FS - 20th Dec

Ed and I did the FS in the rough this morning, probably the last visit of the year here.

23 birds of which a mere 7 were newbies. No Grefi today - perhaps we stopped too early (the wind was picking up).

[New/retraps]
Robin - 0 / 1ad, 1 imm (father & son?)
Blabi - 0 / 1ad male
Lotti - 0/ 2ad (more around)
Bluti - 2ad, 2imm / 2ad, 3imm
Greti - 1imm / 1ad, 5imm
Chaff - 1ad fem / 0
Goldf - 1imm male / 0 (half dozen more in the trees!)

Birds over of note incl. Gt.Spot, Redwing, Siskin & Mipit

Priory - 12/12

The weather was a bit more conducive for ringing today, more especially during the middle of the day. That's why we (+AXC) strung a line of nets up about 10 o'clock for a few hours.

Not many new birds - a 4F wren, a 3F Robin, a 3F continental Blabi, a 3F Bluti & a 3M Greti. Best bird was a retrap Bluti not recorded since it was ringed here as a 3M on 05-11-05 (1133 days).

The other 23 birds were all retraps - Lotti 3, Wren 1, Robin 2, Blabi 2, Bluti 9, Greti 6. There were just peanuts in the feeders. The squirrels have wrecked the big "squirrel proof" seed feeder by knawing through the top cover (as well as the ring and the bottom); replacements have been erected (at no cost) on very long 'wires'!.

Looks like no ringing tomorrow (Sat) - heavy rain forecast all day.

Other news - not much activity in the gardens after the (freezing) dawn rush of ringed/local birds. 11 new birds this week; Dunno, Bluti 2, Starl 3, Grefi 3 & Goldf 2. Norfolk - 76 all told incl. a new & r/t Marti and 15 new & 5 r/t Lottis, these in one "hit".

First week of Dec.

Not many birds about, too much rain and wind, therefore few birds caught.
16 birds of 4 spp. at Elms Farm, namely - Bluti 1/1, Starl 2/1, Grefi 2/1, Goldf 2/6.

Norfolk garden on Sat am yielded 50 in 3 hours incl. 20 Lotti (5 r/t) & 11 Coati (4 r/t incl 1 from Dec05) 9 Greti, 8 Bluti, & 2 Chaff. Net taken in ahead of expected hard frost tomorrow am.

This week

Just a catch-up on what's been caught during the last week.

EN was in Norfolk last weekend; he caught 38 new birds & 30 retraps at the feeding station in the garden, which backs onto wet woodland. The new birds were - Goldc 5, Lotti 5, Coati 7, Bluti 12, Greti 7, Chaff 1 & Grefi 1.

On Thurs. a short session with DTH at the F/S at Priory saw just 16 birds in the bag(s). New/retrapped totals - Wren 1/1, Dunno 0/3, Bluti 1/4, Greti 0/2, Chaff 1/0 (a whopping male), & Grefi 2/1. It might have been better if the feeders had been refilled earlier (probably empty for 2 days prior to Weds).

A photo of some of the "Nest-box Abuse" that is going on around the Park. This one overlooks a net ride.

At Elms Farm, 3 morning sessions produced 49 new birds and 6 retraps; that's better!
Again, new/retraps - Woopi 1/0 (right fat b*st*rd), Wren 1/1, Dunno 0/1, Lotti 9/0, Coati 1/0 (an uncommon bird, hereabouts), Bluti 1/0, Housp 2/0, Starl 4/1, Chaff 2/0, Grefi 19/2 & Goldf 9/2.

These pictures show the difference between male and female upper tail coverts and adult and 'juvenile' tail feathers. The distinguishing points are the width of the feather edges and/or the diffuseness of the edge pattern.


One for the pot?

CHA 29/11

Well, what a dismal morning. The mist didn't clear at all. Did manage to erect a couple of nets and had the grand total of eight birds. As follows new/retrapped
Bluti 2/1, Cetwa 0/1 (ex Tring), Greti 0/1, Goldc 0/1, Dunno 1/0, Robin 1/0.

Hopefully we'll get more before the end of the year.

Also on the cards is the need to clear a new net ride in anticipation of a feeding station and the levelling of an existing "dodgy" path for safer ringing activities next season. Any volunteers?

