A week later ...

... and the sun has returned. However, the last few days have been blustery, mainly from the north-west or west, and interspersed with showers. Bird-life has dwindled apart from the sparrows raiding the bird table alongside the camellia. Not many to show for it because I didn't put up the net between their favourite "entry bush" and their dinner. [You need to read also the post prior to this one, below]. I did keep the net between the SFH feeders in the orchard with much better results yesterday. Bingo! lots of 3J King Harrys; my favourite species at the moment.

The meadows were disappointing this weekend; perhaps I chose the wrong day. There just weren't the birds about. In two-plus hours I caught two birds and saw a Kingfisher. The only other birds were some Chaffinches moving noisily between the tops of the alders.

I've added in some photos from last week as well as this.

On of the three female Sparrowhawks that are
all too apparent at the moment

Juvenile Chiffchaff in heavy PJ moult
(with 3 ogc's)

Young Coal Tit
(showing the white nape patch)

Progress over the past six days: 77 new and 11 re-traps. All birds trapped were juveniles apart from a 2010 vintage, male Blue Tit on his fifth encounter with the human hand.

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 (male)

Blue Tit 3 (6)

Great Tit 2 (1)

Coal Tit 2 - 2nd & 3rd for the year

Long-tailed Tit (2)

Chiffchaff 1

Blackcap 1

Whitethroat 1

Blackbird (1)

Robin 1 (1)

Dunnock 4 - still they come after a "disappearing act"

House Sparrow 4 (1) - see above

Greenfinch 3

Goldfinch  54 (1) - now over 400 for the year (all in the garden)

Prince Harry?
(Juvenile Goldfinch in advanced PJ moult)

The weather looks fair for the coming week - will it be too good, and the birds overfly us? We will have to wait and see.

Influx of East Europeans (and other immigrants)

It is still quite quiet here (mid-November). A couple of days ago I noticed a large number (~200) of Redwings and Fieldfares on the grazing meadows a short distance down the road. Prior to that, we had only noticed small flocks made up of 5-15 individuals, feeding in the hedgerows as they moved through the area. Normally these sheep/cattle fields play host to a flock of over 100 Jackdaws and c.50 Rooks, as they seem to be "full of worms" and invertebrates throughout most of the year. 

We have had almost a foot (285 mm) of rain in the last seven weeks and the birds that rely on the local streams moved out as the levels and flow speed increased. They either went to shallower parts upstream or to the sea (which is less than 2km away). The stream is slowly returning to more normal winter conditions (fast, almost clear & 40-45 cm deep) and the Dippers and Kingfishers have returned but not the Grey Wagtails. The Dipper is even singing from a favourite perch. 

I have had to bring the feeders in and clean them and also dry the seed (in the micro-wave) before refilling. [I do discard that which is going off.]  The damp had gotten into them with the almost daily downpours. Saying that, I've not had to top them up very much either. The Collared Doves have eaten the most, but they take the SFH from the bird tables. I am trying out some suet pellets alongside my usual winter fare of mealworms (for the Robins) mixed small seed (for the Dunnocks) and soaked sultanas (for the Blackcaps). Here are two of the latter "immigrants".

Female Blackcap (above) and a male (below)

The Lottis go on the fat balls, as do the woodpeckers, and the finches utilise the Nyger & SFH almost exclusively. We also have very many windfalls, thanks to the insect pests, and some of these apples will find their way down a thrush's throat, while the Chiffs and 'crests pick their way through the lichen and next year's buds.  

Young female Gt. Spotted Woodpecker with brilliant red under-tail coverts

 Since my last blog-posting, I have caught and ringed 33 birds and recaptured a different 31 birds that altogether cover 16 species.

