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

No fools in sight

The gales are subsiding now; fortunately we escaped without damage this year. Last spring, we lost part of the roof and a very old Rowan that took the fence with it.

The garden is full of bird activity. There are also quite a few Wood Mice around, munching into the bird food on the bird table. We have to translocate these to a neighbouring small-holding some 4-500 metres away. The butterflies are starting to wake up, too. When we took the old potting shed down, we discovered a fat, female Slow-worm under a discarded piece of corrugated iron sheeting amongst the Bluebells.

The Robins are busy collecting either nest material, lining or worms almost non-stop. They also nip onto the bird tables for the old sultana or suet pellet. At least one has a wrinkled brood patch, indicative of sitting on eggs in one of the hedges. We have at least three pairs of Blackbirds, also foraging in the garden. The females are less frequent now and are more likely to visit alone, a sign that they are probably sitting, too. The Pied Wagtails can all be distinguised by the direction that they head for when they are either fed or disturbed by a bigger bird. Obviously nesting on/in different buildings. "Peg Leg", who has a 'club foot', is still with us; I first ringed him in July 2012 as a 6M. 

The Starlings roll in every morning in their twos. I've ringed ten so far this year but not re-trapped any from previous years (which amounts to a mere seven in three years). When we came here we hardly ever saw a Starling in the village, except during winter. I noticed two more unringed ones this morning - trap set!

Adult male Greenfinch (spring)

Chiffchaff with pollen horn

Over the last two or three weeks, the main movement into the feeders and the tall Ash trees beyond the bottom hedge has been of Chaffinch and Greenfinch. Some of this is of returning birds as there seems to be much displaying and singing around the tree tops. They do drop down sometimes, low enough to connect with the orchard net. (see below).

The Goldfinches have been inspecting the herbaceous border and the vegetable garden for nesting material including my Belgian's fine hair, which I put out for them after she's had a brushing. Again, there seem to be three pairs attempting to nest close by, with several more that shoot off from the feeders in the direction of the hedges by the railway or at the rear of the 'industrial estate'/ local tip - sorry, I mean the recycling centre.

The veteran male over-wintering Blackcap was seen singing this morning and also when he came to the bird table. I wonder when he will push off for his 'unknown-to-us' homeland and traditional nesting territory. The incoming migrants should be with us within the week, fingers crossed.

The meadows are ready for some attention but the poor weather prevents us from attending. I did hear the Dipper this morning and a lone Chiffchaff but the bushes/trees are barely breaking bud at present, providing no cover. A Wheatear passed through on the 13th, the day after a small Redwing passage. As long as it doesn't rain hard for any length of time, we will make our first visit of the year after Easter.

This period, I managed to find 20 species, covering 38 new birds and 45 re-captured individuals, in the net(s). The weather has been a problem from a safety point of view and there's not much on the migration front yet either, except some Chiffs.

Woodpigeon - (1); heavyweight at 619 gm

Collared Dove - 1; a fledging that got taken by a Sparr. 2 days later

Jackdaw - 1; adult female with brood patch (B2) on 23rd

Goldcrest - 1 (1); a pair, caught on subsequent days (together)

Blue Tit - 1 (4); they are an "unknown quantity" and not common hereabouts

Great Tit - 1 (2); 2 known pairs

Chiffchaff - 4; all males, the first 2 on 16th/18th were full adults, the other two on 18th & 30th of uncertain age - but the latter most likely 2CY 

Blackcap - (1); the over-wintering 5 female, showing fat3

Wren - 1 (1); both adult males

Starling - 5; two adult pairs & a 2CY male

Blackbird - 4 (3); 4 new adults; on the move?

Redwing - 1; another adult; definite shortage of 1st year birds here

Robin - 1 (7); omni-present!

Dunnock - 1 (2); there are more than this here at the moment!

