Ringing 02/12/12

A glorious day, a bit on the cold side but if you kept active and wrapped up, you could certainly keep warm. I was out ringing in the rough.



Above: An adult male Kestrel. This is only the second ringed here (the other in 2003).

Above: 6 more of these Lesser Redpolls were ringed today. I like an excuse to show another picture of one of these!

Totals for the day (retraps in brackets):


Kestrel 1 (0)
Wren 2 (2)
Dunnock 0 (1)
Blackbird 5 (0)
Blackcap 3 (0)
Goldcrest 1 (1)
Long Tailed Tit 0 (2)
Blue Tit 1 (2)
Great Tit 1 (1)
Chaffinch 1 (0)
Lesser Redpoll 6 (0)
Bullfinch 3 (0)

More about this catch can be found here.

Bird of the day

Star bird for the day: Lesser Redpoll. This bird was originally ringed at an, as yet, unknown location:

.

Ringing totals for today consisted of 52 new birds, 10 retraps and 1 control (i.e. originally ringed elsewhere) of 14 speceies. The species totals are as follows (retraps in brackets):

Blackbird 3 (0)
Blue Tit 3 (0)
Bullfinch 5 (0)
Chaffinch 1 (0)
Dunnock 2 (3)
Goldcrest 3 (2)
Goldfinch 9 (0)
Great Tit 2 (1)
Greenfinch 1 (0)
Lesser Redpoll 12 (+ 1 control)
Long Tailed Tit 7 (3)
Reed Bunting 1 (0)
Robin 1 (0)
Wren 2 (1)

The only other ringing records for Lesser Redpoll are nine in 2005 and one in 2007 (all new), hence the star status of the bird pictured above!

Also, at dusk 3 swallows were seen by myself and DK.

Ahhhh... Babies!

Todays bird ringing session - CES visit 5 at Priory Country Park - was dominated by juvenile birds.

41 birds of 13 species, 32 new & 9 retraps (retraps in brackets).

Chiffchaff 4 (2) - 5 of these were juveniles
Great Tit 4 (0) - all 4 juveniles
Wren 1 (1)
Blue Tit 7 (0) - all 7 juveniles
Long Tailed Tit 1 (0) - a juvenile
Bullfinch 1 (0) - a juvenile
Dunnock 1 (2) - of these 2 were juveniles (the other being a retrap adult)
Blackbird 4 (0) - 4 new juveniles
Robin 2 (1) - including 1 new juvenile
Blackcap 4 (2) - including 1 new juvenile
Greenfinch 1 (0)
Chaffinch 1 (0)
Song Thrush 1 (0) - a juvenile

That's a total of 27 juveniles. If you are interested in totals from our other CES visits, please click here.

Here are some of the cast from today:

Above: A juvenile Blackbird on the left and an adult female on the right for comparison.

Above: A juvenile Song Thrush - note all the thorn shaped markings on the wing.



Above: A juvenile Chiffchaff.

Above: A juvenile Robin (left) and adult Robin (right) for comparison. It will be a while yet before the baby Robin gets its own red breast - it has to replace and grow more feathers before that happens.

Above: A juvenile Bullfinch

Last weekend, we made a visit to 'the crescent' where we caught 20 different adult Reed Warblers moving between the reed bed and surrounding vegetation. Of the other 10 birds we caught, of note was our first juvenile Blackcap of the year.

Ringing stoatals!

Yesterday, I was at Priory Country Park. On the non-bird front, I saw a Stoat! On the bird front, in order of appearance, ringing stoatals were: New (Retrap)

Blue Tit 9 (9)
Long Tailed Tit 0 (4)
Dunnock 1 (4)
Blackbird 1 (0)
Song Thrush 1 (0)
Bullfinch 2 (2)
Great Tit 11 (8)
Wren 0 (1)

53 birds of 8 species.



Above: One of four Bullfinch.

Blackbird Recovery

News came through yesterday of a Blackbird ringed at Priory Country Park on 9th December 2009 as a juvenile male. Unfortunately, it had met a sad end - this is a common way for ringers to find out what happens to some of our birds. The fortune this time was on our side as it had made its way to FINLAND!

It was found on 23rd September 2011, at Vistanvagen, Soderudden, Vaasa, Finland - 653 days after it was ringed in Bedford - a distance of 1775km in a North Easterly direction.