FS - Weds 17th Nov

A morning (walk in) session. A bit of a Blue Tit day! with 1 new adult, 4 new 1CY and 8 r/t's.
Also 6 Greti (2 new), 2 new Blabi, 2 r/t Grefi, & new Goldf & Chaff; 25 in all [11 new].

The best was A761442 - ringed as a 3JM on 29-06-2002; duration = 6y.4m.21d.

Birdwatching filled the "gaps" - 5 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 9 Goldfinch, Chiff, Kestrel, several Sky Lark over, 4 Bullfinch, ~9 Siskin (or more, very busy & noisy), Gt.Spot and ... best bird of the day ... Lesser Spotted Woodpecker!

Now that almost all the leaves are off the trees, we can go for a full net set-up next week if the weather is OK, and maybe catch some thrushes - if they haven't all passed through by then.

CHA 16/11/08

Started ringing at 7:00 but got rained off at 10:30.

Did manage to get the WeBS count in though.

Ringing totals as follows; new/retrapped (16/2)
Lotti 2/2; Wren 1/0; Goldc 1/0; Treec 1/0; Goldf 8/0; Bluti 1/0; Grewa 1/0; Robin 1/0.

More garden! - 14th Nov

"Allo, me ole cock Sparra!"

Didn't intend to do any today, but succumbed at 08:00 after the early birds (mainly ringed Goldf) had fed.
Retrapped a young Dunno with an undershot bill. Surprise bird was a 3F Coati in the net with three unringed 3F Bluti about 10 o'clock; this was a FIRST for the garden.

Another "goodie" was a very large and heavy 3F Goldf. Its wing was 81.5/82 and its weight 17.6 - despite the fact that it only had 0.5 fat and pec 1. This is BIG for a C.c.britannica or nominate carduelis. It had obviously moved some distance recently as you could see the thin layer of fat lining the cavity. I suspect, after looking things up, that it was of the sub-species C.c.volganensis from the southern Ukraine or SE Russia supposedly on its migration south (to the Med./Italy).

A young Goldfinch still undergoing PJ moult - or has it stopped?

Todays total was 23 of 6 spp. comprising 14 Goldf (12 new), 2 Grefi, 4 Bluti, 1 Dunno, 1 Coati, 1 Chaff.

Garden ringing - 13th Nov

A couple of hours with a 30' before the rain!
29 birds all told, 22 new and 17 GOLDF made up of 6 new ads 8 new imms and 3 r/t.
Also caught r/t ad Dunno, new 4F Robin, r/t Lotti (from this time last year), 2 young Bluti r/t's, a new Greti male (the first Greti in the garden for quite some time), a fem Housp, 3 young Starl and 2x 3M Grefi that had lost quite a bit of fat recently and were probably "foreigners" (up north or continental)

Grefi - 3M, wing 93, wt 29.0, fat 1.

FS - Weds 12th Nov

Had to take advantage of the good weather. Young male Sparrowhawk chasing a Pied Wag and being harried by a Chaffinch as I walked across the wet meadow (08:15). Just got the 40' up when a Greenshank appeared overhead calling, but turned sharply NW as it reached me (08:30). Six Blackbirds in a bush by the feeders that left after eating. First bird was a new (1CY) female GRSWO. Siskins zipped about all morning - so no idea how many involved. Some wonderful views as they sat in the tree-tops with the sun full on them. Four more Blackbirds passed through (09:00). [I also had 2 lots of two later, plus the resident incumbents]. An early GRETI just happened to have been ringed in Box3, 100' away!! and another from Box5 [LH] later. I caught 3 BLUTI from Box1, which is also in the Rough.

Another early bird was the male GOLDC from 4 weeks ago. The first GREFI, today's target spp. came in at 09:20. Shortly after, nine Fieldfare passed along the 'long hedge'. Sky Larks flew SW calling every 5-10 minutes and I clocked at least a couple of dozen in the 4 hours. Another interesting sp. were two L.Redpoll that buzzed through quite late on. I counted 5 different Herons leaving the Fingers (lily-pads). Right at the end the only (1CY) GOLDF.