House Sparrow - 3 (7); all males bar a lone female

Pied Wagtail - (2); and regular, old pair

Chaffinch - 4; all 'age5' females

Greenfinch - 3 (3); males with a single female

Goldfinch - 5 (10); 

Siskin - 1 (1); both males, possibly nesting locally (no fat)

One recovery received -  a 5M Siskin to Callandar (Stirlingshire), a distance of 567 km in 87 days (spring 2014), controlled by a ringer (= probably nesting)

That's it. More news in a couple of weeks or so, Deo volente.

PS. For Poldark fans, or their spouses, here is "Wheal Leasure" in action!

Somewhere in Penwith, 2014

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

Holiday time and the rain returns

No sooner had I written "we could do with some rain", than we get 16mm overnight, thanks to a belt of thunder-storms coming up from France. Around midday the lights went out as well, care of a lightning strike on an exposed cable nearby, so we had a cup of coffee using the Camping Gaz stove. We had "another dose" of thunder and lightning last night, too. At least it pushed the humid air away somewhere else.

The BTO have kindly sent me a report of a Siskin [Y319780] that I caught in the orchard on 4th February this year. It had travelled at least 167 kilometers (105 miles) since leaving Kings Norton in Birmingham on 14th March 2013 [327 days]. It was a full adult male and where it had finally ended up breeding last year is anybody's guess, but most likely north of Birmingham. 

Male Siskin (library picture)

Local ringer Karen sent me an email enquiring about another Siskin. It turns out to have been ringed by her trainer, Denise, on 25-09-2013 as a 3J, then caught by me on 28-12-2013 and now in her garden this Maytime. It only missed one other local ringer! The other bird she sent me was yet another Siskin, which I had ringed as a 6M on 04-07-12, then got re-caught by John, the fourth ringer, on 03-03-2013 and finally over to Karen's on 03-05-2014. Perhaps Denise's next stop? These little finches are highly mobile (as I found out in Norfolk) and move around seeking the right food at the right time and shifting their nest sites between broods as well. 

The weather has mainly been unsettled or full sun since last time. However, it has recently deteriorated, but it has been warm for the most part. The garden is full of young birds busy trying to feed themselves on whatever they can find that suits. At this time of year the feeders do not empty as fast as they usually do since the number one job for the birds is to hunt out insects that we consider pests and they consider delicious. 

Young Goldfinch

Degraded male Blackbird retrices

Also, the main consumers, Goldfinches, are virtually absent during late May to early August. The thing that is shifting like no tomorrow is dried meal-worms - parenting Robins, all manner of Blackbirds, but first and foremost, the Pied Wagtails. Our cat is also partial to a few! (meal-worms, that is). The Jackdaws rob out the suet pellets before anything else can get a share, too. Expensive time of year!

I chucked out some stale dog food onto the lawn one afternoon. Low and behold, seventeen, yes, 17, Herring Gulls swooped in all at once and removed it in ten seconds flat!! Three pairs are currently nesting on neighbours 'roofs' and there are some dozen or so pairs actively nesting in the village. Next door's have lost two wee youngsters from their chimney-pot nest site. Both rolled out down the roof onto the car spaces; the second one was quickly snaffled by the local Sparrowhawk in front of the owners' son and his girlfriend. Mum & dad HERGU weren't best pleased! They soon forgot about it/them.

Day-old HERGU chick

Over fifteen days to 7th June, I managed to catch, intermittently, the following:

"Think you're a big boy! Wait 'til I get hold of yer! I'll make y' squeal!"
[Juvenile Blue Tit - soon after fledging]

Woodpigeon 2
Rook 2 - 1 of each sex

Goldcrest (1) - breeding female

Blue Tit 36 (3) - 10 adults & 29 juvs

Great Tit 11 (2) - 10 juvs & 1 adult male hatched in 2011

Coal Tit 1 - 1st juv of the year
Reed Warbler 1 - NFY, "quelle surprise"
Wren (1) - adult female with BP
Blackbird 10 (4) - 9 juvs in this total

Robin 10 (4) - new birds all juvs, retraps = parents, incl. 2 females hatched 2011

