The first Swift has arrived

Although it is only two weeks since the last blog, several things have been noticeable, not least the sight of my first Swift of 2015 earlier this afternoon, flying over the garden.

We have not done a lot of ringing, mainly because I had to take to my bed with a temperature but also because Steve came to put the management's new, hand-built potting shed up. So, most of these records refer to the week before last. The last few days have been cold and temperatures below average for the time of year. The signs corroborated this with birds of all species ransacking the food I put out like there was no tomorrow. There was to be one, because I was putting out good quantities of the stuff (SFH, suet, mealworms & sultanas) three times a day!

On the other hand, we did get in a couple of early sessions down the meadows. Day 1 was warm with bright sunshine, Day 2 was dull, damp and cold. We managed to catch the local male Dipper (unringed) and both adults of a pair of Kingfishers nesting nearby. The treat was handling the 2CY female Blackcap bearing 'Paris7851989' on both occasions, even though we were using a different net set-up. With a 79.5 mm wing and weighing in at 21.5 grams the second time (up 1.5 g), she was a big girl with no signs of carrying much fat or of a brood patch.

Paris Blackcap

Female Kingfisher

1st Sedge Warbler of 2015 (24/04)

Other birds of note down there were a pair of Bullfinch, the first Sedge of the year, my first Swallows, just one of the Willow Warblers, a female, and a couple of territorial male Blackcaps that were 'lean and mean'. Most of the other birds were trapped in the garden orchard, before I went down with the lurgi. There was little point after the shed was up as the weather had changed for the worse.

Ninety birds of which 59 are new ringings. This includes the next lot of infant Robins, the first 3JJ Dunnocks and the first of the newly fledged Greenfinches (this Thursday 30th). Still no signs of any young Blackbirds coming to our lawns.  

Woodpigeon - 1; a small, underweight but feisty bird in active wing moult (3 centres), the first one to "stick" this year.

Kingfisher - 2; a pair

Blue Tit - (1)

Great Tit - 1 (4);

Swallow - 2; now back at the stables in good numbers

Chiffchaff - 1

Willow Warbler - 4; passage seems to have stopped about a week ago

Blackcap - 6 (2); even split on sex

Sedge Warbler - 1

Wren - 2 (2); one 'eggy' female

Starling - (1)

Dipper - 1; territorial male

Blackbird - 3 (2)

Robin - 6 (2)

Dunnock - 2; young bird on 25th

House Sparrow - (3)

Chaffinch - 2 (2); mixed ages/sexes, male from 2013,

Bullfinch - 2; an unexpected 2CY pair

Greenfinch - 6 (4); 50% adult males, 2 birds from 2012

Goldfinch - 16 (8); two-thirds males, still some passage going on, weights >18 g

Siskin - 1; breeding female on 18th (BP4)

One bird missing off this list is Redstart - a calling individual was heard for about 30 minutes in the tops of the Ash trees while we were putting the roof on the shed.

[406:31]

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

The Singing Camellia

Well, it's raining today - and probably tomorrow. That means many other things can be done while the net(s) have to stay closed, like shopping and sheaves of waiting paperwork. On the horizon is the prospect of some spring migration, both inbound and outbound but there is some much needed habitat management to do before then. [For habitat management read 'cutting down the trees and shrubs alongside the netting areas to a height to match the extended nets in order to stop the birds going over the top'.]

The 'singing' Camellia (Feb. 2015)

It's now 23 days since my last blog and the preponderence of some species has changed quite noticeably during that time. The birds that have become more numerous are, in particular, the Chaffinch and the Greenfinch. After a slow mid-winter, the colder weather to the north of us seems to have pushed the birds south at last. It also brought many more House Sparrows, Robins and Pied Wagtails to the bird-table and the closest lawn, all in search of a 'hand-out' to keep them in good shape during the frosty period that has existed for much of the time since my last blog.

