Summer's set fair?

Well. We hope it is going to be a good summer, with plenty of warm sunshine and enough rain not to spoil things but enough to keep the garden/veggies growing. Nice and average will do. And that would also suit the birds during their breeding season.

With the recent sunny weather, coupled with a cold easterly breeze, and maximum garden temperatures (in shade, around 2pm BST) in the high teens, and topping 20C on a couple of occasions,  the birds have melted away. From time to time, one or two turn up for food, either for themselves or for hungry chicks, and forget where the (two) nets are. Some strangers have also paid us a visit; we showed our gratitude with a unique gift of a BTO/Porzana crafted bracelet.  

A late Chiffchaff that was caught was thought to be newly in. Identified as a female (on size), she had no signs of a brood patch and her tail was very abraded and faded, pointing to a bird that was hatched last year. Our two males had been "giving it some wellie" the morning she was caught, trying to out-do one another. I wonder who won her favour?

Miss Chiffchaff HCE511

Post mortem on last week (no birds were harmed in the making of this list (or any other)):

Great Spotted Woodpecker* 1 - adult (6) male on the fat balls

Blue Tit (2) - 2 different aged males

Great Tit (1) - adult (6) female with "the wrinkles" 

Chiffchaff 2 - incl. a (2CY?) female with an unmoulted tail

Blackcap 1 - 2CY female

Whitethroat* 1 - 2CY with a partially moulted tail

Wren 1 (1)

Blackbird 2 (2) - two new males and the pair from over the hedge

Robin 6 (4) - mum, dad and all 8 offspring; out-and-about from 29th April

Dunnock (3) 

House Sparrow 3 (3) - low fliers; new birds = males, oldest first ringed Dec 2011.

Pied Wagtail (1) - male first caught as a 2CY last August

Greenfinch (1) -

Goldfinch (3)

Siskin 2 - a breeding pair from nearby

18 new, 21 recaptures, *= NFY species

Newcomers for the 2014 list:

No.27 - Gt. Spot Woodpecker (6M on primaries)

No. 26 - Common Whitethroat (5(f) on eye colour, etc)

The wind has changed direction and is now a force 4 sou'wester. We are expecting to see our first Swifts returning over the village tomorrow ahead of a front that will bring rain and showers for the rest of the week. A Cuckoo was seen/heard on 27th April on the outskirts of the village and we have/had a brood of 6 ducklings on the stream. 

I'm still only netting in the garden as I'm still fighting off the latter stages of "the shingles". Feels like I've been shot in the shoulder. Arghh!  I'm also off back to Bedford for a couple of days, so little chance of any ringing this week and consequently the next blog will be mid-month.

PS. Swifts arrived early morning on Monday 5th. 
PPS. Stu, a friend up the village, has also had young Siskins and Dunnocks being fed in his small garden last week.