Totals from 28/10 to 16/11; recaptures in brackets (no duplication)
Gt. Spot. Woodpecker 1 - a young female
Goldcrest 5 (1) - a sign winter's on it's way

Blue Tit 5 (5) - that's much better! Was getting withdrawal symptoms!
Great Tit 1 (3) - an old pair & a young pair?
Coal Tit 1 (1) - a male & a female, so probably "teen-age newly-weds"

Immature male Coal Tit
Note large black bib and 4 OGCs

Long-tailed Tit (9) - one "oldie" from Jan 2011
Blackcap 3 - all over 19.5 grams but little fat.
Wren 1 (2) - why do we only catch them in half-light?
Blackbird 3 - not long-winged individuals but not "ours"
Redwing 2 - an adult & an immature
Robin (3) - "the pair", plus a new, young female
Dunnock (4) - just one bird of the year
House Sparrow 1 - female
Chaffinch 1 - adult female
Greenfinch 1 - an adult male; no others seen!
Goldfinch 8 (3) - one new adult, the rest = 1CY

Back view of immature female Goldfinch
Note white discs on RR5&6 only and pointed tail

We have been promised some colder weather in the coming week, which may possibly turn up some more birds. I expect to see many more Fieldfares, in that case. Today was the coldest day we've had since the very beginning of April, with a max. of 8 degrees Celsius. Long-Johns weather!

PS. The East Europeans in the title could well be the Blackcaps. They may well be from southern Poland, the Czech, Slovak or Hungarian Republics, or slightly nearer, i.e. eastern Austria or Bavaria. [See page 532 of the Bird Atlas 2007-2011 for their current winter distribution]

Another flood over

I meant to say " another week over", so there.

1CY controlled Coal Tit

The flooding that occurred in the early hours of Sunday has subsided and those affected in the village have finished mopping up but are a long way from getting back to normal. The worst affected had three feet of flood water in their downstairs accommodation. However, I know of one family that has had to move out altogether in the interim; there may be more. Our plasterer could be in for a hectic period once the dehumidifiers are out.

Part of Robert Street, post flooding

This week has been characterised by cloud, 56 mm of rain and a stiff breeze for the first half, and then frost, sunny mornings and light winds for the remainder. Both these conditions have rendered bird ringing a little on the adventitious side, grabbing a few hours when the weather and temperature allowed. Nevertheless, I have managed to ring 30 new birds, including two chance Blackcaps, and recapture a further 20 birds of just 12 species.

The two first year female Blackcaps [30-11-12]

We have had two flocks, totalling at least 20 birds, of different Long-tailed Tits through the orchard. They were on the same day, about three hours apart. The unfortunate few were 'low fliers'. Two of the re-traps were first ringed here in mid March and early June last year. But, two other birds were first ringed by neighbouring ringer, John, at the end of January 2011. Both these birds, accompanied by two of mine, have a long re-trap history of passing between our two sites, which are approx. 2-3 km apart at opposite ends of the parish.

The orchard list (Sat - Fri; 5 sessions)

Collared Dove 1 - an immature from this spring

Goldcrest (2) - includes the adult female

Blue Tit 6 (2) - 4 of the new birds were adults, the rest 1CYs

Coal Tit (1 control) - 1CY bird - Y0874nn - ex Quantocks?

Long-tailed Tit 7 (5 + 2 controls)

Blackcap 2 - both weighty imm. females

Blackbird 3 (2) - all young birds

Redwing 1 - a lone adult, 1st this autumn

Robin (4) - there are at least 8 birds about

Dunnock 2 (1) - 

Greenfinch 3 - all females

Goldfinch 5 (1) - 4 new adult males and 2 juv males

Male Greenfinch (Nov)

As a matter of interest, over the last month (November), there have been at least 38 different Goldfinch in the garden, 35 different Blue Tits, 19 Blackbirds and 15 Greenfinch, as these are the numbers that I have trapped. We never see that number of birds, of course.

The met. people are forecasting more heavy rain for the beginning of next week. Hey ho!

Back home

We're up and running again!

Last week I returned to Bedford to attend to family matters and to do some shopping while I was there. I was back home last weekend and managed to get in one day's ringing before I was off again. The weather was not very conducive for much migration to take place, but I gave it a go in the orchard between the intermittent showers.

Birds caught (22) and ringed (19):

Collared Dove 1

Gt. Spotted Woodpecker 1 - young female (5ogc)

Blue Tit 5 (1) - just 2 juvs.

Coal Tit 2 (2)

Wren 1 - cock bird

Chaffinch 2 - of the female persuasion

Goldfinch 5

Siskin 2 - both adult males

Fema;e 1CY Gt. Spot. Woodpecker - note a few red feathers in the crown but buff collar

This was very much the same fare as recent efforts and typical of the month of October. Three species were conspicuous by their absence - Long-tailed Tit, Blackbird and Dunnock.