Dunnock 1 (1) - promptly disappeared, must be nesting again 

House Sparrow 9 (3) - juvs but retraps were 2 males & 1 female
Pied Wagtail 6 (1) - ALL JUVS except r/t 2CY male
Chaffinch 7 (1) - 6 of 7 juvs were male(?) on size

Greenfinch 10 - juv sexes in equal numbers plus a fresh breeding pair
Goldfinch 11 (2) - 9 juvs, plus 2 new males, a "2014" female (aged 4), and a male that was one of the first birds I ever ringed here as an adult in January 2011. 
Bullfinch (1) - 2CY female in breeding condition

17 species, 117 new birds, 24 recaptures from previous dates/blogs

Juvenile Greenfinch, post-fledging

NB. All the photos (I mean snaps!) are my own, taken with a Fujifilm compact.

New life and better weather

The garden could do with some rain after this run of fine, warm weather that we have enjoyed. This welcome state of affairs is not always conducive to our ringing efforts though, as it has served up two of the three detrimental elements, namely full sun and stiff breezes (the third being moderate to heavy rain).

It has been 17 days since I reported in last and during that time many more young birds have fledged and are busy finding their way in life without their parents being there all the time. The grown-ups have also started re-nesting and at least one Robin and one Blackbird pair are on eggs once more. The gaping of more tiny mouths is expected shortly.

Some new species for the year have been ringed and some "old friends" have been tempted into the nets and an old trap that I dug out.

Male Pied Wagtail first ringed as a juvenile on 12-12-2012

Juvenile female Greenfinch, one of two ringed

Fledgling Dunnock, one of four trapped

2CY female Common Redstart, a locally common breeder 

John and I usually manage to catch around four Redstarts between us in our gardens each spring. The dates can be as early as mid April or as late as June.

The results of two weeks limited ringing in the garden.

Rook 1 - female didn't quite make it safely off the bird table

Blue Tit (3) - a young female and 2 older males, one born 2010, the other is that or older

Great Tit 7 (1) - a new pair and 5 offspring, the other a brooding female

Chifchaff 1 - a new 2CY male (that was singing against the 'resident' male)

Blackbird 5 (5) - 4 youngsters and a new, mature male; 2 mature males, a female and a "new" 2CY pair were recaptured. We know we have 3 pairs nesting.

Robin 3 (5) - 3 new and 4 re-trapped juveniles and a "dad".

Redstart 1 - 2CY female (above)

Dunnock 4 (3) - 4 new fledglings plus 2 males and a female

House Sparrow 3 (3) - 2 barely fledged and a new male plus 3 females coming to millet to feed their young in nests in the nearby industrial estate buildings

Pied Wagtail (2) - a probable pair that feed on the lawns. Up to 6 birds present, 1 unringed female.

Chaffinch 1 (1) - first 3J (juvenile) of the season and a 2012 male

Greenfinch 6 - 2 juvs, 3 males and a 2CY female in egg 

Goldfinch (3) - all old males from 2011 and 2012

Siskin 6 (1) - 4 females and 3 males, all nesting locally

Bullfinch 2 (1) - a new pair and a re-trap male, all 2CY

15 species, 40 new, 28 re-traps.    [2CY = in second calendar year, i.e. "maiden"]

Still having a mix of bad days and good days; shingles starting to ameliorate at last.

A disaster befell us, too. We noticed that there weren't any tadpoles in the pond. There had been a thousand or more wee ones previously. The pond was a very dark green with lesser duckweed on the surface - but no taddies. Either there was no food or insufficient oxygen or the one night of frost might have done the damage. You know who got in and drained it, scrubbed it and re-filled it with rainwater from one of the butts.

The empty and clean pond

Bye for now!

A sign of spring

What a difference a week makes. The warmth of last week has brought on the flowering shrubs and the primroses and a few bluebells. Consequently, the bumblebees made an appearance; Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butties were also on the wing. And then ... FOG. After a glorious weekend (too glorious for catching), on Monday and Tuesday we had heavy overcast and the following three days have seen dense FOG which has not cleared because of our proximity to the Bristol Channel. We are feeling cold and damp right now, whilst much of the country has had lovely sunshine. We're promised better things tomorrow, though - that'll mean wind!

