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

A new 'crest

The weather has been awful of late; we have suffered strong winds which have precluded any ringing with nets and yesterday the skies delivered 24mm of rain to the village. And so, this morning I was not hopeful of catching anything at all. It was quite a surprise to find out that the skies had cleared over-night and the temperature had fallen to +4C.

I opened up the two 18m nets an hour before dawn in the hope of a thrush or two - no such luck. Shortly before sunrise I started to recapture some of the small passerines that roost in the garden hedges. An unringed Blue Tit came for a meal of SFH but found the mesh in the way. On its release, I double-checked in case it found its way back to the nets (this seldom happens, by the way) and was surprised to see another small bird exactly where I had taken a Wren out earlier.

Well, well. A garden tick and a self-caught one, too. Although I have ringed quite a few at coastal bird observatories over the years, I have never had one drop into a net on one of my own sites. Calming down a little, I took the following shots.




I should have stopped and thought before pressing the shutter! Unfortunately, I got a little too close, even with the macro, and should have used the zoom from further away on such a small subject. Never mind; live and learn.

The rest of the day was bright and sunny so not alot of activity around the feeders or the apple trees. Tomorrow is forecast for more persistent and heavy rain, but on Friday, we should be able to ring in some farm crops on the edge of the Exmoor National Park.

Over the last week, small parties of Starlings have been winging their way west, towards the moors, consisting of between 15 and 30 birds. Never more than three parties in a day, but hen my view is limited. I shall have to check out 'The Levels' for the large roost that will form there (as seen on TV!)

Today's garden tally, evens; 4 + (4):
Firecrest 1
Blue Tit 1 (1)
Great Tit 1
Wren (1)
Dunnock (2)
House Sparrow 1

C'est la vie!