13 - no adult birds!
Reed Bunting 1 - a small imm. female

I spent the next week with our caravan up in NW Norfolk, enjoying the noisy Pink-feet and the swirling Knot flocks! ... and meeting friends and family of "her indoors", my partner Jenny. [I should say she spends much of her time in the garden or walking her dog, so a bit of a mis-nomer!!!]