Mapperly Update

It has been a busy two months with birthdays, holidays and Christmas…but I have managed to squeeze three brief ringing sessions at Mapperley Wood. Whilst the sessions have not been particularly long, nor the catches high, the variety has been nice. Another Male Sparrowhawk found the net and the first Redwing for the site was caught. My three-year-old son also joined me for his first ringing session as official empty-bird-bag carrier.


Catches are as follows: (New/Retrap)

10/11/2019
Blue Tit 5/0, Coal Tit 0/3, Great Tit 2/1, Long Tailed Tit 5/0, Sparrowhawk 1/0, Dunnock 1/0

22/11/2019
Blue Tit 4/1, Coal Tit 2/0, Great Tit 1/0, Long Tailed Tit 2/1, Nuthatch 0/1, Redwing 0/1, Robin 1/0

29/12/2019
Blackbird 1/0, Blue Tit 5/0, Great Tit 5/0, Long Tailed Tit 1/1, Dunnock 1/1, Robin 1/0

Alex

 Sparrowhawk, Nuthatch, Redwing and juv Phillips (A. Phillips)

Colwick Garden Update

Garden ringing continues in Colwick on a semi-regular basis, and it's been good to have a full year on it in 2019 to see the comings and goings through the seasons. It's been interesting (and frustrating!) to see how birds that are quite numerous such as Chaffinch and Blackbird are quick to clear off as soon as they get the faintest whiff of a mist net, whilst other species seem to be a lot less wary, particularly Goldfinch.

As previously noted, Goldfinch make up the bulk of the captures, with nearly 200 caught since August 2018, including a few that had been ringed over at Holme Pierrepont, and one of mine has been caught over there too. Predictably, tits bulk up the rest of the numbers, and it has been nice to regularly catch Coal Tits. I managed to catch one of the few Reed Buntings that visit the garden in late winter, and several wintering Blackcaps too. I aim to continue as I have been (though the birth of my son will likely reduce net hours!) [Ed- CONGRATULATIONS TOM!], and also to continue to work out ways to better place my nets to reduce spooking the birds!

Current totals at the end of 2019 are below.

Tom
 

	New	Retrap	Total
Blackbird	3	0	3
Blackcap	3	1	4
Blue Tit	65	34	99
Chaffinch	5	0	5
Coal Tit	16	5	21
Dunnock	9	7	16
Goldcrest	2	0	2
Goldfinch	198	15	213
Great Tit	29	5	34
Greenfinch	11	0	11
House Sparrow	7	0	7
Long-tailed Tit	24	3	27
Reed Bunting	1	0	1
Robin	5	0	5
Woodpigeon	2	0	2
Wren	3	0	3
	383	70	453