A stop-go week

The heat has been affecting cable broadband. We are about 4.5 cable miles from the exchange and heat affects our "box" up the road. And there's been alot of traffic, what with schools off and all those sporting events. It's been difficult to download photos on blogs/websites straight off, having to resort to right-clicking instead.

I'm typing this without a toolbar showing- so it's a bit hit and miss [Fixed it!]. Bird wise, only 5 spp this week, all in the garden. Gt. Tit 2, both 3Js
House Sparrow 17 (6), just the 2 adults as a 3 in Sept '08 and 3J in Jly '09
Chaffinch 1, 3J male
Greenfinch 1, a 2CY female with BP
Goldfinch (1).

The local pair of Blackbirds have decided to set up home in the apple tree, 5m away from the back door. She's been busy tearing off bents from my untidy (wildlife friendly) borders.

Temperatures have been in the upper 20s, top score 32C, by day and from 14 to 18C at night.

Leaking pipe in the d/s toilet cost £20 and the patio door jammed due to an "unwound rod" on the shoot bolt system (got it open 3cm before it stuck and it wouldn't go back either).The problem for me was, heavy rain was forecast for Monday coming; another £20 relieved from the back pocket. At least the bloke turned out on a Sunday between the Grand Prix and the footy final.

Sunday (today) was Barnacle goose round-up; it didn't go quite as anticipated. For a start the birds were on the "other lake".

 The pre-round-up 'huddle'

Off we go to find the geese

T

The flotilla passes by.
Ten canoeists and some of us 'pushing' from the bank soon had them penned up. I looked after the retraps. Still 139 retraps and in the region of 150 new birds plus 2 Greylags and 7 Canadas wasn't all that bad. (done my bit - just waiting for newly ringed totals, etc)

Ring (darvic C/U) taken off - had slipped over the bird's foot. 

The bird's foot can now heal after this unusual occurrence.

Ed got a ringing tick or two. 26 birds (Bargos) flew and 2 stayed put on an island. 10 Crossbills over north.

Ed married this Canada Goose

Retrap birds - '03 - 42%, '04 - 46%, '05 - 59%, '07 - 82% of the original number ringed
7 years old + = 11 birds
7 years old =6
6 years old + = 22
6 years old = 1 (ringed very few young)
5 years old + =32
5 years old = 36
3 years old + = 36
3 years old = 0 (no young ringed - parents and broods escaped)

Next stop - an old dirty loft for Swifts!