The third CES visit of the season was carried out on Sunday by Alex, Tom, Maria, Jake, Mick T, Gary, and I. No rain was forecast for Sunday morning but it did rain just before we met at the site. Fortunately it stopped and we got all the nets up quickly - but then it went down hill fast, there were very few birds around. I have not confirmed with a check of past data but I think this will probably rate as one of, if not the worst, CES catch we have ever had. Total catch was only 15 including 7 retraps made up of (new/retrap): Blackbird 0/2, Dunnock 0/1, Blackcap 2/1, Reed Warbler 1/0, Cetti’s Warbler 0/1, Blue Tit 2/0, Great Tit 1/0, Treecreeper 0/1, Bullfinch 1/0, Chaffinch 1/0, Jay 1/0, Reed Bunting 0/1. The oldest retrap was a Blackbird from 2016. Low warbler numbers are being reported around the country but we also seem to have lost many residents over the winter. Last year by visit 3 we had caught 7 Wrens, none so far this year, 8 Robins (including juvs on the first visit), 2 this year and no juvs!
Kev
Monday, 28 May 2018
Thursday, 17 May 2018
Century's up!
Just over a year after gaining my permit to trap birds in my garden using conventional traps I have managed to reach the 100 mark. Bird 100 was a rather handsome male House Sparrow caught in my potter trap.
The birds have all been caught in a mixture of spring, chardonneret, potter and walk-in traps and it has been an interesting learning experience researching, making and using these. I would highly recommend Hans Bub’s Bird Trapping and Bird Banding: a handbook for trapping methods all over the world, the BTO’s Trapping Methods for Ringers by Peter G. Davis and articles found in the Ringers' Bulletin for anyone interested in making and using their own traps.
The totals caught to date are as follows:
Wood Pigeon - 2
Blackbird - 12
House Sparrow - 5
Robin - 2
Starling – 79
So far there have been no recoveries, but I can hope! It has been a great experience and given me a very different perspective on common garden birds and I now look forward to learning even more as I head towards my full C-Permit.
Alex
The birds have all been caught in a mixture of spring, chardonneret, potter and walk-in traps and it has been an interesting learning experience researching, making and using these. I would highly recommend Hans Bub’s Bird Trapping and Bird Banding: a handbook for trapping methods all over the world, the BTO’s Trapping Methods for Ringers by Peter G. Davis and articles found in the Ringers' Bulletin for anyone interested in making and using their own traps.
The totals caught to date are as follows:
Wood Pigeon - 2
Blackbird - 12
House Sparrow - 5
Robin - 2
Starling – 79
So far there have been no recoveries, but I can hope! It has been a great experience and given me a very different perspective on common garden birds and I now look forward to learning even more as I head towards my full C-Permit.
Alex
Bird #100: a male House Sparrow (A. Phillips)
Sunday, 13 May 2018
Attenborough CES, Visit 2 - Sunday 13 May
The second CES visit of the season was carried out by Sue, Fiona, Ellen, Alex, Duncan, Mick T, Gary, and I. The site vegetation was saturated after heavy overnight rain but the day started, and continued, with mainly clear skies and little to no wind. Unfortunately the catch was again slow throughout but this time we could not blame it on the heat. Where are all the birds - particularly the warblers? Total catch was only two better than last week at 25, including 10 retraps, made up of (new/retrap): Great Spotted Woodpecker 0/1, Blackbird 3/3, Song Thrush 2/0, Dunnock 1/2, Robin 1/0, Blackcap 2/0, Blue Tit 2/0, Great Tit 2/0, Treecreeper 1/2, Bullfinch 0/2, Jay 1/0. The oldest retrap was a Blackbird from 2010 that we had not caught in the intervening years.
Kev
Kev
Jay being processed (S. Lakeman)
Tuesday, 8 May 2018
Attenborough CES, Visit 1 - Sunday 6 May
The first CES visit of the season was carried out on Sunday by Sue, Fiona, Alex, Duncan, Mick T, Gary, and I. Not a cloud in the sky all morning and no wind either so the temperature started to rise quickly.
The catch was slow throughout no doubt affected by the hot conditions. Total catch was only half of the first visit last year at 23 (including 7 retraps) made up of (new/retrap): Blackbird 5/1, Dunnock 1/2, Robin 0/1, Blackcap 3/1, Chiffchaff 1/0, Reed Warbler 0/1, Blue Tit 3/0, Great Tit 1/0, Treecreeper 0/1, Reed Bunting 2/0. A slow start, let’s hope it gets better on the future visits. The oldest retrap was a Blackcap from 2015, caught in the same net but not caught in the intervening years.
This year we were able to replace all of our rather tired CES nets, following a grant from East Midlands Airport. As a volunteer organisation, we would not have been able to buy new nets without considerable expense to the members. We would like to thank East Midlands Airport for their generous help.
Kev
The catch was slow throughout no doubt affected by the hot conditions. Total catch was only half of the first visit last year at 23 (including 7 retraps) made up of (new/retrap): Blackbird 5/1, Dunnock 1/2, Robin 0/1, Blackcap 3/1, Chiffchaff 1/0, Reed Warbler 0/1, Blue Tit 3/0, Great Tit 1/0, Treecreeper 0/1, Reed Bunting 2/0. A slow start, let’s hope it gets better on the future visits. The oldest retrap was a Blackcap from 2015, caught in the same net but not caught in the intervening years.
This year we were able to replace all of our rather tired CES nets, following a grant from East Midlands Airport. As a volunteer organisation, we would not have been able to buy new nets without considerable expense to the members. We would like to thank East Midlands Airport for their generous help.
Kev
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