Since leaving Norfolk

Over the last 10 days, I have managed to get out ringing on half of them.
The totals are as follows (re-captures in brackets):
Wood pigeon 1
Wren 2
Dunnock 1 (6)
Robin 7 (1)
Blackbird 8 (3)
Reed Warbler 6 (6)
Les. Whitethroat 2
Whitethroat 3 (3)
Garden Warbler 2 (1)
Blackcap 1 (2)
Chiffchaff 1
Long-tailed Bushtit 1
Blue Tit 1 + 15 pulli (2)
Great Tit 27 pulli (1)
Greenfinch 4
Goldfinch 1 (1)
Bullfinch 2
Reed Bunting 1

Lots of young birds now appearing.

Above: young female Greenfinch, young Robin, 2CY female Reed Bunting, 2CY Lesser Whitethroat

It's terminal

Well, goodbye to Norfolk - for the time being. There's always the caravan to fall back on when we get withdrawal symptoms!


Up bright and early 'cos there's still a lot of boxes to finish off and nearly all need taping up. Before 9am, the men arrive with their pantechnicon. Immediately they pitch in to get the upstairs cleared first. Furniture and boxes go into the containers just like a jigsaw, with some bits left out to fit in to another one later.

We rush about downstairs, closing boxes as they're filled. Bits and pieces make their way out to the cars on next door's drive (they're away). Coffe is served. Dog gets a short walk.

All the tools are ready in the garage; Jen's brother John will dispose of what he doesn't need.

Then, miraculously, suddenly, just after 12 noon, it's all done.

Ah, but we now have to empty the fridge into the cool boxes. One last look around ... and we're off to my place. One touch of luck - the estate agent says I've got a viewing tomorrow morning.

Ah, well, that's it! Shan't be ringing in this lovely garden backing on to woodland ever again! Sob.

Another handfull

Out with the ladder again, this time with Davy H.
(To read last weekend's - go HERE)

That's him being useful!. 79 tit pulli ringed today to add to the 74 we did at the weekend.

A box full of Great Tits. Not much of a nest - their bums were on the wooden base of the box!

Today, things were more even with 6 broods of Blue Tit and 6 of Great Tit. One brood of Great we left as they were too big and about to 'explode'. This was in the box where, last year, all the young died because of the very wet weather.

That's what is known as a handful; 13 Blue Tits just about ready for their baptismal jewellery. And a close up, showing the young feathers sprouting from their sheaths (FS).

So far we have ringed - 11 broods of Blue Tit, brood sizes from 5 to 13, average of 9.18; 8 broods of Great Tit, brood size from 3 to 9, average of 6.63 (excludes runts). There are 4 more BT broods to ring and 6 more GT ones. 

A full weekend coming up - CES one day and ten more boxes of pulli the next!

Vale of Aylesbury

A day out; not really. I might have been doing what I like best, ringing, but today I had to earn my keep. As a senior ringer, it is my duty not only to train others but also to assess those who wish to become a trainer, either for a specific group or as a 'generalist'. To that end I accompanied Dave Short and three novice/prospective trainees.

Our mission - to visit several owl boxes and a jackdaw's.

Does this man have a Schedule 1 licence? Fortunately, yes.

We drove across a marvellous farm where they grow willow. Full of birds, it was. Up to the box with a bit of hush - and a bird flew out. B****r! Ladder up just in case - whoops - female bird.

"Well I never, she's already been ringed. Sorry, folks"

The female turned out to have been ringed elsewhere in the project area. [The Barn Owl Project is run and financed by Aylesbury Vale District Council, with assistance from the land-owners and HM Prison Service.]

Mrs Barn Owl.

We moved on to site No.2. This had a Kestrel box with new inhabitants. Expectation - four Tawny chicks to ring. Ha, ha!

Mum's sitting under the box.

Number 1 sibling is already out, well fed and sleepy.

We still had to get to the nest, way up in the oak. As the box is very high, we worked off the roof of the Landie.

So, onto the practical side - get the other three chicks ringed and weighed. This is where Dave "has to earn his money, nay, stripes". One each for the girls, Hilary, who climbed the ladder and extracted the birds, Monique and Nina.

Next we turned into shepherds. Arriving at site 3, we were greeted by some 30 or so Hebridean sheep that had escaped from their field by way of a wooden "gate". One of them had managed to dislodge it (it was only held up by one piece of string/twine that wasn't very tight anyway) and get out onto the cinder track, with the rest following like sheep do. Lots of (about) three-week old lambs followed their mums diligently but were a bit skittish when we appeared.

 Job done, gate thing tied up properly, to the next sheep field and our box. Ladder up, volunteer up, chicks out, return to ground level, avoiding nosy sheep (above). If you've never seen a dinosaur before, look you here!

There were three Jackdaw pulli in this one, again one each for the girls.
Next stop was Stowe School, or to be precise, one of two boxes up by "the moated folly" (see below).