I nearly passed up two Chiffchaffs when I heard a loud "single" call repeated in the 'thorn hedge. I thought it was a Chaffinch until I saw " a small brown movement" instead of the expected "tricolour". The GREFI today seemed very wary; perhaps they could see the net in the bright sunlight. Not a bad morning's work!

Tally - AHY/HY/AHYr-t/HYr-t (for our American friends)
Greswo 0/1/1/0, Wren 0/0/0/1, Dunno 0/1/0/1,
Robin 0/0/0/1, Goldc 0/0/0/1, Bluti 0/5/2/4,
Greti 1/2/9/3, Grefi 0/8/0/1, Goldf 0/1/0/0/.

It is quite noticeable the difference between the tits;
Blue - 9 'age3' incl. 5 'new' and only 2 'age4+';
Great - 5 'age3' with only 2 'new' and 10 'age4+', 9 of which were re-traps.

FS - Thurs 6th Nov

Taking advantage of a break in the wet and windy weather, a short mid-day session at Priory from 12 'til 2:30 at the feeding station produced 50 birds, 24 of these were new.
The best birds were GREFI with 16 new & 2 r/t; only 2 were adult and the sexes were even. Of the Grefi caught this year, a mere 8% have been retraps.

Six Greti were caught, one of which had been ringed by MFP at Park Wood NR as a pullus in May 2006 (4km distant across town).

Apart from a r/t female Grswo and a young male Chaff, the rest - naturally - were Bluti. Just 5 (20%) were new but KK09289 , who started life in May 2003, turned up and he is now about 100 days short of the IRG longevity record for the sp. The others were a good mix of old and young birds, split between the sexes.

The Siski and Goldf flew overhead and 'twittered' but came nowhere near the feeders.
DK flushed a Woodcock here last Fri. and found a Lesser Spot by the 'flower meadow', and later the Kramer hide, on Mon.

Perseverance pays off at last

A middle of the day session at the feeding station on a cold and, at times, blustery day with some late showers. The Blackcap moved from the 'long hedge' to 'the steps', by-passing the nets - so not able to see if it was a new one. Fifty birds in all, with one of those little green and yellow buggers at long last (a new species for the ringing list at PCP). Assisted by Andrew Cristinacce (he'll tell you how to pronounce this Corsican name).


As usual - new adults, new imms, re-traps:
Dunno 0/0/2 (incl H597265 from June 2003), Redwi 2/0/0 (where are the youngsters this year?), Goldc 0/0/1, Bluti 0/6/8 (incl 2 pulli from the boxes), Greti 0/1/1, Lotti 0/0/2, Chaff 0/2/2, Grefi 2/14/0, Goldf 0/3/0, Bullf 0/2/1, and SISKI 0/1/0.

3M (1CY) Siskin - 27-10-08 (2 ogc)

CHA 19/10/2008

I was joined by Nicky for a disappointing session. Only 12 birds caught in the works area consisting of - Wren 1; Robin 2; Great Tit 1; Dunnock 1; Meadow Pipit 4; Blackbird 1 and Redwing 2.

Of note in the duck count were 60 gadwall and 2 wigeon.

16th October

All day ringing session in the "Rough", followed by a morning after sesh to let the nets dry, produced 90 birds of 17 spp. Fifty of these were new, 10 adults & 40 1CY birds, plus 40 retraps. 76 were caught on 16th.

In the retraps were a Wren from May '05, Dunnocks from Aug '04 & Apr '06, Blue Tits from May '03 (ringed as a pullus), Oct '05 & Oct '06, and a Bullfinch from May '04.
Here's the list, new birds first (adults/1CY) then retraps last
Wren 0/1/3, Dunno 0/2/6, Robin 0/1/4,
Blabi 0/3/2, Sonth 0/0/1, Redwi 1/0/0,
Blaca 0/3/0, Chiff 1/2/0, Goldc 2/1/1,
Lotti 0/0/2, Bluti 2/6/11, Greti 0/2/6,
Housp 1/0/0, Chaff 0/1/0, Grefi 2/9/2,
Goldf 0/7/0, Bullf 1/2/1.

The finches did not materialise at the feeding station until midday and Gt. Tits were noticeable by their relative absence. The 3 Blackcaps were all carrying a fair amount of fat (30,35 & 40) but only one remained the following day; it was a full moon with clear skies and light winds, temperature dropping to 4C.