Back to the Camellia. Oblivious to the squabbling Blackbirds (male v male and female v female) going on below or the combative Robins charging from the bird table to the shed roof above, a small, unobtrusive bird warblers a quiet song from the depths of the evergreen bush. It is the emboldened, 'rising five' Blackcap that has snuck across from the bottom hedge, where he normally gives a far superior rendition of his signature tune. He is endeavouring to irritate his younger fellow Blackcap that warbles against him from the side hedge every morning. What worries both of them, I suspect, is the fact that the third male doesn't join in and the lone, virgin female takes no notice of either of them (so far)!

Here is the sum of my on-and-off efforts since last time. Additional retrapped individuals in brackets.

Collared Dove - 1

Goldcrest - 1

Blue Tit - 2 (2)

Great Tit - 4 (1); beginning to show signs of a brood patch (BP1)

Long-tailed Tit - 4 (3)

Blackcap - 2 (2); new 2CY male & female plus a December 1CY male and the male now in his 5th calendar year.   

Wren - (1)

Starling - 2; makes 5 this year - a garden 'rarity'

Blackbird - 6 (8); an influx, plus what looks like 4 local pairs, inc. 2 females with BP1

Robin - 5 (7); again, a sudden influx and some quite small birds among them. No BPs.

Dunnock - 4 (8); it amazes me where they all come from/hide! I had no less than 58 last year.

House Sparrow - 4 (12); still managing to ring new birds (138 new last year)

Chaffinch - 11 (1); even split between the sexes

Bullfinch - 1 (1)

Greenfinch - 6; mainly birds with longer wing-lengths than we are used to suggests these were migrants

Goldfinch - 27 (25)

Siskin - 3 (2)

Of the 179 handlings, 83 were new birds and 73 were already ringed. 23 birds, or less, were caught, therefore, more than once.

Come the spring equinox (in another 4 weeks), I will stop feeding suet pellets, soaked sultanas and dried mealworms and just put out mixed millet and SFH during the summer. By then, the fruit trees may be in flower and the Ivy berries at their ripest. This is usually the time that we say 'good-bye' to the Blackcaps and 'hello' to the Chiffchaffs. A cold snap may make me change my mind about what I feed, however. We are already noticing an increase in amphibian and insect abundance and the grass is trying to grow where we have walked it flat between the back door and the nets. 

Next time, I hope we can bring you some news from the water meadows, barring another flood.

A wintery month

Well, we thought it was cold for us! The temperatures yo-yoed up and down from day to day, hitting minus 7 and plus 12 at night and daytime maximums between plus 4 and plus 15. Compared to some, we got off lightly. Something tells me it's going to get worse later this week with strong winds adding to the dismay.

Since Boxing Day, exactly one month ago, I have managed to ring 115 new birds of 21 species. A couple of birds stand out: another young Black Redstart was somewhat of a surprise and a male Blackcap in its 5th calendar year made a return visit to the bird table. 

Juvenile Black Redstart number 2

During this period, there have been seven other species in the garden which haven't found their way onto the 2015 capture list (yet); Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Magpie, Redwing, Rook and Sparrowhawk.

Immature female Blackcap (winter)

I have a new trainee who is taking a year out from his studies at Bangor Uni. to earn some money and get some hands-on, too. He's certainly got the hang of wing measurements and 9 times out 10 gets the same as me - and I'm known as a 'long-winger' [cut the jokes out there, you lot]. Charles shows promise.