Primroses (early March)

On Sunday morning (9th), I was walking my dog along the coast at Watchet and had stopped to chat to a local woman. I was facing the sea, or I might have missed it, when I noticed a  male SWALLOW coming in-off; it turns out that it was the first for the county this year. There were 30+ Turnstones and some Oystercatchers but no Dunlin or Purple Sands that I could find (1 reported) on the rocks at high tide.

The 1st Chiffchaff of 2014
(note the short primary projection)

On Thursday, I found the first Chiffchaff in the net late morning. Another one came today. Neither had prominent "pollen horns" or were carrying anything other than the barest amount of fat reserves. I wonder where they had come from; the far south-west or France perhaps, or even really local, surviving in a garden or marsh or on a cliff face that hadn't given way with all that record-breaking rain?

The Chiff's broad tail feathers may indicate that
this was a returning adult (male)

It turned out to be quite an eventful week:
Blue Tit - 2 (1) - retrap was a 2010 male

Long-tailed Tit - (2)
CHIFFCHAFF - 2, both males on size (NFY)
Wren - 1
Blackbird - (1)
Robin - 1 (4) - signs that laying was imminent 
Dunnock - (5) - a couple of males with pronounced 'protuberances' but no full brood patches seen so far or nest building (they can be sneaky)
House Sparrow - 1
Pied Wagtail - 1 (NFY)
Chaffinch - 4 - 3 of which were 'big' adults
Greenfinch - 1
Goldfinch - 15 (12) - probably a third or a quarter of what was around; oldest bird was from 2011

Immature Siskin - a few unmoulted median coverts
and a 'full set' of juvenile greater coverts

Siskin - 14 (5) - many passing through, plus a few "stayers" of recent origin
Bullfinch - 2 more males
That makes 44 birds ringed, 30 individuals recaptured; =74 of 14 species this week, 2 of which were new for the year (NFY)

Immature Bullfinch with 4 buff greater coverts

The ubiquitous Dunnock!

Everybody's favourite - the Bumbarrel
(Long-tailed Tit)

This unfortunate male Robin (from next door)
had lost its tail feathers a short while ago.

The Sparrowhawks have become very active around here this week, I notice.

Next week's plant will be Euphorbia - and I'll explain why then. 

Another GO

(That's word-play for you old-time, CBC workers)
Written on 8th February 2014.

As it is, I did have another go. Actually, it was four goes after the Goldfinches and another for the Siskins, which seem to have descended on the property in the last fortnight. As a by-catch, I think I caught all the local Blackbirds, Robins and Dunnocks, too. Well, almost.

It was a bit "hazardous", especially under-foot, as we are still in that run of Atlantic lows that have brought us repeated heavy rains and high winds since the middle of December. Since I last blogged (19th Jan), we have had another 170 mm of rain ... and some of that was hail, driven at 40-50 mph! Its "persisting down" outside right now as I type! Over the last eight weeks (up to last night, 7-8th) we have now had 471mm; or over 18.5 inches in old money and more than half the average annual rainfall recorded over the last 30 years!!!

Male - per Svensson

With all this wet weather, the horse paddocks are a haven for the Little Egrets. We can't aspire to the ten of last month but we have managed six together this week. I also saw a flock of twenty or so Chaffinches up the lane but just a pair around the garden. There are still a few Fieldfares and Redwings around, picking through the hedgerows, but the high water levels, and the brick red colour of the discharge, have kept the Dippers, Kingfishers and Grey Wagtails away. Yesterday, I did see a flock of over twenty Pied Wagtails feeding in one of the sheep fields now the sheep have been packed off to market. [Best place, or they'll end up with bad feet or even foot rot] .

