CES visit7 - Chalton 28/06

A decent day today at the sewage works with a total of 46 birds (33 new ones) of 13 species.

[Adult/Juv/r-t]: Wren 0/3/0, Dunno 0/0/1, Robin 0/2/0, Sedwa 0/7/2, Reewa 1/0/4, White 1/3/1, Blaca 0/5/0, Chiff 0/5/1, Lotti 2/0/0, Bluti 0/1/1, Greti 0/2/2, Goldf 1/0/0, Reebu 0/0/1.

Surprising there wer'n't any juv Reed Warblers - they are on the wing at other local sites. Being more open to the winds, perhaps breeding is put back a little?

CES visit 6 - Priory 26/06

The last of the "visit 6's" squeezed in before the thunderstorms and the cut-off date. It was a dull day with a gentle easterly. 44 birds "stuck" in the nets during the 6-hour session; Mark Fitz (C) turned up for some practice and a chat (I got him a new WT site afterwards) and Ed (rising-C) did as much as he dare before a late start at work. A crowded site today! [The whole area is less than 2.5 acres/1 hectare]

12 species were handled, of which 36 were new birds, 32 juvs, & top species - Chiffchaff.
[adult/juv/r-t] Woopi 1/0/0, Wren 1/2/2, Dunno 0/4/1,n Robin 0/5/1, Blabi 1/3/1, Chiff 1/6/1, Garwa 0/0/1, Blaca 0/6/1, Bluti 0/1/0, Greti 0/2/0, Magpi 0/1/0, Chaff 1/1/0.
With 2 new species for the year, I think we're now on 37 all told for 2009. [Not bad for little, dry, inland Beds. ]

Two species we don't normally catch at Priory - Magpie (above) and Wood Pigeon (below).

Showed the visiting kiddies (a well behaved year 3) a couple of birds; a surprise extra on their 'wildlife day' out of the classroom. During the summer term, we have to share a small part of the enclosure with them - by then we are three-quarters done, anyway.

Thorns CES - session 6 - 21 June 2009

I made the 16.4 mile round cycle ride out to the Thorns last Sunday & helped Dave out with the CES. On the road between Church End & the railway crossing 1 muntjak deer was spotted as were 3 jays.

new - retrap
WREN 1 - 0, DUNNO 7 - 1, ROBIN 4 - 2, NIGAL 1 - 0, BLABI 1 - 1, LESWH 1 - 0, WHITE 3 - 2, BLACA 10 - 0, WILWA 4 - 0, CHIFF 6 - 0, BLUTI 10 - 1, GRETI 4 - 0, CHAFF 1 - 0, BULLF 3 - 2. Total 56 - 9

Mostly juveniles (51/65), of which half were already in PJ moult. 3 adults were in full moult, too. Less evidence of breeding activity; just three birds with brood patches - DUNNO, WHITE, BLABI.
The nightingale was an adult male, which must have been passing through as we have not heard any singing here this year.

Other highlights: Ruddy Carpet in moth trap (14th Beds record), pair of Turtle Doves building a nest by a net ride. Bee & common spotted orchids were also present.



Above: The male Nightingale (a ringing tick for me).



Above: Bullfinch family (father & kids).

Chalton CES visit6 - 21/06

A very good morning at the STW. Using 280' of full height and 120' of 2-shelf, the haul was 68 birds consisting of 20 new adults, 42 new juveniles and 6 re-traps.

[Ad/juv/r-t] Kingf 1/0/0, Wren 0/2/0, Dunno 3/3/1, Robin 0/4/0, Blabi 1/0/0, Sedwa 1/1/2, Reewa 3/0/1, White 1/6/2, Blaca 2/5/0, Chiff 0/1/0, Bluti 0/5/0, Greti 1/14/0, Goldf 5/0/0, Reebu 2/1/0.

We played host to German ringer and post-graduate student, Sabrina Weitekamp, a welcome assistant. The more unusual moths are in a seperate post below.