Details of the ringing session this bird was caught on can be found here (it was the first bird caught that day).

Bird Ringing: Totals for CES Visits 6 & 7

CES Visit 6 (26/06/11)

Totals: 29 birds of 10 species: (retraps in brackets)

Robin 6 (0) = 6 [all juveniles]
Wren 3 (1) = 4 [2 juveniles]
Reed Warbler 6 (0) = 6 [5 juveniles]
Garden Warbler 2 (0) = 2 [1 juvenile]
Blackbird 2 (1) = 3
Dunnock 3 (0) = 3 [all juveniles]
Whitethroat 2 (0) = 2 [all juveniles]
Blue Tit 1 (0) = 1 [a juvenile]
Song Thrusth 1 (0) = 1 [a juvenile]
Blackcap 1 (0) = 1

A ringing demonstration was held during the morning - the highlight of which was a Song Thrush.

CES Visit 7 (03/07/11)

Today, the new CES period started so I decided to squeeze in Visit 7 of 12. I had high hopes after my success at Sandy Smith Nature Reserve yesterday (click here for more details).

The wind was virtually non existant for once. It was very sunny to start with the second half of the session very cloudy.

In order of appearance, the totals were: 35 birds of 11 species: (reptraps in brackets)

Great Tit 1 (0) = 1 [a juvenile]
Dunnock 8 (3) = 11 [8 juveniles]
Wren 1 (1) = 1
Blackcap 5 (1) = 6 [5 juveniles]
Robin 3 (1) = 4 [all juveniles]
Chiff Chaff 4 (0) = 4 [3 juveniles]
Reed Warbler 1 (0) = 1 [a juvenile]
Whitethroat 2 (0) = 2 [1 juvenile]
Chaffinch 1 (0) = 1
Blackbird 1 (1) = 2
Bullfinch 1 (0) = 1 [a juvenile]



Above: A juvenile Bullfinch.

My high hopes didn't get realised but I have no grounds for complaint! Thanks to David Howes for helping and to DK & DB and JM (ranger) for stopping by for a chat.

Being all at sixes and sevens for the last couple of weeks, we'll be have to wait a while before we're after eight!

Bird Ringing - CES Visit 4 - 05/06/11

CES VISIT 4 today 05/06/11: 47 birds of 14 species (retraps in brackets)

Robin 4 (0) - all juveniles
Blackbird 0 (1) - fledged last year and a regular
Whitethroat 4 (0) - 3 juveniles and an adult
Chiff Chaff 5 (0) - 3 juveniles, 2 adults
Garden Warbler 1 (1) - adults of both sexes
Blackcap 5 (0) - 3 juveniles, 2 adult males
Great Tit 2 (0) - both juveniles
Blue Tit 13 (0) - 9 juveniles, 4 adults (including one in moult)
Chaffinch 2 (0) - 1 juvenile and one adult male
Dunnock 1 (2) - one juvenile and the retraps were adults
Wren 0 (1) - fledged last year
Long Tailed Tits 3 (0) - 3 juveniles
Coal Tit 1 (0) - a juvenile and only the second of this species ringed at Priory
Green Woodpecker 1 (0) - an adult male

Very good totals for this site.



Above: This juvenile Coal Tit is only the 2nd bird of this species ringed here (the first being in September 2010).



Above: A Green Woodpecker (my bird of the day).

For more info (including more photographs) of these birds and other sessions, please click here.

Ringing results

From 'The Rough'

Sunday 15th May: 21 birds of 14 species (retraps in brackets)

Blackbird 0 (2)
Wren 0 (1)
Whitethroat 1 (0)
Great Tit 0 (2)
Dunnock 0 (2)
Sedge Warbler 1 (0)
Blue Tit 0 (1)
Robin 1 (0) - our first juvenile of the year
Blackcap 3 (0)
Bullfinch 1 (0)
Chiff Chaff 1 (0)
Garden Warbler 3 (0)
Song Thrush 1 (0)
Cetti's Warbler 0 (1)

Sunday 22nd May: 26 birds of 9 species (retraps in brackets)

