Now that the cold weather has abated, it was an opportunity to put the nets out again. At present, I am restricted to the garden as a series of management works are taking place down at the meadows. Some of the horses are still in there (although they're usually not too much of a problem), the hedges have been cut back down, the orchard has been strimmed, the banks of the stream were flailed yesterday and the EA have arrived and are currently removing obstructive trees from the bank edges along the whole length (flooding can be a serious problem here).
The main birds keeping company with the horses at the moment are a family of Crows, a pair of Magpies, one Little Egret, a couple of elusive Water Rails, a pair of Moorhens, three Buzzards, five Fieldfares and 15 Redwings, plus a couple of pairs of Great Tit, the local 'juvvy' Sparrowhawks and some wintering Chaffinches. At high tide times, a flock of 25-50 Black-headed Gulls turns up and roosts for a short while.
The totals are gradually creeping up. Last year was truly amazing because of the snow cover and hard frosts. But being in the south-west, we expect January and February to be our coldest months but rather mild compared to the rest of the country. We make up for it with a long growing ... and breeding ... season!
This is what has graced the ringing table since my last visit HERE:
Woodpigeon 1
Goldcrest (1)
Blue Tit 1 (1)
Great Tit 1
Coal Tit (1)
Blackcap 2 (3) - at least 4 of these are feeding daily at the bird tables
Wren (1)
Blackbird (5) - signs of BP forming
Robin (2) - signs of BP forming
Dunnock 1 (3)
Chaffinch 1 - difficulty catching the "wily 6" with rings on!
Greenfinch 3
Goldfinch 13 (2)
One of the 2CY Greenfinches had moulted primaries 5-7 (ascending) but not the alula.
The Dipper has found a mate and now sings every morning as the dog and I pass by.
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