Catch up

This brings things up to date. It covers a 12 day period, ending today. I was hoping to include something about the SW Ringers' Conference at Seaton that is on today, but the blessed shingles prevented me from going (more specifically, the pain and the pills). I apologise to those friends I was unable to meet up with; some other time, perhaps?

The first female Chiffchaff - 03/04/14

It has been a period of change. The Goldcrests and Siskins have become less apparent as they set about the task of breeding. The Pied Wagtails are also becoming less reliant on my mealworms now that the water in the stream has subsided. Blackcaps arrived on 24th but a few days passed before I caught one in the garden, by which time several were singing in the local hedgerows. It was noticeable how the Goldfinches, at last, are accumulating fat for onward migration. Chiffs appeared on 28th with a steady trickle of males until a female on the 3rd. Neighbour John was catching Willow Warblers on the 30th but none turned up on this side of the village here until 4th.
  

Male Willow Warbler - first of 2014 for me
(this bird weighed 10.7 grams)

The Robins are the most advanced nesters and must have small young by now. The Blackbirds are a close second but are still sitting. Some of the Dunnocks are still making up their minds while others have laid and the Greenfinches are currently busy nest building, in line with their "cousins", the Bullfinches. The Herring Gulls sit on the chimney stacks in their pairs, shouting at one another morning and evening. A pair of Lesser Black-backs were seen over the rooftops today for the first time.
To the chase. 18 species overall and 94 new birds plus 36 recaptures of previously ringed birds made the books over the 12 days. Escapees were Collared Dove and Rook (they don't stick in small mesh nets). Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Pied Wagtail were all new to this year's ringing list.

2CY male Blackcap (30/03/14)

Woodpigeon (1)
Goldcrest 3 (1) - possibly 2 local breeding pairs
Blue Tit 2 (1)
Great Tit (2) - scarce visitors - a pair
Chiffchaff 8 - all males except the last one
Willow Warbler 1 - male
Blackcap 2 - both males, adult and 2CY
Wren 1 (1) - a new male
Blackbird 1 (1) 
Robin 1 (4) - off duty birds coming to the bird table
Dunnock (2)
House Sparrow 4 (3) - 5 of these were males
Pied Wagtail 1 (2) - a new male and a pair
Chaffinch 5 (2) - 5 males & 3 females (incl. one released unringed)
Greenfinch 4 (1) 
Goldfinch 53 (11) - many birds on passage with good fat scores (F20-F45)
Siskin 8 (3) - mainly caught in their pairs, starting to nest
Bullfinch (1)

2CY male Goldfinch

The only other birding highlights have been a Red Kite over and the return of a pair of Lesser Black-backs. The next few days do not bode well for ringing as the forecast is for much windier conditions with some rain at times. We will just have to be patient.

February starts green and gold.

The wintry weather since my last blog has not done much for the art of bird-catching. The enemy has been the strong winds and their friend, the rain.

I made use of this poor interlude to visit family in Bedfordshire and to meet up with Martin Garner and Tormd Amundsen on their UK tour. Not having been to a Beds Bird Club meeting for over two years now, it was inevitable that I would be teased by my many friends of times past, all in good humour. It has been less wet since returning home but, boy, has the wind been a problem combined with the low temperatures. 

The hundreds of thrushes have left the horse paddocks by the river, leaving the dozen or so Blackbirds in possesion and in peace. More recent notable sightings have included a Red Kite, a Green Woodpecker, the Magpies lining their nest (which they built a month ago), a silent Chiffchaff, the usual Egrets and the return of a Grey Heron working the river, now that the waters are receeding. The real "red letter" was a noisy Kingfisher, which, between us, we have only seen once since last April; the floods have created some suitable, if rather soft, banks for a possible nest. Perhaps they will return this spring and raise young again.

Nonetheless, I have been able to open a sheltered single 60', with the 1st and 3rd being the better catching days. Otherwise, it's been grab a couple of hours after sunrise or after lunch - and hope for the best.  During this period, I did manage a "first" for me; I controlled an adult male Siskin, albeit from Denise just 14km to the west under the edge of Exmoor. Previously, I have had just two recoveries, both long-distance, of the species many moons ago, so this was a real bonus. Perhaps there will be more.

Two species took overwhelming precedence, just two others were also ringed, plus a further five species "fell in" as retraps. All revealed now. (All different birds)

Blue Tit (1)

Blackcap (2) - the 'left-leg pair'; the 'right-leg' pair' also present

Blackbird (1)

Robin (2)

Dunnock 1 (2)

Chaffinch 2 - 'big' birds

Goldfinch 21 (3) - 50/50 on age; 20 male, 4 female (significant).

Siskin 21 (1) - 73% were 2CY; 12 males, 10 females

Bullfinch (2) the 2 adult females, both showing the beginnings of a brood patch

New = 45, recaptured = 13

2CY male

The ratio of Goldfinch males to females at this time of year falls in line with previous work I have done on the species in a different part of the country. Three of the four females were full adults. February seems to be Siskin catching time, while new Goldfinches should feature heavily until the end of April (mean egg laying date 27 April).

3CY Female

A dreadful week

And not just talking about the weather, either. That has been bad enough, stopping the painters from getting on with painting the outside as quickly as they had hoped. It, the weather, has been grey and miserable, with long periods of drizzle since the weekend. Today, it increased in intensity - and the wind picked up, too. This has meant I've only been able to net for four, quite short periods since my last missive.

With the wind turning to the north in the east of the country and thousands of birds making landfall on the coast, the autumn migration is really underway at last. Down here in the south-west, the most noticeable event has been the increase in Starlings, with flocks of 25-50 passing overhead. This is a species which breeds in the village in small numbers; they like the thatch but the owners don't like the birds so exclude them with wire netting along the eaves.   
            

I have heard just 2 Fieldfare south, seen a couple of dozen Redwing/Song Thrushes moving north-east and witnessed the unusual sight of ca. 25 Mistle Thrushes over the garden. Other returnees include a Nuthatch working the nearby tree lines and a pesky Grey Squirrel taking advantage of my fat-balls. The trap has come out of store. Say no more.

Well, on to the 18 new birds caught and the 7 re-traps:          Goldcrest 3, Blue Tit (1), Great Tit 2 (4), Coal Tit 3 (1), Blackcap 1, Blackbird 2, Chaffinch 1, Greenfinch 2 & Goldfinch 4 (1). 

All birds were at about their average weight and fat scores that one would expect for this time of year with the current temperatures (that are due to collapse and go minus tonight), with the exception of one male Goldcrest that weighed in at 4.8g; not a disaster if it could find sufficient food before nightfall.

Starling - I do kinda miss them

 Remember the clocks go back to GMT this weekend with the consequence of lighter mornings for a while.