Ravens

On 6 April 2022, trainee bird ringers from North Notts & South Notts Ringing Groups got their chance to ring Raven chicks at a Notts location that NNRG has been monitoring since 2014. The Ravens bred c10 days earlier than last year, but the earliest the chicks have been ringed there is 29 March.

This collaboration between the site (undisclosed), North Notts RG, South Notts RG and Access Techniques Ltd, who provide the expertise in accessing the nest, has resulted in 23 Raven chicks being ringed. There have been broods of 2 (x1), 3 (x3) and 4 (x3) chicks.

This effort has resulted in some interesting recoveries. One of the chicks (ringed on 9/4/14) was found dead at Holmbridge, W, Yorks on 1/1/16. Three other sightings all relate to the same brood which was ringed on 5/4/19. One was sighted on 18/12/19 at Duffield, one on 3/11/21 at Rotherham and the third on 5/5/21 at Bardney, Lincs. All were identified by their colour-rings being read in the field. The fourth chick ringed in this nest has, to date, not been re-sighted. 

The map shows the ringing site in Nottingham and the locations of the sightings and thanks to Jim for the photos.

Mick Pearson

2021 Report

 The 2021 SNRG report is now published and available. If you would like a copy, please email the address at the top of the 'Reports' page - see tab at the top.

 

Recent Recoveries

In many ways, it’s been a quiet winter ringing season, with small captures dominating most of the winter ringing sites and gardens. This could be down to a mix of factors, but certainly a poor breeding season for some species may have something to do with it, and the mild weather may well have reduced many birds dependence on artificial food supplies. The recoveries haven’t been particularly busy either, so perhaps this is down to similar reasons.

A Kestrel, ringed as a chick in Halloughton in July 2021, hit a window in Barrowden, Rutland in October the same year.

A Blue Tit, ringed in Thrussington, Leics in April 2021, was controlled in Toton in December, a fairly unusual movement for this rather sedentary species.

Redpoll recoveries continue to come in, with a bird ringed in the influx of 2020, in November at Bestwood controlled in Golspie in the Highlands in May 2021. Another Redpoll was ringed at Ramsdale in October 2021 and caught a month later in the Forest of Dean.

A Chiffchaff, caught at Ramsdale in September 2021, was caught a week later at Stanford Reservoir in Leics. Ringers at this site regularly control warblers that SNRG have caught at their summer sites at Holme Pierrepont and Ramsdale.

Also at Ramsdale, a Chiffchaff was caught in September 2021 which ad previously been ringed at Gibraltar Point on the Lincs coast in July the same year.

And finally, a Reed Warbler, caught at Holme Pierrepont in July 2020, was controlled in August the same year by ringers in Hainaut, Belgium.

Tom

Grey Herons & Cormorants at Attenborough NR, Friday 1 April

We visited the breeding colony on the reserve for a second time this year to ring and colour-ring chicks. We managed 10 Cormorant and 3 Heron chicks before the weather began to turn. The fortunes of the Herons didn't look too promising with some mortality noted and none of the chicks vomiting on us, suggesting they did not have full stomachs. Small chicks and eggs could be seen in a couple of inaccessible nests, but overall it looks as if it will be another poor year for Herons.

Mick P

Grey Heron (top two) and Cormorant (bottom two) chicks, Attenborough NR, 1 April 2022 (K. Hemsley)

Brackenhurst, Tuesday 29 March

Among the birds processed at the feeders was a retrap female Great Spotted Woodpecker. The Fringilla papillomavirus remains prevalent in the local Chaffinch population and we continue to release this species unringed. Occasionally it is noted in other species and about once a year we catch a Yellowhammer with symptoms. We can only hope that this does not become a more common sight. 

Jim

 

Photos by Victoria Shone