Tuesday 28 February 2012

Sandy Smith Nature Reserve 28/02/12

Numbers wise today, it started off slowly and picked up a bit mid morning.



Above: A Siskin (on the right) and a Lesser Redpoll (on the left).

For the third time in 3 days, I caught a new species for the site...



Above: A Common (Mealy) Redpoll. All the previous redpoll's I've caught have been of the Lesser variety. This bird and a Great Tit formed a small and impromtu ringing demonstration to two delighted passers by who took an interest in what I was doing.

After the Common Redpoll, another new species for the site (and for me) was the next bird out of the net and it was a rarity. There are only a handful of birds of this species in the county and are nationally scarce. I have never seen one before and it is a rare day indeed that one is ringed. I am told only 6 have been ringed in Bedfordshire since 1980, the last of which was ringed in 1992 - 20 years ago!

I should find out how many the Ivel Ringing Group have ever ringed.



Above: A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.


A number of Jays were seen. 2 Woodcock were flushed in Upper Alders (wet woodland), lots of fieldfare about, skylarks were singing, 2 buzzards and 2 Little Owls were seen. One that missed the nets (thankfully) was a Pheasant. One that got away was Sparrowhawk - would have been a site first but it extracted itself about two seconds
after I realised something large was in the net!

For more photographs, visit my blog here.

Totals for the day in order of appearance: New (retrap)

Long Tailed Tit 2 (1)
Blue Tit 0 (4)
Robin 0 (1)
Coal Tit 1 (1)
Goldfinch 3 (0)
Great Tit 2 (1)
Wren 1 (0)
Lesser Redpoll 2 (0)
Siskin 1 (0)
Common Redpoll 1 (0)
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 1 (0)
Chaffinch 2 (0)
Great Spotted Woodpecker 0 (1)

25 birds of 13 species - a good variety.

Stockgrove Country Park 26/02/2012

The first session at Stockgrove CP for some time. This still produced 27 birds of 8 species. These are ringed/retraps in brackets

Blue Tit 4(3)
Chaffinch 3(0)
Coal Tit 4(0)
Dunnock 1(0)
Great Tit 4(4)
Goldfinch 1(0)
Marsh Tit 1(0)
Nuthatch 1(1)

A siskin did just miss the net, buzzards were heard calling overhead with great-spotted woodpeckers drumming within the close vicinity.

Sunday 26 February 2012

Turdus viscivorus

Today at Sandy Smith Nature Reserve (SSNR) the first bird of the day was a Chaffinch. It turns out this Chaffinch was ringed somewhere other than SSNR and by somebody else other than me (it did have a British ring on it).

A site ringing first came in the afternoon - Starling. Presumably coming to the peanuts.



Above: Starling

Based on observations, a new net site was operated and it caught 1 bird...



Above: Mistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus

Another site first and a ringing 'tick' for me (my 4th self caught tick - all of which have been at SSNR). I couldn't have done it without help so thanks go to Amanda. More details can be found here

Today's totals: In order of appearance - new (retraps)

Chaffinch 4 (0) and 1 control
Dunnock 1 (3)
Great Tit 1 (4)
Coal Tit 1 (0)
Greenfinch 1 (4)
Blue Tit 2 (0)
Goldfinch 4 (1)
Starling 1 (0)
Mistle Thrush 1 (0)

25 birds of 9 species.

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.

Sunday 5 February 2012

Chalton STW 4/2/2012

A disappointing session. Only 18 birds caught of 6 species.

They were as follows Ringed/Retrapped

Blackbird 1/0
Blue Tit 2/2
Chaffinch 1/0
Goldcrest 1/0
Great Tit 2/4
Robin 1/4

A large number of duck were present which was a good sign plus a Green Sandpiper.