We probably ringed the 2,000th new bird for the year today.

Sat 11th Oct @ FS

Three hours at the Priory feeding station from 8 o'clock. Weather = sunny with a gentle SWly breese.

30 birds in all of which 9 were new adults, 14 new imms/juvs & 7 retraps - as follows.

Wren -/-/1, Dunno -/1/-, Robin -/1/2,
Blabi -/1/- (cont?), Sonth -/-/2, Redwi -/1/-,
Goldc 1/-/-, Bluti -/-/1, Greti 1/1/-,
Chaff 1/2/-, Grefi 4/4/1, Goldf 2/2/-,
Bullf -/1/-.

As you can see, the tits were noticeable by their absence. This may have been because the feeders were almost empty. Birds overhead included 8 Redwing, 2 Siskin, a Sky Lark, 2 House Martins & 2 Mipits.

Pics & additional material by Ed. [him with the new pliers!]



Above: A continental blackbird?



Above: One of many Greenfinch



Above: A Goldfinch

It's started.

At last. This morning [7th October] saw a few more Goldfinches than previous.
In August, it was mainly juveniles that came to the feeders in my garden.
Then, in September, it was the PJs (24) and adults (6) in moult that came, most at the beginning of the month, but only on wet, windy or cold mornings.
Today saw 7 imms and 3 adults (finishing moult) trapped plus a few that 'got away' ("net happy"?)
Two of the adults were carrying fat (F10/15), which is unusual at any other time, and they must have been migrants.
So far this year, I have ringed 93 in the garden (+ 25 r/t's); another 68 (26 at PCP, 25 at Broom) have been ringed by us this year (+ 4 r/t's)

Feeding station 02/10

The wind had died down so ...
A successful morning in the Rough with 36 captures of 10 spp; 4 new ad., 21 new imms., 11 re-traps (2 of which were adults).

Wren -/-/1, Sonth -/1/-, Redwi -/1/-,
Blaca -/2/-, Goldc -/-/1, Lotti -/-/1,
Bluti -/4/5, Greti 1/5/4,
Grefi 2/5/-, Goldf 1/2/-.

Both BC were in good condition if somewhat low on fat (F10,F15); M score was good, though. Perhaps recent passage immigrants? There was another male in the car park simultaneously.

The RE had 5 OGC and moulted T7 and retained T8,T9; it had also moulted Al1&2. This is not given in Jenni & Winkler. F1 & M2 with a long wing (>124), probably a male.


See the Priory blog for a list of other birds seen this morning

The magician was missing

Nicky's first visit to Chalton was missing some of Merlin (aka Martin) the magician's magic! Hardly a surprise!

M'ipits were the target species. M'ipits were the not the only species to avoid the nets! An enjoyable trip, but a largely dissapointing weekend for the numbers of birds. See "Selected Recoveries" regarding the control Goldfinch - certainly worth the effort.

Graham says the conditions were just about the same as the weekend before but obviously something had changed - but what?



Above: A Meadow Pipit. The only M'ipits we caught were in the spring traps. Observations seem to suggest that the main passage of M'ipits seems to have passed as fewer numbers were seen this weekend.

We also had a possible Honey Buzzard of the light variation but it was impossible to distiguish exact plumage and easily confused with the Common Buzzard, also of the light variation. At one point, it did appear to be mobbed by the Common Buzzards but as there is some doubt, we would have to go with the Common Buzzard.

Ed's Buckton travels

You may have heard already ...



Above: A Red Breasted Flycatcher



Above: A Yellow Browed Warbler

I went to Bucton, near Flamborough to get experience of ringing at a costal migrant site. 2 of the three new species I ringed can be seen above! The third new species was a yellowhammer but the photographs couldn't do it justice, hence their absence.

Twitching (there's a powder for it apparently) was also on the agenda. We saw (along with several hundred tick hunters) a Brown Shrike ... plus 4 or 5 yellow browed warblers, redstart, several barn owls, a marsh harrier, sparrowhawks, a peregrine, a merlin, kestrel, long eared owl (roosting 5 metres from the net), a possible red footed falcon (views not good enough) and a radde's warbler.