The male and female Blackcap that have visited us every year since the winter of 2011-12 are still visible most mornings, snaffling sultanas and suet off the bird tables. They see most birds off except for the two cock Robins, who turn the tables. The Collared Doves just look bemused when one of the Blackcaps pops out of the Camellia and hops onto a tray. The "resident" Pied Wagtails keep looking at the top lawn for the meal-worms I put out especially for them. I have to change tack every so often because the No.1 cock Blackbird is also rather partial to them.

Adult female - per Svensson

The sex ratio of Goldfinches has evened out a little and is nearer to parity. The females still hold sway overall (4:3), but males dominate in the cohort of birds returning for a second or third winter by 2:1. A large tranche of those recaptured belong to birds ringed after last season's post-breeding / post-juvenile moulting. I've noticed that there are usually three main periods of feeding activity - the first approx. 30-40 minutes after I can make out birds (usually Blackbirds) at the bottom of the garden on brighter days or after dawn on a cloudy day. The second is half an hour either side of sidereal noon, with the third some two to three hours after that; then it goes "cold". Neither rain nor wind seems to reduce their activity at the moment, only mine. For interest, the temperatures have been ranging between 3C pre-dawn and 8C early afternoon, although one day it did reach 10C. During a couple of the storms, the temperature has dropped dramatically, as evidenced by the hail stones rattling on the windows.

Hard-won results:

Woodpigeon 0 (1) - presumed male, shot after 204 days

Blue Tit 2 (1)

Coal Tit 0 (1)

Long-tailed Tit 0 (2) - pair

Blackcap 0 (3) - 2x males, 

Blackbird 1 (4) - I know there are 4 of each sex hanging around; potential pairs?

Redwing 1 - fine adult

Robin 0 (2) - probably the females of the 2 pairs

Dunnock 2 (4)

House Sparrow 1 (1)

Chaffinch 1 

Greenfinch 2

Goldfinch 54 (35) - see above; oldest - a 4M from Oct 2012 (480 days)

Siskin 12 (5) - oldest retrap was a 5M from May 2012 (637 days)

Bullfinch 0 (4) - all females, 2 of which were full adults

Total - 15 Species, 76 newly ringed, 62 individuals re-captured. 

Imm female - per Svensson

The weather forecast is for more of the same for the foreseeable future (month?), so again it's wait and see. I doubt if I'll be able to top prune the apple trees this winter - more birds escaping over the nets! See you soon.

A fortnight later ...

 Time flies when you're having fun. My fun has had to be split between getting the garden back into shape, now that we've had some significant rain, and getting out ringing. Actually, much of my time has been spent in the garden, either strimming and raking, treating the Horse-tail, mowing, light pruning, hedge trimming or ringing some birds.  

The highlights from the latter have been the catching of two parties of Long-tailed Tits. The first contained five new birds, all youngsters under-going a full moult (one of those odd UK species that does this), plus two adults with consecutive ring numbers that were not of my doing. Two days later, I caught four more youngsters, and then, a week after the initial encounter, two more ringed adults, and two juveniles from the original session. It turns out that all four of these adult birds were ringed at the same time, back in late October last year, in friend John's garden the far side of the village (approx. 2 km away)  

So here are the results from an hour or two most days, once the kittens have come in for their breakfasts. There is still not a lot of movement.
Blue Tit 1 (2)

Great Tit 2

Long-tailed Tit 9 + 4 "controls" (see above)

Chiffchaff 2 - local birds?

Wren 2 (1) - the retrap was a "first brood", the others more recent

Dunnock 4 (2) - all juvs

House Sparrow 7 (2) - mainly incidental to trying for the next species 

Pied Wagtail 7 (3) - the main target species, as they are still nesting nearby

Chaffinch 1 - juv

Greenfinch 3 - moulting male & female plus a 'youth'

Goldfinch 3 - freshly fledged juveniles

Young Pied Wagtail (M.a.yarelli)

House totals = 11 species, 41 new birds, 10 re-traps & 4 'controls'.
Oh! And the Sparrowhawk has been in twice. That's according to the heaps of feathers from two unlucky Collared Doves.