The complete list is as follows, subsequent captures omitted:
Woodpigeon 1
Collared Dove 2
Goldcrest (1)
Blue Tit 5 (5) - X105976 is a 2010 (male) bird
Great Tit 1 (3)
Coal Tit 1
Long-tailed Tit 8 (6) - mostly paired up, incl. a pair of birds ringed by JW in November 
Blackcap 3 (2) - X105790 had evaded capture in previous 2 winters
Wren 1 (2)
Starling 3 - the females this time
Blackbird 2 (5) - 7 local birds but only ever see 4!
Robin 2 (8) - 10 birds! Mostly paired up with minor sparring at times. 5 were retrapped 2x. Female L890601 was a 3J back in early summer 2011.
Black Redstart 1 - 
Dunnock 2 (8) - also paired up and singing. Y482086 is a 2011 female or earlier
House Sparrow 9 (9) - 15 of these were males!
Pied Wagtail 1 (2) - Y482785, a male from the 2012 broods
Chaffinch 2 - starting to appear, so more to come?
Bullfinch 2 (2) - retraps were both 2012 hatch year males
Greenfinch 6 (2) - after an autumnal dearth, a sudden influx; 2 adults sent over by JW
Goldfinch 60 (36) - 58 males, 36 females, (2 un-sexed); 81 immature birds & 12 full adults (3 un-aged); 3 males from 2012 broods.
Siskin 2 (1) - the retrap was ringed as a 2CY female in March 2013
Note: JW's garden is just 2km NE of mine; it's also 4x the size! 

Another fat pig

Now, a different sort of red bird spotted from the bedroom window. Unfortunately, unable to lift off with live prey this time.

Devon Air Ambulance - 24 Jan 2015

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.

Turn-over

This week's blog stretches over both the old and the new years, and goes from the 364th day, last Saturday, round to the 4th (yesterday) of the current year. The weather, meantime has settled down, although the skies have remained 'grim' with a heavy overcast. As you can see in the side-bar, I ended the year on a measly 1224 new birds, added to by 517 recaptures of some of these birds and ones from the previous year and 10 of other peoples, although not from that far away (all to the west).

On day 1, after recapturing a 5F Blackbird of likely continental origin, and a 6F Goldcrest that's been hanging around since the summer, followed by a 5F Blackcap, another bird sent courtesy of the European Union, that seems to avoid the two others of the opposite sex, I finally got to put my first ring on a new bird.

Inevitably it was a first year King Harry (actually a Princess Harriet).

Voila!

No.1 and in the lead - Carduelis carduelis (5F)

14 species for the period, made up of 35 newly ringed birds and 17 doing the rounds for a second time or more. Lots of "young" birds.

Collared Dove (1) - a miracle! [they don't usually get caught twice!]

Goldcrest (2) - possible a pair bond

Blue Tit 1 (1)

Coal Tit (2)

Long-tailed Tit 6 - a third roving flock

Blackcap (2) - the two 'permanent' 2CY females

Wren (1) - ringed as an adult female, first winter period last year

Blackbird 6 (3) - surprise bird of the week; why?

Robin (1)

Chaffinch 5

Greenfinch 2 - both "1st years" (now 2CY)

Goldfinch 13 (3) - top spot again

Siskin 1 - a 5F

Bullfinch 1 (1) - another new male and a 2010 female

Checking through the Blackbirds' wing-lengths, the following is noticeable. There were two males with 'continental' lengths, 138 & 137 mm, and the other a northern UK or 'near continental' size of 134 mm, with which I was more familiar in East Anglia. There were two females with "long" wings, 136 & 134 mm, two 'intermediate' at 131 & 130 mm, and the final two with the more expected wing-length of 128 mm for local birds. Some of our local females are as short as 124 mm, so these last two were on the "big" side. All the new birds were rather "speckled" on the breast, i.e. with pale edges to the body feathers, suggestive of migratory birds.

The last couple of days have turned mild, temperatures at night being more reminiscent of January daytime figures (8-9 deg C). Whether this will inhibit birds from seeking out and using the feeders, time will tell. Some birds are striving to get into breeding condition and breeding plumage. At this time of year you're quite likely to "acquire" a few body feathers, especially from Dunnocks, as they go through a pre-nuptial moult. I sometimes wonder if these birds are not being a bit premature, but I suppose they'll survive.

