So far, so good

We are now into spring proper and heading for the breeding season of our summer migrants. Our resident birds are well and truly into their breeding season and I have already ringed a fledged (1J) Robin on the 12th.

This report deals with April to date. The garden is a picture, full of flowering primroses and polyanthus and other spring flowers. On the non-avian front, the slow-worms are basking under the tin sheets, the majority of the frog spawn hatched, giving us several hundred tadpoles, (signifying a stock of mince in the freezer), and the toads re-appeared. Bumble bees and other insects made hay with the Ribes blossom, Peacock and Small Tortoishell butterflies were on the wing and the plum trees blosomed and the Camellia flowers wilted. As yet, we await the Bluebells and the main apple and pear blossom season ... and the Redstarts.

All attention has had to be devoted to the garden as I am suffering with prepatella bursitis, or 'house-maids knee' for those of a non-medical persuasion. The local resident birds are mopping up the bird food as quick as I can put it out, both on the tables (3), in the feeders (6) and on the kitchen lawn. To this end, I have had to expend £180 to replenish stocks of SFH, suet pellets, finch seed and mealworms, totalling 65 kg. I will  pick up the millet when I go to Bedford on Sunday. Thank goodness the Wood Mice seem to have buzzed off for the summer.

The three pairs of Herring Gulls are assiduously guarding their nest sites from others and the Jackdaws. A few base sticks and fleshy bits have been put down but none are anywhere near complete. The Lesser Black-back pair have now returned; I don't as yet know where they intend to set up home. This should be their 'parenthood' year if things go to plan.

First Willow Warbler of 2015
(a whiter shade of pale)

Chiffchaff - with pollen horn

The first Swallow, a male with long streamers, appeared on the 6th, the same afternoon that an Osprey flew resolutely north. Yesterday, there were at least 3 Swallows and the first House Martin wheeling overhead. Three new species have been ringed this month - namely, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Rook and, of course, Willow Warbler. The first 'Willy' arrived on the 8th and sang "out front", and I caught a different male the following day. None of the males has been carrying much fat (0-1), whereas the more recently arrived females have all been heavy for their smaller size and fat 2-3.

The first fledgling to be ringed was a Robin that I found in the net on the evening of the 12th.

Fledgling Robin (1J) 12-04-15

All together, I ringed a further 74 birds of 19 species, plus handled 52 individual retraps. So far in 2015, I have ringed just 350 new birds, of which 127 are Goldfinches (36.3% of birds ringed this year to date). There have been 229 handlings of them all told, consisting of 200 'new for year' individual Goldfinches. Some of these have been new or returning migrant birds that drop in for a day or two to feed up before pushing off further north. Our local breeding birds are much leaner and don't just use the feeders but inspect all the plants in the garden and even try to get in the fruit cage. They also appreciate the fine, groomed hair from my Belgian Shepherd.

2CY female (5F) Gt. Spotted Woodpecker

2CY Pied Wagtail (yarrellii) with 4 old greater coverts

With just one 60' net, the list of new birds ringed, with other birds ringed previously in brackets, is:
Gt. Spot Woodpecker - 1
Rook - 1
Goldcrest - 1 (2)
Blue Tit - 2 (1)
Great Tit - 1 (2)
Long-tailed Tit - 1 (2)
Chiffchaff - 5; the only female on the 13th
Willow Warbler - 10; males first, females from the 12th
Blackcap - 6 (1); lingering male on 6th, new birds from the 9th
Wren - 3 (1)
Starling - 2; no unringed birds seen - 6 pairs known
Blackbird - 1 (4); all now feeding young in the nest
Robin - 3 (5);
Dunnock - (4); not as showy as last month
House Sparrow - 2 (6); a few are nesting, others are still thinking about it
Pied Wagtail - 1; minimum of 3 pairs present, poss 4 pairs.
Chaffinch - 4 (2) + 1 adult male (2x) with severe FPV
Greenfinch - 4 (11); 9 males + 6 females, 6 aged 5 (2CY)
Goldfinch - 26 (12); 8 of the retraps were 2CY, only 2 of the new birds were adults (3CY+)
       Finches still dominate in the catches, but Collared Dove (up to 7), Jackdaw (5), Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock and Pied Wagtail are most likely to be seen feeding in the garden at any time of day.

A 'normal' (yellow) spring Willow Warbler

No fools in sight

The gales are subsiding now; fortunately we escaped without damage this year. Last spring, we lost part of the roof and a very old Rowan that took the fence with it.

