May Update

May has been a busy month for the birds whether they've been constructing nests, incubating eggs or feeding young (or all 3!). With the mild winter and good weather through April into May, there were signs aplenty that young would be fledging from the nest early this year. But has it proved to be that way?

Ringing results so far this year at Sandy Smith Nature Reserve:

(species that I can expect to catch juveniles)

Great Spotted Woodpecker = 8 adults, 0 juveniles

Wren = 8 adults, 0 juveniles

Dunnock = 5 adults, 2 juveniles (28/05/14 - earliest site record, previous 12/06/11)

Robin = 1 adult, 0 juveniles

Blackbird = 5 adults, 0 juveniles

Sedge Warbler = 10 adults, 0 juveniles

Whitethroat = 16 adults, 0 juveniles

Garden Warbler = 6 adults, 0 juveniles

Blackcap = 15 adults, 0 juveniles

Chiffchaff = 7 adults, 0 juveniles

Goldcrest = 0 adults, 1 juvenile (29/05/14 - earliest site record, previous 21/09/13)

Long Tailed Tit = 6 adults, 2 juveniles (29/05/14 - earliest site record, previous 28/06/13)

Blue Tit = 10 adults, 0 juveniles

Great Tit = 10 adults, 6 juveniles (29/05/14 - earliest site record, previous 30/05/11)

Chaffinch = 7 adults, 0 juveniles

The highlight amongst the above was the juvenile Goldcrest which was only the 2nd local juvenile ringed here after one last year. All the other Goldcrests are probable migrants caught much later in the year.

Above: Juvenile Goldcrest

Above: Another highlight was this adult Jay (2nd ringed at SSNR).

Below: As well as this Kingfisher



Ringing results so far this year at Priory Country Park:

(species that I can expect to catch juveniles - CES visits only)

Green Woodpecker = 1 adult, 0 juveniles

Wren = 9 adults, 0 juveniles

Dunnock = 6 adults, 2 juveniles (31/05/14 - earliest = 11/05/09)

Robin = 1 adult, 4 juveniles (18/05/14 - earliest = 04/05/09)

Blackbird = 5 adults, 0 juveniles

Song Thrush = 2 adults, 0 juveniles

Whitethroat = 4 adults, 0 juveniles

Garden Warbler = 8 adults, 0 juveniles

Blackcap = 18 adults, 3 juveniles (31/05/14 - earliest = 25/05/07)

Chiffchaff = 7 adults, 0 juveniles

Long Tailed Tit = 2 adults, 0 juveniles

Blue Tit = 5 adults, 4 juveniles (31/05/14 - earliest = 22/05/11)

Great Tit = 4 adults, 0 juveniles

Bullfinch = 2 adults, 0 juveniles

There have been other highlights of the CES ringing sessions. A male blackbird, first ringed on 15/10/2005 was recaptured on 18/05/2014, 8 years and 215 days later. This sets a new longevity record for the site and for Ivel Ringing Group.

Above: This Chiffchaff is a British ringed control caught on 18 & 31/05/14.

First ringing details not yet known.

Above: A juvenile Robin

Despite the recent heavy rains, I'm optomistic that this will still turn out to be a good breeding year. It's still early in the year and there's a lot more juveniles to catch up with on both these sites.

Recent Highlights

The weather is still interfering with operations and as the rain stopped play today, I've taken the chance to update my records and go through photographs.



Above: A male Siskin, one of 3 caught this autumn at Sandy Smith Nature Reserve (SSNR). The rest of the flock (50 +) is proving as ellusive as always!

Above: A male Lesser Redpoll ringed at SSNR.

This autumn, I have more than doubled the number Lesser Redpoll ringed at Sandy Smith Nature Reserve (11 previous + 19 new = 30) AND at Priory Country Park (10 previous + 18 new = 28). One of the Lesser Redpoll's caught at Priory already had a ring on it from elsewhere (I won't find out where for a while yet).

Above: A Goldcrest, a new species for the ringing list at SSNR. Why this species hasn't been ringed here before is a puzzle. Perhaps it's just down to luck.



Above: An October sunset at SSNR from where I park my ringing station!

So far this year (last year in brackets), of 896 (1411) handlings at Priory Country Park, 711 (1016) have been new for the year and of those 585 (868) have been new birds. Effort this year so far = 30 sessions (26 last year).

So far this year (last year in brackets), of 710 (999) handlings at Sandy Smith Nature Reserve, 462 (738) have been new for year and of those 386 (693) have been new birds. Effort this year so far = 32 sessions (36 last year).

I'm not going to worry last years totals, but there's still a good few weekends left between now and the new year (though having my bird feeders at Priory stolen isn't going to help the birds or my totals).