Saved by the tits

I managed to get in another session down at the water meadows on Sunday, a week after our last effort. This was the only chance of doing any ringing this week, so I took it gladly. I concentrated around net 1 since the rides further down the meadow were susceptible to the weather. As it was, I would have missed/scared off the only Blackcap hanging round there if and when I put the nets up. It was fairly sunny despite the cloud cover racing in from the coast (from the north-west) but the willows and alders create some shade for the net(s) at the top end of the site, where I stayed today.

Last week's moulting adult Chiff

Nine o'clock - and still no birds in the nets. Boredom was averted by a spot of bird watching instead. The local male Sparrowhawk appeared from the direction of home but was quickly picked up, and picked on, by the resident Crow from the hill. For a while, the Sparr let the crow have its fun but eventually turned on its tormentor. After a bit of a telling off, the Crow returned to the offensive until the Sparr was outside the imaginary defensive territorial ring. [Well, I couldn't make out the boundary, only a set distance from the top of the hill]. Later, a female Sparr was brought to my attention by the swarm of 'clinking' Swallows that accompanied her. She soon cleared off towards the riding school. 

The Woodpigeons have finished building their nest in the willows on the other side of the stream/river. The local male(?) Great Spotted Woodpecker flew across to look for its 'dinner' elsewhere. I counted four Blackcaps 'ticking' around the site in various hedges. These hedges would be ideal for ringing if only they didn't consist of a fence/hedge/deep ditch/hedge/another fence; they are kept at just the right height, too, for setting an intercepting net. 

From the lane, looking SE towards the Quantocks

Standing in the lane I could see the net. At nine o'clock, I noticed some activity around the trees. It look liked tits or warblers from this distance. By now the place was warming up and there was more bird activity generally. Eventually I could see that I had a catch.

It wasn't a brilliant morning but I did end up with the following:

Blue Tit 4 - including an adult male '49er'

Great Tit 2 - juvs

Long tailed Tit 1 (1) - an adult pair completing their moult

Chiffchaff 3 - a 3JP and 2x 3JJs

Blackcap 2 - a 3JP male & a 3JJ fem

There should have been another Blackcap, a 3P male, but it was a case of 'butter fingers'.

    

The weather forecast implies that we won't be able to go ringing this week until Friday at the earliest. Perhaps a spell of better (fine) weather then, before the aftermath of hurrican Isaac hits us. Tallyho! 

Wet & windy Bank Holiday

The weather was very un-seasonal for the August Holiday weekend. On the Friday, it rained - over half an inch's worth (13.5mm). On the Saturday, we had heavy showers on and off throughout the day and on Sunday they only lasted for the morning. The sun appeared but a cold wind sprung up at the same time.

So, I got the forecast about right but, nevertheless, I was able to get in some ringing in the garden at times, mainly by switching nets. I was already resigned to a 'nul' weekend because of the forecast, on top of putting up visiting relations.

Surprise, surprise; it turned out quite fortuitous.


The garden capture list:
Sparrowhawk 1 - post-juvvy female
Collared Dove 1 - a female pushed in by two romantic males
Blue Tit 1 (2)
Blackcap 1 - a fat-free young male
Sedge Warbler 1 - an early morning surprise
Wren (1)
Blackbird 2
Robin (3)
Dunnock 1
House Sparrow 1
Greenfinch 3 - all juv juvs


A surprising mix - 12 new + (6 r/t) of 11 spp.

On the Monday, I was able to get in a couple of hours down at the meadows straight after first light. More ringing was not possible shortly after eight o'clock as the wind shifted round to a point east of north, affecting the nets. The fields had still not been cut for hay when I was there, but "her indoors" said they were being cut in the afternoon when she walked her dog along the track. Just as well since the Purple Moor Grass had been 'Buff Moor Grass' for a couple of weeks now.

The meadow capture list:
Dipper (1) - a juv first caught a month ago, now with a brown 'waistcoat'
Chiffchaff 4
Blackcap 3 (1)
Dunnock 1
Greenfinch 1 - another youngster
9 + (2) of 5 spp.


The young finches are around at last; a sign of better days to come in the garden at the feeders, perhaps.