Blackcap 5 (1) - the retrap being first ringed in 2004!
Dunnock 2 (3) - including 1 juvenile
Wren 0 (1)
Robin 2 (0) - both juveniles
Garden Warbler 3 (0)
Reed Warbler 1 (0)
Great Tit 1 (2)
Bullfinch 1 (1)
Blue Tit 3 (0) - all 3 juveniles

11th December 2010

Between 8am and 12.30pm today 30 birds of 10 species were caught, ringed and released in 'the rough.' New (retrap):

Great Tit 4 (6)
Blackbird 3 (0)
Great Spotted Woodpecker 0 (1)
Blue Tit 4 (4)
Dunnock 1 (0)
Wren 0 (1)
Marsh Tit 1 (0)
Long Tailed Tit 0 (3)
Bullfinch 0 (1)
Robin 0 (1)



Above: This Marsh Tit V670965 (an adult) is only the third caught & ringed at this site (the second this year, the only other being in 1993). DK got some photographs for the Priory Bird Report but DB & JA missed out having already left.

The Bullfinch was first ringed as a youngster on 11th October 2008 (also recaught a few times inbetween) and a retrap Great Tit was first ringed in Box 4 in May this year.

On my last visit (27th Nov.) I retrapped a Blackbird that was first ringed in August 2005 as a youngster.

A small flurry

A small flurry of snow didn't stop the bird ringing session this morning in 'The Rough.' The birds came in small flurries themselves although there wasn't much movement or singing from them at all today. 12 fly over siskins, a bullfinch and a redwing were visual highlights.




Above: The 3rd Great Spotted Woodpecker (adult female) caught in 'the rough' during the last 2 sessions.

Below: An adult male blackbird. There are lots of these feasting on the berries at the moment.



Ringing Results

Saturday 27th Nov: 24 birds of 9 species: 2 Long Tailed Tits, 9 Blue Tits, 2 Great Tits, 1 Wren, 2 Dunnocks, 4 Blackbirds, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Robin.

Sunday 21st Nov: 30 birds of 10 species: 7 Long Tailed Tits, 6 Blue Tits, 5 Great Tits, 3 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 3 Blackbird, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Sparrowhawk.



Above: The sparrowhawk from last week sporting a big bluge - presumably its lunch!

Ringing totals for 30th October

Today's ringing totals from 'the rough' (7.30am to 1pm) brought the following totals: 35 birds of 10 species - new (retrap):

Redwing 4 (0)
Blue Tit 2 (1)
Great Tit 2 (5)
Long Tailed Tit 0 (4)
Bullfinch 2 (1)
Robin 0 (3)
Dunnock 1 (4)
Blackbird 3 (0)
Greenfinch 1 (0)
Wren 2 (0)

The total catch was reasonable and the first of the autumn redwing arrivals were caught and ringed (juveniles and adults). It was a bit slow mid-morning but picked up later on.

The feeding station didn't attract many birds but perhaps it isn't cold enough yet to make them desperate enough to be lured in to the feeders!

Other things of note, a flock of 18 lapwing flew over heading towards the main lake and a weasel made 2 brief appearances.

More migrants

Another ringing session on Sunday produced 42 birds. Go here for the full story.

Wednesday 22nd

Details of the morning's ringing session can be found here.
A new species was ringed.

Sunday 12th

September rushes on, the birds move out, ready for the "winter lot".

Ringing today produced the following in the nets (retraps in brackets):
Blue Tit 3, Great Tit 1, Blackcap 6 (1), Blackbird 1 (2), Robin 2 (2), Dunnock 1 (1), Greenfinch 1, Goldfinch 2. That's 23 birds in total.
The Blackcaps are putting on a lot of fat for their journey south - all, that is, bar one, the retrap now caught on the last three sessions. Now that the tits "are back", we will have to think about reinstating the feeding station soon. The two Goldfinch were able to fly but could not have been out of the nest for very long.

Other birds seen by us included 4 Tufted, 4 Swift, 14 House Martin, a Buzzard, a Jay and a Spotted Flycatcher. A party of Long-tailed Bushtits passed close by, along with a couple of Chiffchaff.

Tues 31st Aug

Another quick ringing session with half the CES nets plus a 40'.

Catch was just 12: - Marsh Tit 1, Blackcap 3, Garden Warbler 1, C.Whitethroat 1, Song Thrush 1, Wren (1), Robin (1), Dunnock 1 (2). All were youngsters except the Whitethroat which was in heavy moult and it had nor accumulated any fat so far; points to it being "a local".