The garden is full of bird activity. There are also quite a few Wood Mice around, munching into the bird food on the bird table. We have to translocate these to a neighbouring small-holding some 4-500 metres away. The butterflies are starting to wake up, too. When we took the old potting shed down, we discovered a fat, female Slow-worm under a discarded piece of corrugated iron sheeting amongst the Bluebells.

The Robins are busy collecting either nest material, lining or worms almost non-stop. They also nip onto the bird tables for the old sultana or suet pellet. At least one has a wrinkled brood patch, indicative of sitting on eggs in one of the hedges. We have at least three pairs of Blackbirds, also foraging in the garden. The females are less frequent now and are more likely to visit alone, a sign that they are probably sitting, too. The Pied Wagtails can all be distinguised by the direction that they head for when they are either fed or disturbed by a bigger bird. Obviously nesting on/in different buildings. "Peg Leg", who has a 'club foot', is still with us; I first ringed him in July 2012 as a 6M. 

The Starlings roll in every morning in their twos. I've ringed ten so far this year but not re-trapped any from previous years (which amounts to a mere seven in three years). When we came here we hardly ever saw a Starling in the village, except during winter. I noticed two more unringed ones this morning - trap set!

Adult male Greenfinch (spring)

Chiffchaff with pollen horn

Over the last two or three weeks, the main movement into the feeders and the tall Ash trees beyond the bottom hedge has been of Chaffinch and Greenfinch. Some of this is of returning birds as there seems to be much displaying and singing around the tree tops. They do drop down sometimes, low enough to connect with the orchard net. (see below).

The Goldfinches have been inspecting the herbaceous border and the vegetable garden for nesting material including my Belgian's fine hair, which I put out for them after she's had a brushing. Again, there seem to be three pairs attempting to nest close by, with several more that shoot off from the feeders in the direction of the hedges by the railway or at the rear of the 'industrial estate'/ local tip - sorry, I mean the recycling centre.

The veteran male over-wintering Blackcap was seen singing this morning and also when he came to the bird table. I wonder when he will push off for his 'unknown-to-us' homeland and traditional nesting territory. The incoming migrants should be with us within the week, fingers crossed.

The meadows are ready for some attention but the poor weather prevents us from attending. I did hear the Dipper this morning and a lone Chiffchaff but the bushes/trees are barely breaking bud at present, providing no cover. A Wheatear passed through on the 13th, the day after a small Redwing passage. As long as it doesn't rain hard for any length of time, we will make our first visit of the year after Easter.

This period, I managed to find 20 species, covering 38 new birds and 45 re-captured individuals, in the net(s). The weather has been a problem from a safety point of view and there's not much on the migration front yet either, except some Chiffs.

Woodpigeon - (1); heavyweight at 619 gm

Collared Dove - 1; a fledging that got taken by a Sparr. 2 days later

Jackdaw - 1; adult female with brood patch (B2) on 23rd

Goldcrest - 1 (1); a pair, caught on subsequent days (together)

Blue Tit - 1 (4); they are an "unknown quantity" and not common hereabouts

Great Tit - 1 (2); 2 known pairs

Chiffchaff - 4; all males, the first 2 on 16th/18th were full adults, the other two on 18th & 30th of uncertain age - but the latter most likely 2CY 

Blackcap - (1); the over-wintering 5 female, showing fat3

Wren - 1 (1); both adult males

Starling - 5; two adult pairs & a 2CY male

Blackbird - 4 (3); 4 new adults; on the move?

Redwing - 1; another adult; definite shortage of 1st year birds here

Robin - 1 (7); omni-present!

Dunnock - 1 (2); there are more than this here at the moment!

House Sparrow - 3 (7); all males bar a lone female

Pied Wagtail - (2); and regular, old pair

Chaffinch - 4; all 'age5' females

Greenfinch - 3 (3); males with a single female

Goldfinch - 5 (10); 

Siskin - 1 (1); both males, possibly nesting locally (no fat)

One recovery received -  a 5M Siskin to Callandar (Stirlingshire), a distance of 567 km in 87 days (spring 2014), controlled by a ringer (= probably nesting)

That's it. More news in a couple of weeks or so, Deo volente.

PS. For Poldark fans, or their spouses, here is "Wheal Leasure" in action!

Somewhere in Penwith, 2014