Feeding Station 27-09

Returned for more punishment! The fog was denser and lasted longer this morning compared to yesterday. Birds did not come to the feeder for some time - and, what's more, they could see the net against the foggy background. We still did OK; 24 birds of 12 spp
(3 ad/11 imm/10 r-t's) as follows:

Wren 0/0/1, Robin 1/0/2, Blabi 0/1/0,
Sonth 0/0/1, Leswh 0/1/0, Blaca 0/1/0,
Bluti 0/0/2, Greti 1/0/2, Chaff 0/1/0,
Grefi 0/1/1, Goldf 1/6/0, Bullf 0/0/1.

Unlike yesterday, the Blackcap was a 3F.
The best bird was last of all! - a 3 Leswh.
Well worth waiting for!










Not the best of photos, I'm afraid.
The bird was (re)growing its tail.

Feeding Station 26-09

Yesterday - bit of a wash-out down at Meadow Lane. Just 8 birds, none of the Mipits - they just sat on top of the net!

With 3 feeders up and a couple of other nets, the tally was 36 birds today (5, 20, 11 - age 4+, 3, r/ts) of 12 spp. as follows:
Wren 0/1/1, Dunno 1/2/2, Robin 0/0/1,
Reewa 0/1/0, Blaca 0/3/1, Chiff 0/2/0,
Bluti 1/3/2, Greti 1/1/3, Lotti 0/0/1,
Grefi 0/3/0, Goldf 1/3/0.

All the Blackcaps were males; the re-trap was first caught as a 3J on 17-06-06.
Below - 3JFP Goldfinch; 3M Chiffchaff; 2M Goldcrest

Chalton 21st Sept

Graham & Martin worked the site in the morning - with a grand finale!
The "tape" was put on for Mipits as passage was ocurring.

The days tally was as follows (50 new/6 retraps):
Merli 1/0, Meapi 28/0,
Wren 3/2, Dunno 2/1, Robin 1/0,
Blabi 2/0, Sonth 1/0, Cetwa 0/1,
Blaca 6/0, Chiff 1/0, Lotti 0/1,
Greti 3/0, Goldf 1/0, Bullf 2/1.

The Merlin, a first for the group and a Beds county 'tick' as well, came onto the Mipit tape and "got stuck" in the bottom shelf of the net 'triangle'. On size, it was most likely of the Icelandic sub-species, F.c.subaesalom. (per PJW)

Long Hedge - 14th Sept

4 nets (1 didn't catch, ha ha). 13 birds as follows: 3 Blaca, all male, (including 2 r/t - from 2003 as a juv and summer 2004 as a 5M), 3 young Chiff ending PJ, r/t juv Reewa, new 'JJ' Sonth, r/t 3JP Wren, 2 Robin, an adult from spring '06 & a new juv half way thro' its body moult, a new yng 'Prune' and, on the final round, we taped a female Goldc that had a wt. of 5.9!

Blaca H597297 was first ringed as a 3J on 29-06-03 and has held the group's longevity record since July, now standing at 5y.2m.16d. Will have to do the Long Hedge sites next spring now!

Pic of Blackcap by Ed. See the Priory Blog for other interesting birds today.

Priory CES comparison

Now that the season is over, I thought that I would look up last year's results and compare them with this. Adults given first, then juvs; 2007 in brackets.

