Still they come

Tuesday

I managed to get in a couple of hours 'early doors' before the April weather re-asserted itself. It wasn't too bad considering; 6 new birds with 4 re-traps, including the pair of Robins that were re-caught last Saturday. A female Blackcap, with a fat score ESF20, could only be aged as 3CY+ by its broad primary coverts as the retrices had become wet in the bag and there were no other 'anomalies'. No Willow Warblers, though.


Blackcap 1, Wren (1), Blackbird 1, Robin (2), House Sparrow 1, Greenfinch (1), Goldfinch 2, Siskin 1. 

Friday

The rains had eased off, if only until mid-afternoon. The day before, the showers were accompanied by blustery winds, reflecting the non performance of the nets. The 'local birds' were busy feeding in the fruit trees and raiding the bird table, but I didn't connect with many un-ringed 'strangers'. Now it was a different picture. The female Blackbirds appeared (including the controlled bird), looking for morsels for their offspring, which I will be extracting from the nets in about 4 weeks time. The tits took to the top of the trees, looking for "micro-beasts" amongst the opening leaf buds, despite not having young at all. And, best of all, the Phylloscs were on the move!

The full morning's tally, I was able to keep the nets open until "the drought set in" mid-afternoon, was 18:

Collared Dove 1, Blue Tit (1), Great Tit (1), Willow Warbler 9, Blackcap 1, Blackbird 1 (1), Robin (1), House Sparrow 1, Siskin 1.

Female Willow Warbler P. trochilus "in the pot" being weighed.

As anticipated, all bar one of the Willies were females, carrying fat between levels 10 & 30. One of the birds 'trended' towards the northern Scandinavian form abietinus and, incidentally, had a wing length 2mm longer than the rest but the same 'wing formula'. 
Fellow ringer, John, was at Dunster Hawn this morning and "had a 'mega sighting' with most of the bushes teeming with Phylloscopus warblers and Willow Warblers calling and singing from almost every one of them. Numbers must have been well into treble figures". Seems like it was a "Troch and Roll" day! [thanks, Peter]


The dove was a welcome catch after the many that 'get out' of the net by being too close to the pole. "She" hit the net dead centre, where there's most 'bag', and got some 'bling' for her pains.

Saturday

As it had been forecast as the best (half) day of the weekend by the TV weather persons, I intended to carry on ringing, hoping for more Phylloscs.Not to be!


Friday teatime, we had a heavy shower, dumping 5.5mm of "wet drought" on us. Come 'Horlicks-time', the heavens opened and we were graced with 16mm more "wet drought" over three-quarters of an hour. As our new roof was not yet sealed to the old wall, the strong winds drove the rain hard onto the wide chimney breast and then it ran down into the new loft and then on across the old roof (half of which had been removed) and onto the sitting room ceiling. Panic stations!!!

The offending chimney breast and half-finished tiling

It was midnight before we got to bed. On waking today, a quick 'butchers' round the orchard and it was apparent that 'No ringing' was the order of the day, thanks to a force 6 ENE blow. Fortunately, the weather remained dry enough (just) for the rest of the tiles to go on and the "soakers" to be fitted, sealing the roof to the wall. A dehumidifier quickly sorted the damp problem out. 



Heavy and prolonged rain forecast for tonight/tomorrow. That should take us well over the 150mm mark for the month! By the time we get out doing some proper ringing, all the birds will be gone, miles away!