I have also been able to get down to the meadows, twice on my own and once with company. Quantity low, quality high. Birds not caught include two Green Sands, a couple of Dippers, more Kingfishers, several Whitethroats, Swallows and martins and the (three) Little Egrets currently there on a daily basis. Would love to catch and ring a full adult Egret. It has been done!

The Himalayan Balsam is flowering well down by the river and the bees are busy pollinating it, making sure there will be a plentiful supply of seed for next year. The Rose-bay Willow-herb is also coming into flower, a plant I much prefer.

Rose-bay

Today's photos are all from this sub-site.

Young female Kingfisher

Young female Chiffchaff (starting PJ moult)

young Sedge Warbler (fat score 30)

Kingfisher 3 (1) - all juveniles; "and still they come!" (10 so far)

Chiffchaff 7 - all juveniles, mostly males

Blackcap 1 - a 2CY male bird that hasn't started moulting; still breeding?

Sedge Warbler 1 - second bird here this year; fat score of 3 (tracheal pit almost full) and 12.6 grams in weight/mass; "on it's way south to Senegal (?)" This bird could easily put on another 10 grams before it is ready to fly out over the Atlantic in a non-stop flight to West Africa.

Wren 1 (1) - young males

Dunnock 1 - a juv-juv

Grey Wagtail 3 - new species for the year; these were all juveniles

one of the 3 young Grey Wagtails

Farm totals = 7 species, 17 new & 2 re-captures.

There are still plenty of birds to come but I won't wish my life away just yet!
Back soon.

The future looks bright!

Recently built & lined HOUMA nest

Not least because of this emblem of good luck that has appeared outside our bedroom window!

We have had a couple of sessions down at the meadows during the last week, but today I noticed that they had been in behind us and cut the hay, which was over 1 metre high in places. This bodes well as we can now get in to the whole site and, what's more, open up some old stream-side racks where there is more cover and little disturbance. Just in time for the Willow and Sedge Warblers to arrive.

For both sessions, we placed a 40' net across the ford and three nets "in the bushes" where we know we will catch - when the season picks up, that is. A third effort consisted of an early foray into the garden before the local workmen started about their business. The abnormally clear and hot weather is making the birds reticent to even come for food, our local Pied Wagtails being an exception.

Juvenile Kingfishe No.8

Kingfisher 5 (1) - all juvs.; makes 8 known young

Blue Tit 3 - all juvs
Great Tit 2 - both juvs
Chiffchaff 6 - all fluffy juveniles (and just a singleton female type)
Blackcap 6 (1) - the retrap a 5M ringed last year as a juv.; this had a growth on its left foot (see pic)
Whitethroat 2 - a 2CY pair nesting stream-side in Rosebay
Wren 3
Dipper 1 - another juv., this one starting to acquire its belly patch (see pic)
Blackbird 1 (3) - 2 males from August 2011 on the meadow
Robin 3 - all juvs. (see pic)
Dunnock (3) - incl. a known pair from summer 2011
House Sparrow 4 - 2 very recent fledglings (FL) & 2 juvs starting full moult
Greenfinch 1 (1) - presumed nesting pair, male a 5M when ringed, June 2011
Goldfinch 1 - a juv. (see pic)
14 spp, 38 new + 9 re-captures

Juveniles of - Dipper, Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Robin

I have had a look at this year's "Top Ten" and compared them with the previous two years, also at the 28 week stage.
Goldfinch 176 (104, 237)
Siskin 170 (19, 42)
Blackcap 84 (43, 79)
Willow Warbler 73 (33, 19)
House Sparrow 68 (35, 35)
Greenfinch 60 (49, 85)
Chiffchaff 53 (12, 63)
Blackbird 45 (28, 81)
Dunnock 22 (20, 30)
Blue Tit 21 (32, 91) 

Young, male Goldfinch 

The effects of last year's wet spring and summer can clearly be seen in some species, as can the fierce winter the year before. So far this year, things are not too bad. The Sparrows certainly love the drier weather and the heat.

More ringing - after I've done some "habitat management".