Plenty Spring Chiffin

Well, another week has gone by so I need to put pen to paper - or bash the keyboard in modern parlance.

The Equinox weather is not as kind as last year; we are suffering minus 5 at night and, if the sun shines, plus 5 during early afternoon. The wind continues to come from the east or north-east and only occasionally drops to "light air". We also had 35mm of rain on 21st/22nd and a light drop of snow this morning. Compared to counties further north and east, we are positively 'balmy'. At least the roads are clear, very clear.

Vismig wise, Stock Doves and Meadow Pipits seem to be all that is happening, although I did hear a Curlew calling from the hill. Every day the garden has played host to between 3 and 7 Chiffchaffs, not all of which have found the net (can't put them everywhere!). Over the last few days, Blackcaps have started to appear, too. As far as I can tell, all the birds of both species which are passing through here are males. Females usually appear some 7-10 days later; we'll have to wait and see. I am also expecting to extract the first Willow Warbler sometime next week. The Apple trees want to blossom but it's so cold for the time of year.

I was given a fresh Sparrowhawk that had flown into some garden furniture. No ring.

Things are beginning to even up on the Siskin front. Previously, there has been a heavy preponderance towards adults and a bias for males. More recently the imbalance between full adult and 2CY has reduced (7:5), and it's the same for the sexes (M:F). They had a shocking breeding season last year round here (prolonged rain and felling of much larch affected by Phytophthora), so a shortage of "virgin" birds is to be expected. 100 Siskin in total ringed so far this year compares favourably with 40 last year and 43 the year before. And controlled birds, too!

Goldcrest - 1, a passing male
Blue Tit - (1)
Great Tit - (1)
Long-tailed Tit - (2), obviously a pair
Chiffchaff - 15, all with wing lengths from 61-66mm, no obvious 5's (2CY)
Blackcap - 6 (1) + 1 control, new birds were all males except the one 2CY; re-trap was one of our over-wintering females, control L293404 of as yet unknown origin.
Blackbird - 1 (1), both males, the females are on eggs but visit at dawn for a sultana or two
Robin - (2), both last year's youngsters, the ladies are on eggs somewhere
Dunnock - (3), courtship activity has slackened over the week
Chaffinch - female with 'scaly leg' not ringed
Greenfinch - 1
Goldfinch - 5 (2),
Siskin - 10 + 2 controls, 1 from the other side of the village (2km W) more than once, and 1 as yet unrecognised male L869461
 Total = 40 + 13 re-captures + 3 controls

Male Blackcap - spring

We have frog spawn! Fortunately, the pond is close to the house and doesn't often freeze over.