Chalton STW - Mothing 20/06

At the kind invitation of Graham Buss we ran two lights at Chalton STW for 2.5 hours last night and despite it getting dark so late and being rather cold we are pleased to report that we caught 3 Obscure Wainscots so it looks like we have a little population there. This is a new record for VC30 (Beds).



In addition, a Southern Wainscot also came to the light which adds another county site for this species. Out of 6 Oligias taken 2 were Marbled, 1 Rufous and 3 Tawny Marbled - the first time we have had all three at one site on the same night - all were dissected.

Other niceties were 3 male Ghost Moths, 1 Lime Hawk, Cream-bordered Green-pea, a pristine July Highflyer and the pyralid Chilo phragmitella.

Cheers - Andy & Melissa Banthorpe, vc30moths.

Bargo news just in - Red B/P

We have received a late record (see above) of this bird at Welshpool, Powys, 200 kilometers WNW from Roxton (Beds) on 5th June.

Old Moor [RSPB] nr. Wath upon Dearne

Since leaving Drayton Bassett (Staffs) on or after 9th May, it turned up after a week at Sandbach Flashes (Ches) on the 16th May, 87 km further north. It was sighted there with 5 other Barnacles, one of which is the local feral bird. Three weeks later on 5th June, he or she was spotted in Welshpool (Powys) 75 km to the south-west. Over a week later on 17th June, it (I really mean this "male" and his four companions) turned up the other side of the Pennines near Wath upon Dearne (S.Yorks) which is a further 154 km north-easterly this time.
However, the day after, 18th June, they were all 5 seen together down at Rutland Water (Leics), amounting to a days travel of 106 km in a southerly direction.
What are these birds doing if not looking for somewhere to colonise? 1295590 was ringed as an adult back in July 2005. Where were they during the intervening month (May/June)?

Thanks to all those who keep us informed of the wanderings of our colour-marked Barnies!
[See original Blogs of 9th & 21st May]

PS. There were only 2 companions when B/P was seen at Slimbridge in winter 07/08.

Chalton STW 13 June 2009 CES5

With 2 helpers we managed to catch 43 birds of 11 species. These were as follows New/Juvs/retraps

Sedwa 0/1/3, reewa 1/0/3, white 2/4/2, robin 0/4/1, chiff 0/1/0, dunno 3/2/0, blaca 0/4/0,
greti 0/6/0, bluti 0/3/0, reebu 1/0/0 and goldf 2/0/0.

The moth trap was run again and species will appear later.

CES Visit 5 (Priory Country Park)

Thanks to Guy Anderson for accompanying me to CES visit 5 while Errol is away. Totals as follows: New Adult (6) / Juv (32) / Retrap (2, both adults) for a total of 40 of 11 species.

(Adult/juv)
Blackcap 1/8, Wren 1/2, Chiff Chaff 2/6, Dunnock 1/4, Robin 0/3, Chaffinch 0/1, Blackbird 2/0 (both Female, one in egg), Whitethroat 0/4, Reed Warbler 1/0, Great Tit 0/3, Blue Tit 0/1 (all 4 tits were caught near box 3 but I don't think they came from that box. Why? - the woodpeckers/squirrels knackered that one in!).

Upon arrival, we heard a female cuckoo calling - only a little later to realise that this was a SONG THRUSH immitating the call of a female cuckoo!

CES 4 from the Thorns

Got 49 in the end but the first 3 hours were not pleasant! Lots of juvs but still no Nightingales.

(New Fully grown/retrap/new juv) Blue Tit 2/1/7, Blackcap 1/3/1, Robin 0/0/3, Yellowhammer 1/0/0, Bullfinch 2/2/0, Dunno 0/1/2, Chaffinch 2/0/1, Lesser Whitethroat 2/1/0, Willow Warbler 2/4/0, Blackbird 1/5/0, Wren 0/2/0, Whitethroat 0/2/0, Chiff Chaff 0/1/0. Total 13/22/14 = 49

Thanks Guy & Co! Rainfall & a long cycle ride through the wet meant I decided to stay at home leaving me (Ed) a little disappointed but not as tired as I would have been!