So far, so good

We are now into spring proper and heading for the breeding season of our summer migrants. Our resident birds are well and truly into their breeding season and I have already ringed a fledged (1J) Robin on the 12th.

This report deals with April to date. The garden is a picture, full of flowering primroses and polyanthus and other spring flowers. On the non-avian front, the slow-worms are basking under the tin sheets, the majority of the frog spawn hatched, giving us several hundred tadpoles, (signifying a stock of mince in the freezer), and the toads re-appeared. Bumble bees and other insects made hay with the Ribes blossom, Peacock and Small Tortoishell butterflies were on the wing and the plum trees blosomed and the Camellia flowers wilted. As yet, we await the Bluebells and the main apple and pear blossom season ... and the Redstarts.

All attention has had to be devoted to the garden as I am suffering with prepatella bursitis, or 'house-maids knee' for those of a non-medical persuasion. The local resident birds are mopping up the bird food as quick as I can put it out, both on the tables (3), in the feeders (6) and on the kitchen lawn. To this end, I have had to expend £180 to replenish stocks of SFH, suet pellets, finch seed and mealworms, totalling 65 kg. I will  pick up the millet when I go to Bedford on Sunday. Thank goodness the Wood Mice seem to have buzzed off for the summer.

The three pairs of Herring Gulls are assiduously guarding their nest sites from others and the Jackdaws. A few base sticks and fleshy bits have been put down but none are anywhere near complete. The Lesser Black-back pair have now returned; I don't as yet know where they intend to set up home. This should be their 'parenthood' year if things go to plan.

First Willow Warbler of 2015
(a whiter shade of pale)

Chiffchaff - with pollen horn

The first Swallow, a male with long streamers, appeared on the 6th, the same afternoon that an Osprey flew resolutely north. Yesterday, there were at least 3 Swallows and the first House Martin wheeling overhead. Three new species have been ringed this month - namely, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Rook and, of course, Willow Warbler. The first 'Willy' arrived on the 8th and sang "out front", and I caught a different male the following day. None of the males has been carrying much fat (0-1), whereas the more recently arrived females have all been heavy for their smaller size and fat 2-3.

The first fledgling to be ringed was a Robin that I found in the net on the evening of the 12th.

Fledgling Robin (1J) 12-04-15

All together, I ringed a further 74 birds of 19 species, plus handled 52 individual retraps. So far in 2015, I have ringed just 350 new birds, of which 127 are Goldfinches (36.3% of birds ringed this year to date). There have been 229 handlings of them all told, consisting of 200 'new for year' individual Goldfinches. Some of these have been new or returning migrant birds that drop in for a day or two to feed up before pushing off further north. Our local breeding birds are much leaner and don't just use the feeders but inspect all the plants in the garden and even try to get in the fruit cage. They also appreciate the fine, groomed hair from my Belgian Shepherd.

2CY female (5F) Gt. Spotted Woodpecker

2CY Pied Wagtail (yarrellii) with 4 old greater coverts

With just one 60' net, the list of new birds ringed, with other birds ringed previously in brackets, is:
Gt. Spot Woodpecker - 1
Rook - 1
Goldcrest - 1 (2)
Blue Tit - 2 (1)
Great Tit - 1 (2)
Long-tailed Tit - 1 (2)
Chiffchaff - 5; the only female on the 13th
Willow Warbler - 10; males first, females from the 12th
Blackcap - 6 (1); lingering male on 6th, new birds from the 9th
Wren - 3 (1)
Starling - 2; no unringed birds seen - 6 pairs known
Blackbird - 1 (4); all now feeding young in the nest
Robin - 3 (5);
Dunnock - (4); not as showy as last month
House Sparrow - 2 (6); a few are nesting, others are still thinking about it
Pied Wagtail - 1; minimum of 3 pairs present, poss 4 pairs.
Chaffinch - 4 (2) + 1 adult male (2x) with severe FPV
Greenfinch - 4 (11); 9 males + 6 females, 6 aged 5 (2CY)
Goldfinch - 26 (12); 8 of the retraps were 2CY, only 2 of the new birds were adults (3CY+)
       Finches still dominate in the catches, but Collared Dove (up to 7), Jackdaw (5), Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock and Pied Wagtail are most likely to be seen feeding in the garden at any time of day.

A 'normal' (yellow) spring Willow Warbler