Wren - 14 (5), 18 (17); another good breeding year with very good winter survival.
Dunnock - 11 (13), 7 (10); good adult survival and another poor breeding season (cf 21 juvs in 2005).
Robin - 2 (2), 14 (21); we don't expect to catch many adults but the number of youngsters has dropped back to "normal" after a very good 2007.
Blackbird - 8 (13), 5 (9); again, good adult survival from 2007 to 2008 but the rains seem to have knocked back the number of young.
Song Thrush - 8 (3), 6 (5); this is excellent news! Good survival and good production for the second year running!
Reed Warbler - 10 (11), 8 (6); not a dry scrub bird but showing signs of a good overall year.
Lesser Whitethroat - 3 (1), 2 (3); a job to tell - but there were 2 pairs present this year which there hasn't been for 4 years.
Common Whitethroat - 7 (5), 8 (6); a slight upturn this year after 3 poor years on the run - despite all the wet weather.
Garden Warbler - 10 (12), 6 (16); this is the one species that seems to have had a real knock-back this season.
Blackcap - 23 (25), 28 (37); Doesn't look like a good year but we have been blessed with high numbers for the last 4 years. Juvenile production was hit quite badly, though.
Chiffchaff - 5 (5), 21 (9); an average year for adults but we haven't had such high numbers of juveniles since 2004 (24), the best year ever.
Willow Warbler - 2 (3), 5 (3); another low year all round. Do you remember when adults were in the 20's and juvs. in the 40's? Those days are long gone for southern England.
LT Tit - 1 (2), 6 (6); we never catch many in the CES season - we will have to wait for the autumn totals.
Blue Tit - 8 (4), 7 (8); good adult survival last winter but another bad fledging season, the 4th in a row, corroberated by the nest box results.
Great Tit - 6 (0), 5 (1); no indication is suggested, since CES figures at Priory have always yo-yo-ed and bear no relation to "the truth".
Chaffinch - 1 (2), 0 (1); looks poor
Greenfinch - 2 (12), 3 (9); a very poor - or late - season, probably the latter.
Goldfinch - 0 (5), 9 (10); a positive breeding season. The species has never been abundant in the park as most of the area not under trees is mown grass or water.
Bullfinch - 4 (6), 0 (3); it looks like they have suffered from the incessant damp. This is a species that has always liked the park and has maintained a good presence until now, despite the national fall.

A few other passerines are caught irregularly in low numbers, namely Sedge Warbler, Goldcrest, Marsh Tit, Treecreeper, Magpie, House Sparrow, Lesser Redpoll

Priory - 13th Sept

In the 'mizzle', I set a net behind the VC feeding station.
90 minutes worth yielded: 14 Blue Tits, 5 Great Tits, 4 Dunnocks, 4 House Sparrows and 1 male Goldcrest.
One Bluti was ringed as a 3F on 11-10-03 in the rough, presumably at the nuts, and has not been "seen" since (1800 days).

Fingers 10th Sept - A little bit creepy

A nice morning on the crescent & spit at PCP started slow but soon picked up and we ended up being very busy.
We set 3 seperate nets and collected 31 birds of 12 spp. altogether in just a couple of hours. 19 were new and the other 12 were re-traps.

Wren - 0/1/0, Dunno - 0/0/1,
Robin - 0/1/0, Sedwa - 0/1/0 = bird of the day?
Reewa - 0/2/1 (a 9F according to the records),
Chiff - 1/2/4 (all juvs from the 'rough'),
Wilwa - 0/1/0; poss a hybrid, Lotti - 0/2/4 (2 ads, 2 'juvs'),
Bluti - 0/4/1, Greti - 0/0/1,
Treec - 0/1/0; a ringing tick for Ed.
Bullf - 0/3/0; 1 first brood, 2 second brood, all in PJ.

For me, the Chiffs were the real highlight of the day; how many are struggling to find enough insect prey due to the rains. Their weights seeemed OK for now and the forecast is for better weather. We'll see!
ECN

Pix by EDG



Above: This tree creeper crept into one of the nets on the spit.



Above: A party of three. Another party of 3 were caught later on.



Above: The best of a bad bunch of photographs of the Sedge (it wouldn't sit still!). I blame the cameraman, oh, wait a minute, that was me. Ah well. Ed.

Sat 6th Sept

Weather inclement; decided to ring at NOR.

First bird out of the net was ...

... a 3F Wilwa; nice surprise!!

Then a few more of the regulars -

2M Housp

5F Grefi in heavy moult

3JJ Goldf

3JM Chaff

Some gardens are lucky enough to attract one or more of these!!

3J Marti (at Lynn)

Tally was - Wilwa 0/1/0, Bluti 1/0/0, Housp 7, Chaff 0/2/0, Grefi 1/4/0, Goldf 0/14/0.

Last CES - 3rd Sept

The last visit to the Rough under CES conditions did nothing for the ego!
Just 15 birds! ... and 5 of those were in extra nets!