My little helper ("Amber" - Lakeland x Border)

A very happy, fortunate and mega-birdy New Year to you from   Cardew Ellis

  

The morning after the night before

The BTO Conference at Swanwick, from Friday evening to Sunday lunch, was a great success; almost everybody I spoke to enjoyed the variety of speakers that were all showing us how ringing, nest recording and bird-watching can work in conjunction with each other, towards a better understanding of many of our UK species. Not having been "to conference" or attended a ringing course for 3 years (more or less), it was also a time for me to re-acquaint myself with the "goings on" of a large cross-section of my friends and fellow ringers over breakfast, lunch, tea and at the bar. The 4 hour journey home was a constant nightmare in the cold, wind, rain, thunderstorms, low bright sun, spray and darkness on a route I have seldom travelled.

That said, I was eager to trap a few more birds in the garden, the meadows being out of the question under the current weather conditions. It was yesterday afternoon before it was safe to open the nets (a 60' & a 30'). A small catch proved adventitious as did an early morning session today, before the wind increased, bringing the rain and hail with it. The Watchet hill does not give us any protection from a WNW wind; a pity it wasn't more northerly.

The afternoon produced 4 new birds and 3 re-traps - Blue Tit 2 (1), Long-tailed Tit (1), Blackcap 1, Robin (1), Dunnock 1. The Blackcap was a 1CY female with a fat score of 30 (ESF).
The morning saw just 3 new birds and 1 re-trap - Blue Tit 1, Blackcap 1, Robin 1 (1); the Blackcap was a 1CY male with a fat of 10.




How many more Blackcaps will I catch before the year's end? Looking at the first winter period of 2011 and this, I have trapped 15 different individuals so far. In January I caught 5, 4 males and a female that stayed until mid March, and in February 2 males. Excluding the wintering female, there were no Blackcaps in the garden between 11th February and 22nd March, after which I trapped 4 heavy birds before the end of March, presumably all returning birds on passage from further south (i.e. France?). This autumn I stopped catching summer Blackcaps on 24th September and didn't trap any more until the 28th October, when I had a male and a female in consecutive weeks. In November, I have had 3 males and 1 female, and, in this first week of December, one of each sex, as per the images above.

The new Dunnock was a bird of the year on eye colour (and feather shape). It had already acquired the lesions on its left foot typical of "Bumblefoot" (see below) but was otherwise healthy - and weighed in at 23.7 grams.




As friend Phil suggested, I had better get on and finish the kitchen decorating if I am to get a "pass out" to go ringing with the new trainee at the week-end! Toodle pip!

Old Speckled Hen

Well, this is her!


Went out this morning in the company of a potential trainee, Liz, a veteran of the Italian, Maltese & other campaigns. It was the usual set-up for this time of year, a 60' at net1 (closest to the gate) and later, net2 40' that used to catch anything on the move. Today, net2 obliged with 3 Dunnocks, but, hey ho, 2 of these were new. One of them had a "yellow" eye-ring, which I presume was a collection of "eye-lash mites", similar to the one we humans have feasting on us. Any offers of a diagnosis?


The weather was fairly abyssmal, dank and breezy. I picked up Kingfisher, Dipper, Chaffinch and Green Woodpecker on call in the gloom, none of which graced the nets. As we were clearing away, one of the Lotti flocks that was approaching the net burst into sound; the cause, a Sparrowhawk across the end of the net behind young Liz's back. We also had the company of a very large and friendly grey gelding. At one point it checked out the net lane, but it's surprising the effect a thin white guy-line has in turning horses away. [The paddocks are marked out with just two thin white tapes]. It liked the BTO apple very much - excellent crunch!

The day's total was 17 birds of which 14 were ringed and 1 was a local control.
Blue Tit 4
Great Tit 1
Blackcap 1 - a 3F
Wren 2 juvs
Blackbird (1) - ad male of recent origin
Dunnock 2 (1)
Goldfinch 3 - all adult birds
Siskin (1C) - from last winter (early March)

A first glimpse of Liz - holding her first female Blackcap. More of her will be divulged as time goes by!
How many more Blackcaps are there out there? One a week at present and no real targetting effort.

It pays to ALWAYS check both legs, especially when a mate rings on the left and yourself on the righ!
[I did remove the later one].