As well as the Marsh Tit, also a Jay moving west, a Yellow WAg going south, a Lesser Whitethroat still, a Green Sandpiper calling (and seen on the beach by ANOther), a Lesser Redpoll south, an unringed Garden Warbler, a Willow Warbler and several 'young' Chiffchaffs. At least 14 Goldfinches in and around the 'rough', along with Gt. Spot and Green Woodpecker. Last but not least, a Treecreeper, a precursor to the mixed Long-tailed and Great Tit flock which headed for the tall Ash & Oak trees.

Sat 28th Aug

Main Lake and area - 15 Shoveler, 1 Wigeon, 15 C.Swift, c.20 House Martin, 8 Cormorant
Fingers - 2 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, Kingfisher

Long Hedge - ringing totals were: Chiffchaff 2, Blackcap 6, C.Whitethroat 3, Blackbird 3, Song Thrush 4, Robin 1, Dunnock 4, Chaffinch 1, Goldfinch 1.
Birds seen whilst ringing - Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, ~8 Goldfinch, juv Gt. Spot.Woodpecker, Greenfinch, party of Long-tailed and other Tits. No sign of last weekend's Spotted Flycatcher(s).

Total number of individual birds caught during the CES (Constant Effort) period (May-August) was 370, made up of 115 adults and 195 juveniles plus an extra 60 pulli ringed in local nest boxes that have not been recaptured to date. So far, 56 Blackcaps have been ringed this year (with 5 recaptures from previous years - 1 female & 4 males) but the season has not ended. We hope to be catching them for another 6 weeks yet.

Latest ringing results

We went on the Sunday, the first day of the month and the new period.

A tad on the slow side this morning, although conditions were about right - light breeze and plenty of cloud cover. However, this is the time of year when most of the birds are beginning to moult and the juveniles disperse to pastures new.

So here are the totals for new birds (and retraps):
Great Tit (3)
Chiffchaff 3 (1, a moulting adult female)
Willow Warbler 1, only our 3rd bird of the year
Blackcap 2 (1, an adult moulting male from 2007)
C. Whitethroat 2 (1)
Reed Warbler 1
TREECREEPER 1, a fresh juvenile, our 1st of the year
Wren 2
Blackbird 1, an adult male!!
Robin 1, getting its red breast, (1)
Dunnock 2
Chaffinch (1)
Goldfinch 1, our 1st juvenile of the year.

Overhead we watched c.14 C.Swifts, the terns toing and froing from the Willington or further east. EG had a Little Egbert while EN spotted a Sparrowhawk. The woodpeckers were a little quiescent, giving a funny squeeky sound and the most half-hearted of drummings.
On the ground we had a Hedgehog and a Weasel, both out in broad daylight. The 'piggy' looked healthy and the mustelid was harassing the rabbits with good effect.

New Tits

We have now completed checking the 28 tit boxes, all of which were occupied; there was an even split of 14 broods of Blue Tit and 14 of Great Tit.

We were able to ring 25 broods all told, 13 Blue and 12 Great. That's 115 Blue Tits and 73 Great Tits. One brood of Blue Tits had fledged and 2 broods of Great Tit went unringed (making 204 known young).

The average brood size for Blue Tits was 9.1 (range 5 - 11) and for Great Tits 6.6 (range 3 - 10).

The Blue Tits were, as a whole, one week ahead of their larger cousins this year. It is more normal for the larger tit to breed ahead of the smaller Blue Tit, but we suspect that the Blues are set in their ways (according to day-length), while the Great Tits move their laying date (according to the spring season's temperature). However, this spring is generally considered to have started 4 weeks later than in recent years.

After the rain ... 9th Dec

A productive ringing session this morning yielded 30 birds of 10 species. For a full description and some photographs, go to the Ivel RG blog here.

The list was made up as follows:
Gt. Spot. 1, Wren 1, Dunnock 3, Robin 2, Blackbird 2, Redwing 2, Blackcap 1, Blue Tit 9, Gt. Tit 8, Bullfinch 1.

This was our first chance to get out ringing for some while. Over the last six weeks, I have recorded 164 mm (over 6 inches) of rainfall (near the "Dead Centre" of Bedford).