Monique's turn up the ladder; her prize - one 10-12 day old Tawny.

The next one at another sheep farm was to be mine. Not a chance! The pesky "tree rats", i.e. Mr & Mrs Grey Squirrel, had decided to take over the box, which is in an oak close to a block of woodland, eating Mr & Mrs Tawny's young family in the process. The land-owner was not amused and will probably see to it that the 'squatters' end up paying more than rent!

Well, that was that! Only thing left to do was to return our "ladder man" back to Springhill open prison, drop the girls back at the Mill, and return to Dave's for a well earned coffee.

One more task - ring the Blue Tits in the box on the back of the garage. Nine in all (one runt), about 6-7 days old.

PS. Worth a look at this video - http://www.buckstv.co.uk/buckstv/outtakes.html "We had a hoot filming ..."

"Last tra-ain to San Fernando ..."

My last chance to ring in North Wootton (Nfk) came and went all too soon.
After my 'dawn chorus' walk at Priory (Beds), I readied myself and the car for my mission.

It was almost lunch-time Sunday before I arrived, unloaded and got the nets out and put them up. Not a bad little afternoon session with 13 birds, of which a mere 6 were new. Chaffinch was to dominate the weekend with 4 males and 2 females.

The biggest male Chaffinch of the weekend [wl 91, wt 22.1]

As I was about to sit down for lunch, a raucous din drew my attention to something struggling in the net close to the pole. Knowing what "disasters" can happen when this occurs, I shot out and took the following quick pic before I un-picked this 2CY female with a stonking B3 brood patch [i.e.fully engorged].

 Female Great Spot. in its first breeding season calling out to be ringed!

By the end of the day, I was half-way through the week-end's total of 27 birds. Next day, I had to get my car in for its MOT test (that ran out on Saturday) at Gayton, about 10 miles distant. Jen ferried me there so I was able to capture a few more birds in the morning only. After lunch, I had to get into Kings Lynn and pick up and pay for the service and MOT. They still do things the old-fashioned way - that means real service and no bright lights to dazzle the customers!

Allen's Garage, Lynn Road, Gayton.

The day saw me ring my first 3J of the year, a sweet Robin, destined to become a female going by its wing length.

On some younger birds, the bastard wing (alula) has become quite noticeable due to bleaching. Here is a 2CY female Blue Tit from Monday's catch.

Faded alula on a 2nd year, female Blue Tit. (May 2010)

Tuesday morning was to be my very last session here. Although I lay abed 'til 7am (that's 2 hours after sun up), it turned out to be a bit of a farewell fanfare. Nine birds of just five species. Grist to the mill turned up as 3 new Dunnocks, an English ringer's bread and butter, and 2 retrap Blue Tits from last August. But, over breakfast, I saw a Jay through the conservatory window. A developing brood patch maybe, reasonable cloaca, 176 wing, 164 weight and 12 bars on the outermost gc and a broad tail pointed towards a 6 (hatched 2 years or more ago) and a possible male at that.

Early morning Jay. Note the dressing gown!

About two hours later in the morning, low and behold, another Jay! This one was definitely a 6M - everything was that bit bigger than the earlier bird. The little finger on my left hand, which is awaiting surgery, sustained a further injury and more pain as I thrust my hand out to hold the bird while I went under the net.

Late morning 6M Jay. Note the BTO sweater cuff by now!

Proper photo (none of these are cropped or touched up; it's beyond my comprehension!)

I finished on the only Coal Tit of the wekend, somewhat surprising, as they have been the real ' bread and butter' job for me round here these last four and a half years.

My efforts resulted in 27 birds, 15 new (12 retraps):
Gt Spot 1
Jay 2
Blue Tit (6)
Gt. Tit (2)
Coal Tit 1
Black bird 1 (1)
Robin 1
Dunnock 2 (2)
Chaffinch 5 (1)
Greenfinch 2

2CY male Greenfinch that has been on the last of the rose-hips

"If you miss . this one . there'll never be another one ... biddy-biddy-bum-bum ..."

Go west! (pt.4)

Needed to get in some walking and that after the celebrations.

Day 12 (actually 13) - Sunday lunch promised at the "Wellie", Boscastle. Jen had visited not long before the disastrous flood and a camping neighbour was there on that day in 2004. Coincidentally, the Boscastle flood was on 16 August and the Lynmouth flood was on 15 August 1952, a day I will always remember.

We went via the coast road and through a very pretty, and much "glammed up" village of Polzeath, where we posted letters and cards home.

 
Polzeath harbour. 


 From there, we went to Port Issac. We parked outside the village and walked down. Later, we climbed back. On Mayday, I had chatted to one of the inshore lifeboat crew up at the Social Club, while sitting on the grass. Jen spent a lot of time poking round all the ally ways, looking at the old fishermen's cottages up the narrow streets. Meanwhile, I contemplated visiting a grumpy old doctor at his surgery above the harbour. Hehe.