Tally for the day was (ad/juv/retrap, as usual) -
Robin - 0/0/1, an adult (7M) in new plum
Blabi - 0/1/2, all male juvs in various stages of PJ
Sonth - 0/2/0, another 2 youngsters fresh out into the world
Reewa - 0/3/0, 3 more "PJ's"(1 was very J'ey although showing PJ)
Leswh - 1/0/0, a bright adult, poss. female; fat 25
Blaca - 0/3/0, a 3JM, a 3M & a 3F, all PJ, fat 20, M2
Wilwa - 1/0/0, a small 4F with little or no fat
Lotti - 0/0/1, a last year's (?) male

At least it didn't rain!



Above: A cracking Leswh

Below: Some of the outer tail feathers showing a white tip, typical of an adult

Bargo Red H/B

Another sighting of "the wanderer". This time, seen in with the captive Barnacles and R-B Geese at Leeds Castle (nr.Maidstone, Kent) by a visiting ringer at the end of July. Where next? Another trip across the Channel??

Mon 25th Aug

Not the best of days - it was quite windy and very overcast but it didn't rain.
Early catches were good but it dried up by 09:30 and we only caught 2 more birds and they were at ~11:30. Total was 19 (1/16/2)
Some good birds tho' as follows:
Wren - 0/0/1, Dunno - 0/1/0, Robin - 0/2/1(ad from '07),
Blabi - 0/1/0, makes 4 juvvies & 8 adults
Sonth 0/2/0, makes 5 youngsters & 8 adults
Leswh - 0/1/0, White - 0/1/0, Blaca - 0/1/0,
Garwa - 0/1/0, was 24.5 gms and fat 45
Star birds today = Goldf - 0/8/0, & there were more about,
Grefi 1/0/0, a 5M in mid moult.
Thanks to MFP & NM for their company

Sat 23rd Aug

Migration at CHA
GJB, EN & EDG had a good day at the STW; we caught many juveniles as follows:

Wren - 0/6/0, Dunno - 1/4/0,
Robin - 0/3/0, Blabi 0/1/0,
Cetwa - 0/1/0, Reewa - 0/4/3,
Sedwa - 0/6/0, Blaca - 0/4/0,
Chiff - 1/6/0, Wilwa - 0/1/0,
Lotti - (3)/2/0, Bluti - 0/2/0,
Greti - 0/1/0, Bullf 0/1/0

Total was 3 unaged (Lotti's), 2 adults, 42 juvs and 3 r/ts.
And we think we had two Malla - 'cos there wuz 2 big 'oles in one net!!!
A couple of Buzzards overhead and 2 fg Herons in the SSSI trees.
At one point, a group of Swallows passed south, twittering.
We didn't catch the KF. It was nice to see 2 yng LG on one of the lagoons.



The second juvenile at this site this year! There's no mistaking that it only has 10 tail feathers!

Fri 22nd Aug

Early start along the spit at Priory. 3 nets plus 1 on the crescent.
Got caught out by a late and rather heavy shower (forecast was they'd be over by then). Not bad - 19 in all.
Wren - 0/1/0, Dunno - 0/0/1,
Robin - 0/3/0, a mottley crew of 3's
Reewa - 0/5/1, all 5 juvs together, adult at least 5 years old
Blaca - 1/2/1, only the 1 (a 3) had finished moult
Chiff - 2/0/0, one of each, both ending moult
Bluti - 0/1/0, unringed ... of course!
Chaff - 1/0/0, a large male in the middle of its moult.
Chalton tomorrow?? CES on Sunday??

20th Aug & progress

Ed and I put a net up across the yard entrance at PCP this morning "before work".
21 birds caught incl. these 5 retraps - 1 Greti & 2 Bluti from the boxes. a young Reewa and VX36122, ringed as a pullus on 17-05-03 and recaught many times now.
New birds ringed were 1 Dunno, 4 ad. Greti, 4 ad. Bluti, 3 Chaff (2 juv males), and 4 Housp (all 3's in moult).

For a bit of fun I've looked up the rate we've ringed new birds so far this year.
First blood to MA on 01-01, a Greti.
100th on 09-02, a Goldf
200th on 15-02, a Dunno
300th on 02-03, a Bramb
400th on 10-04, a Woodp
500th on 05-05, a White
600th on 17-05, a Greti pull
700th on 19-05, a Garwa
800th on 24-05, a Bullf
900th on 29-05, a Bluti pull
1000th on 31-05, a Bluti pull
1100th on 11-06, a Bluti
1200th on 29-06, a Starl
1300th on 17-07, a Blaca
1400th on 01-08, a Garwa
So far, over 1500 new rings this year (data outstanding).

