Black and Blue

Got in some "quickie" ringing over the weekend. First up, I was able to get down to the meadows and set just the one 60 foot. Caught 10 birds (before summoned back for breakfast) of which 8 were Blackcaps with zero or ESF30 fat plus a young Dunnock and a retrap juv Great Tit. Had to turn my attention to the garden whilst being 'civil' to our guest for the rest of the time. Resulted in 7 Blue Tits, a very young Wren and recapture of a Robin and a Dunnock. The monsoon season is upon us with 6mm last night and more as I write. The forecast is for much more to come. Just what we want to bugger up our autumn catches during southward migration.

Sixteen years ago ...

Sixteen years ago, well, actually, 16y 3d ago, was the last time I ringed any Swallows on my own rings. The last handling of the said species was three years ago, to the day, on the BTO Gibraltar Point ringing course in 2008. Trainers just assist with the extraction so I doubt if I got round to ringing any.

Before being dragged off to Morrisons for the weekly shop, I shot down to the newly cut and baled meadows and put up four single panel nets. The day was much sunnier and a lot less windier than yesterday, when the hirundines were flying very low and reaping the benefit of the recently disturbed insects. I waited until I heard a Swallow calling over the garden as they are generally late risers hereabouts and then spend the post dawn period at some height, catching arial insects.


However, I persevered for about an hour from 8 o'clock. Typically, two of the four nets, Jap of course, now need repairing as one or other of the strings has come adrift. Out with the 'superglue' some other time! One bird did get caught but, as it was travelling down-wind, it made the effort as I approached closely and flitted. Ten minutes later, an adult male flew into the wind - and the net - and became the 36th species ringed at the site.


So, there you have it! Craving satisfied!

Badgers' birthdays all at once

This was the scene that greeted me this morning. I was rather late as we had been over Exmoor yesterday and I'm not as fit as I was 50 years ago - when I thought nothing of wandering up and down those hills and valley sides all day.

I set a couple of 60's; one was in the usual place in the orchard and the other through a bed of Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens). It was a fairly fruitful session with 15 new birds and 7 retraps, covering 9 species. I packed up after 2 hours as the tractor came in to maxi-bale the hay. It did encourage the Swallows to fly low - alas, my single panels were still in the chest of drawers!

Scoreboard:
Kingfisher (1) - juv fem.
Blue Tit 5 - most were too high over (thank God)
Great Tit 1
Long-tailed Tit 1
Chiffchaff 1 (3) - r/ts from 6th, 14th & 29th.
Blackcap 4 - no retraps & only 2 with any fat [1 with F30]
Sedge Warbler 1 - a juv, naturally
Blackbird 1 (2)
Goldfinch 1 (1) - juv & ad. male r/t

Meanwhile, the Badgers have been "making hay". Much new bedding has been snitched from the nearest swath and bundles of it were apparent close to all of the many entrances to the (summer) sett.


As the rollers on the harvester now have 'crimpers' these days [it crushes the grass, opening the waxy case and allows quicker drying] it was no surprise to see the baler behind the tractor today, 2 days after the cut. This activity made me pack up whilst they were baling the two eastern meadows; it wouldn't be long before it came over my side of the stream. By lunch-time, most of the bales were already off-site and safely in store for the sheep and horses.

Other birds around the site - 4 Buzzards, Green Sand, 2 Heron, Dipper, 80-100 Swallow, 6 House Martins and 2 Little Egberts.

Wet & windy Bank Holiday

The weather was very un-seasonal for the August Holiday weekend. On the Friday, it rained - over half an inch's worth (13.5mm). On the Saturday, we had heavy showers on and off throughout the day and on Sunday they only lasted for the morning. The sun appeared but a cold wind sprung up at the same time.

So, I got the forecast about right but, nevertheless, I was able to get in some ringing in the garden at times, mainly by switching nets. I was already resigned to a 'nul' weekend because of the forecast, on top of putting up visiting relations.

Surprise, surprise; it turned out quite fortuitous.


The garden capture list:
Sparrowhawk 1 - post-juvvy female
Collared Dove 1 - a female pushed in by two romantic males
Blue Tit 1 (2)
Blackcap 1 - a fat-free young male
Sedge Warbler 1 - an early morning surprise
Wren (1)
Blackbird 2
Robin (3)
Dunnock 1
House Sparrow 1
Greenfinch 3 - all juv juvs


A surprising mix - 12 new + (6 r/t) of 11 spp.

On the Monday, I was able to get in a couple of hours down at the meadows straight after first light. More ringing was not possible shortly after eight o'clock as the wind shifted round to a point east of north, affecting the nets. The fields had still not been cut for hay when I was there, but "her indoors" said they were being cut in the afternoon when she walked her dog along the track. Just as well since the Purple Moor Grass had been 'Buff Moor Grass' for a couple of weeks now.

The meadow capture list:
Dipper (1) - a juv first caught a month ago, now with a brown 'waistcoat'
Chiffchaff 4
Blackcap 3 (1)
Dunnock 1
Greenfinch 1 - another youngster
9 + (2) of 5 spp.


The young finches are around at last; a sign of better days to come in the garden at the feeders, perhaps.

Rain, rain, go away!

It has been a week of showers - and Wednesday and today, quite heavy, and almost continuous, showers. More tomorrow and the day after with the wind increasing, too. A better picture might emerge for Bank Holiday Monday. During the better weather days this week, it has been impractical for me to do any ringing as I needed to concentrate on the house and garden chores.

I have managed to catch bits and bobs in the garden when not otherwise occupied with workmen etc. and also have been able to set a net for a couple of hours at the water meadows, with one in the orchard and another couple on the bank directly opposite.


Robin - bird-of-the-year after completing PJ moult

At this quiet time of year, ringing wise, in the garden, I procured the following: 3 new birds and 4 retraps -
Great Tit (1)
Blackbird (1)
Robin 2 (1)
Dunnock (1)
Goldfinch 1

Down at the Doniford Stream, things have been a little better, as one would expect during autumn migration. Even considering that the early morning was 'cold' and I had to pack up by half-eight anyway, I managed just 17 birds. Just as well, really, because the rain crept up and then decided to stay for the day.

Chiffs predominated; all youngsters, one of which I first caught a month earlier.
Chiffchaff 7 (3)
Blackcap 2
Blackbird 3
Wren 1
Chaffinch 1


Chiffchaff - hatch year female having finished PJ moult

No idea when I will be able to make it down to the meadows again - visiting relatives from my and Jen's dad's birthplace descending on us next week.

For friends and family - our new gates (well, 2 new sets and 1 refurbed).
We are now, hopefully, terrier and, maybe, badger proof.