Recognise it? Doc Martin's house. Quite a few of the locations at "Port Wenn" are filmed here. And by-the-by, those are not 'Fisherman's Friends', singing "No Hopers, Jokers and Rogues'.

From there, we went on to Boscastle. The repairs to the village and its infra-structure took five years to complete. At present, it all looks very pristine and new but I suspect the slate will weather down over the next decade and plants and mosses will colonise the walls as wind-blown dust settles in the cracks.

V

View of Boscastle harbour, secluded but tricky to enter in poor weather.

Today was also the day a yanky White-throated Sparrow was found up the Tintagel road, by Trevalga. Star bird!

Pics of this bird can be found HERE and a video clip here

Day 14. More walking, this time as an excuse to look for colour-ringed Corn Buntings. We opted to park at Harlyn beach and walk round Trevone Head on the coast path to Constantine Bay (clean toilets).

Harlyn Bay on an ebb tide, with F4 northerlies.

We only found three singing Corn bunts and I was able to 'scope just the one, which was ring-less. On the other hand, we picked up Rock Pipit, a Gannet fishing off Trevone and 'Quies' [islets off-shore], a few Fulmars, Buzzards, Kestrel, Sky Larks singing 'everywhere', plenty of large and small gulls, and noisy Oystercatchers and passing Whimbrels. We walked back via the golf course to Harlyn, stopping off at the pub for a cold, Polish, lager beer, before returning to the car.

From there, we dropped into Padstow for a 'cornish cream tea' as Jen didn't want to leave without one. Then it was back to our windswept camp site to do a little packing up. On the morrow, we were anticipating a long drive of 6-7 hours to Bedford, with Jen taking another 2 to get to Lynn.

V

"View from our lounge window, Padstow".

And the Blackbird chicks (at least three) from the Leylandii by the water tap fledged today and were partitioned between mum and dad. A good holiday, all things considered - and over too soon.

Go West (pt.3)

Day 11 - the 'big day'. May Day in Padstow! Or as they know it "'Obby 'Oss Day - the start of Summer"


Let the fun begin; the 'Childrens' parade', heading for the Institute.



The beating heart of the "Blues' 'oss"

The 'obby 'oss can just be seen over the top of the crowd, immediately after leaving the Institute.

The base of the Maypole, Market Square, decorated with Cowslips, Bluebells Sycamore boughs.

The top of the Maypole.

A packed inner harbour and harbour frontage - Padstow 01-05-10

This wasn't all. We had just finished having (another) drink at "The Shipwrights", when Jen spotted her niece Hannah. who lived hereabouts for several years. Later we were joined by nephew, Gerry, and Hannah's partner, Ian (better known as 'Ginge') and their Hungarian Oupi (woolly dog).

A chance family meeting. [Jen, Gerry, "Henry", Ian & Hannah]

I think I can say - "a good time was had by all".

Go west! (pt.2)

Day 7. Turned out lovely. Walked over the Towans to Godrevy with "Timmy Titus" who liked getting sand in his eyes (mad bugger). Just loved having those Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins swooping over the dunes around us almost constantly. Low numbers of both martins nest in/on the cliffs.
Later we went off to St. Ives, the artists' capital. Jen had to have a pastie and look in the arty-farty places while I bought some scones for later. We acquired our "Cornish calves" walking down and back - as pensioners we could have had a free ride there and back on the bus!

The steep walk via public footpath down to the town centre

St. Ives harbour at low tide.

Day 8. Jen took me to the Kennal Vale reserve at Ponsonooth. This is an old industrial site (gunpowder) in a steep, wet valley. I took the low road while Jen took the narrow, wet path (I call it a ledge) through the tops of the seven mills, fed by a still performing leat. No Dippers today. Some magnificent Beech trees, straight for 70-80', no less.

One of the grinding or mixing mills - minus water wheel.


Later on, we continued to Falmouth for lunch of fish and chips overlooking the harbour.
In the afternoon, we travelled to Predannack, a NT owned farm on the South-West Coast Path, situated down a very narrow lane between high Cornish banks.

 Predannack bay and cliffs - 28-04-10
 

 Cornish banks and trackway in spring - Predannack

Apart from the gulls on the rocks below the cliffs, we sat and watched the colony of Jackdaws wheeling and foraging, with incessant male Common Whitethroats singing from the stunted, wind-swept hedges along the tops of the banks that formed the field boundaries.'Bonus ball' was a Stoat watching us from <20' away; he eventually retreated into the rocks.

On day 9 it rained. A chance to have some "BSD cuddles". The couple next door had a Groenendal bitch and a Terveuren dog (13 yrs old!) which I was allowed to fondle. Happy memories. Went shopping in Tesco's.

Day 10 dawned and we packed the caravan. Off to Padstow, arriving around noon. My first visit but not Jen's. We've come to support the "Institute 'obby 'oss" tomorrow, as is Jen's desire.