Will we catch another 1,000 new birds? Let's hope so!

CES V.11 - 16th Aug

A reasonable day, weather wise. Light winds at first but becoming breezy. A bit too cloudy with the sunny intervals waning. 27 birds in all, 4 of them in the extra net.

The significant things today were all the young Chiffs about, the Wilwas passing through, the 3J now 3 Blackcaps retrapped and it looks like the Tits are roaming at last, as they come to the end of their moult.
It's turning out to be a good year for "Mavis", too.

Wren - 0/0/1, Dunno - 0/1/0, Blabi - 0/1/0, Sonth* - 0/2/0, Reewa - 0/2/0, White - 1/1/0, Blaca - 0/3/3,Chiff* - 0/6/1, Wilwa - 0/2/0, Goldc* - 0/1/0, a really young one! Bluti - 0/2/0.

Ed took some photos of these * birds.



Above: A 3J Goldcrest



Above: This bird is saying 'You Song of a Thrush!'



Above: Chiff Chaff - the bird of the day.

No heavy birds today. It looks like this season is going to be a poor one overall.

Wed 13th Aug

The Spit - set a 300' line along the spit early. Not a complete waste of time - the wind was blowing and got worse! Ed helped out.
3 Reewa - a new J, a 5F from last year that had given up nesting for 2008, and a 6F Control! Also a 3JF Wilwa, a scarcity in these parts. Plus 2 (mundane) local retraps.
c.40 Houma over the tops of the Willows and a juv Swall.

Sat 9th Aug

LH: Tried for a few birds this morning - weather not at its best, though. Cool - and wind got up by 10am.
Two good results, namely a juvenile Kingfisher (pics by Ed) and an old Blackbird. This male was originally ringed as a 3JM on 15th Sept 2001 and, at 6 years 10 months & 25 days, is the third "oldest" ever for the Group. It had also not been caught since Aug 2002, when it had moved from 'the rough' to the 'long hedge'.

[For a list of the "top ten" oldest Blackbirds at Priory, go to the Priory CP blog of todays date]



Above: Weighing the kingfisher



Above: The kingfisher whispered to Errol, 'This is my best side'



Above: Just had to show you the bit most people see in the field (but up close!).

CES 10 - 7th Aug

Wing moult - adult Whitethroat

Fault barring - young Whitethroat

Young Willow Warbler - a season's first

(Second brood) Juvenile Robin in PJ moult

Now for some detail - 7-8 oktas and v.light W. wind
Wren - 0/4/0, Robin - 0/2/1 (all 3/3J), Dunno - 0/0/1 (a 3),
Blabi - 0/1/0 (late brood), Sonth - 0/2/0, our first Js for '08,
Reewa - 1/2/0 all undergoing BM, Leswh - 0/1/0 first J for '08,
White - 1/5/0, a good catch today, Garwa - 1/1/1,
The retrap was first ringed as a 1J last year. It was carrying
Fat 50 ESF and weighed 24.0 gm (which flagged a warning on IPMR)
Blaca - 0/2/0, Chiff - 0/3/0 another brood on the move?,
Wilwa - 1/3/0 (DK said there were 5!) local or incomers?,
Bluti - 0/1/0, Greti 0/1/0,
Grefi 0/2/0 (one of each), Goldf - 0/1/0, the first for '08.

No trainees today, so had a slow start putting up the new nets.
Stuck a 40 ft round the back later and had 6 birds here.
It rained heavily as I was taking down - now suffering with back ache!
A very good day, all in all; nice to catch more than 20 birds!

Migration under way; reports of large congregations of Wilwas "up north" and of the "last" Swifts moving out from colonies today. Some Houmas going south too.
Sedwa and Reewa moving on south coast.

All up figures for PCP so far this year are:-
425 new + 137 pulli = 562 and 269 retraps/sightings of 27 spp.
CES (NFY, new for year) 121 adults + 122 juvs of 24 spp.