I then had the pleasure of travelling east and meeting up with my sole surviving 'C' permit  holder from Bedfordshire days. [My other 'C's and 'T's all opted to transfer to senior members within the ringing group.] It turned out that the weather was not very conducive  to "non-stop" ringing once again; being near the coast made it doubly so. A vigorous front passed backwards and forwards over much of southern England, depositing fair amounts of rain that caused local flooding.

However, I was able to ring plenty of my favourite bird - Goldfinch, while Amanda got stuck into Lesser Redpolls. My trainee got to grips with a few 'crests ... but I did wrest a Firecrest from her, the second this year, but eons away from the previous two, which were 'ringing ticks' at that time.

Male 1CY Firecrest

Back home, the weather improved albeit slowly, enabling me to erect a net in the orchard ready for the morning. It so happened that the day, (today), although not spectacular from a meteorological standpoint, turned out to be a steady one and I had 32 new birds by the end (tea-time actually), plus 4 "I had prepared earlier".

Total for the session, covering 9 species:

Goldcrest 3 - included all tail shapes, Euring ages 2, 3 & 4

Blue Tit 4 (1)

Great Tit 3 (2)

CoalTit 6 - all juvs.

Blackcap 1 - 1CY male

Robin 1 (1) - the ringed bird from July as a juv.

Chaffinch 1 - young male

Greenfinch 1 - adult female (1st for a while)

Goldfinch 12 - 50% adults

Male 1CY Goldcrest

The Siskins turned up late in the day but decided on a collaborative effort and stayed high over. One or two often arrive at 'first light' but always sneak in from next door and return the same way. I'll be moving the feeders the other side of the net to see if that entices them.

The weather promises to be 'fair' for a few days after misty starts; who knows, we may be in for some more birds to ring.

Note: individual birds that have been recaptured are always given in brackets, (n), on my blog

Allez oop

Despite the weather it has been a good week in most respects. I have been able to do some ringing every day, though Tuesday only saw 1 new Blue Tit in the bag before the wind got up.           

The garden produced 96 new birds (10, 1, 16, 11, 12, 26, 20) and 13 recaptures of 10 species using one 60' in our small orchard. Thursday morning at  Highbridge meadows yielded 21 new plus 3 re-traps including a new species, Grewo, originally from Five Bells, a couple of km to the north-west. There was a passage of Chaffinches but no Mipits or Swallows. Saturday at the meadows saw the temperature down to 0C with clear skies and just 4 new AA rings plus 2 re-traps. 12 Jays moved overhead from the direction of the Crown Estate (mainly coniferous) towards the Quantocks (large tracts of deciduous) at 08:30 and 4 Meadow Pipits took an interest in the "tape" but decided to avoid the net and moved on. Just 2 lone Swallows were seen hastening south. There was a noticeable increase in the number of Siskin feeding high in the Alders, which coincided with their attraction to the garden feeders.

Siskin - male 2CY (October)

*** Birds trapped at the meadows = 25 (4):
Green Woodpecker - control
Blue Tit 1 (1)
Great Tit 4
Long-tailed Tit 7 (3)
Chiffchaff 5
Wren 1
Blackbird 1
Robin 1
Dunnock1
Chaffinch 4

The main event at the house was the number of Goldfinches that appeared from Tuesday onwards. Until now, it has just been the local birds - that know their way around the feeders without getting caught too often.

1CY Goldfinch - After PJ moult

1CY Goldfinch - During PJ moult

 *** Birds caught at the house = 96 (12) [excludes any same week re-traps]
Blue Tit 10 (6)
Great tit 3 (1)
Coal Tit 8 (1) - 2 adults
Chiffchaff 2 - both 'long-winged' @ 64mm
Robin (3)
Dunnock 1
House Sparrow 1
Chaffinch 1
Greenfinch 1
Goldfinch 59 (1) - a dozen adults, F=M
Siskin 10 - influx Fri/Sat (6/7th Oct); 8 adults, 2 juvs

Coal Tit - 1CY

Just thought that I'd show some "rear views" for a change. I will be going to be away from the village for much of the next two weeks and therefore ringing at the house will have to be snatched "as and when". However, my pliers will be in use elsewhere!