Spain, Oct 2009

The three amigos (Kev, Mick T and Mick P) have returned from Spain and are now adjusting to the cold of the UK. We set off on the Friday 9 October and were met by Richard Banham at Malaga airport and driven to our accommodation in Sabinillas. Having stayed in various types of accommodation on many ringing expeditions, from tents on remote Scottish islands, Barns on the Wash and a Kibbutz in Israel I wondered what we would find the apartment to be like. As we entered the door and met Richard's wife Thelma, any trepidation disappeared, compared to all other ringing trip accommodation experienced before we were going to be living in the lap of luxury this week. We just had time after settling in to nip across the road to the nearest bar to grab a meal and a drink (or two).

Saturday 10th - In the morning we were up early (but not too early as dawn was 0745) and out setting nets on a local hill top in low, very thorny, scrub. We spent the morning here and caught about 100 birds. We then had a small break before setting and furling nets around the Rio (river) Guadiaro estuary ready for the next morning. The habitat was reed, scrub and tamarisk. Strange experience this as we walked along a Mediterranean beach amongst the sun bathers - we were wearing wellies and loaded down with poles, nets etc. Mick T had a paddle in the sea in his wellies just to say he had been in the Med, this was the closest we got him to a swim all week. Jose-Luis and Carmen (apologies if I have misspelt your names) who regularly help Richard out on ringing sessions joined us for the evening and again the next morning. We also set a couple of nets for a Yellow Wagtail roost but it failed to materialise and we caught just two wagtails plus a couple of other birds, we did however have great views of a Purple Gallinule.

Sunday 11th - Out on the beach before dawn, nets opened and more nets erected. Jose-Luis and Carmen set the enormous Purple Gallinule trap that had a remote trigger. Over 100 birds caught and another strange experience as I checked the nets in the tamarisk on the beach, between two of the nets were a pair of naturists! Unfortunately no gallinules were tempted into the trap. After leaving this site we headed inland for an Orange grove to set ready for the next morning. On returning to the apartment Mick P and I tried out one of the two swimming pools, which we had to ourselves, Mick T watched from a distance.

Monday 12th - Nets opened in the Orange grove before dawn. In the half light a large silent bird approached and flew just over our heads, it was an Eagle Owl, amazing. Catching was slower today but it gave us chance to watch the birds of prey passing overhead towards Gibraltar, mainly Griffon Vultures and Booted Eagles. We took the nets down after lunch and went on to an Avocado grove to set ready for the next morning.

Tuesday 13th - Nets opened again before dawn but catching was slow and we retired early to visit the next site. This was at the confluence of the Rio Guadiaro and one of it's tributaries, it is a popular site for the locals to visit at weekends but is quiet in the week. There was only a small amount of water flowing despite the banks being as far apart as the Trent banks and car could drive through it. However, a few weeks earlier there had been even less as there had been some thunderstorms a week or so before we arrived. It was a memorable site both for the natural habitat and also for the amount of dumped rubbish. We set out guys ready for the next morning but it was not safe to leave furled nets. We even found and removed some articles left by illegal bird trappers, unfortunately this activity is still common in Spain.

Wednesday 14th - Down to the river before dawn, nets set and opened and the birds started to pour in despite a stiff breeze blowing. We finished after lunch having caught over 100 birds including BTO and Dutch ringed Blackcaps in the same net round, we took down intending to return tomorrow. Mick P and I decided the pool was too tame so headed for the sea and some large breakers that were hitting the beach with the onshore wind behind them. Mick T headed for the bar and had cold beers ready for our return. Hard work this Spanish ringing!

Thursday 15th - Down to the river again, plans to catch the Snipe and Green Sand looked promising as the wind had dropped. Slow start and no waders in the half light but things picked up and we caught a Snipe in full sun - but not in the expected net. Still, Mick P was happy and so was Richard, it was the first Snipe he had caught in the 15 years he has been ringing in Spain. We again ended with over 100 birds including another BTO ringed Blackcap. We finished the day with a dip in the pool (not Mick T of course) and a great meal at a local restaurant with Richard and Thelma.

Friday 16th - At our request we went back to the hill top we did last Saturday, slightly breezy but the first clouds of the week helped early on, unfortunately these were soon replaced with full sun. We could not stay the full course because of our return flight, but in 3 net rounds with 9 nets we caught over 100 birds.

We ended the week on 583 birds. Richard will be sending details through later. It was a great week thoroughly enjoyed by all. Our thanks go to Richard for making it possible and for passing on some of his extensive knowledge of ageing and moult. Mick P is now the leading expert in Notts on ageing Blackcaps! Kev

Holme Pierrepont - Sun 18 Oct

It's been a while since we carried on this far into October and although the summer migrants have gone and the catch is dwindling, we still had a memorable day.

It was a cool and overcast start, not to mention something of a lie-in (we met at 7am). The wind didn't really feature, but the sun came out mid-morning and activity subsided quickly. We only put up 11 nets but we caught 30 birds.

Redwings were a constant feature overhead, but none found the nets. However 4 Song Thrushes was an above average total and some or all of these may have been migrants. The rest of the catch comprised standard fare with the exception of one rather good bird. A first for the group no less, but one predicted regularly in the last few years. I think it's a first for the site as well and there can be no doubt that the habitat now looks perfect for Cetti's Warbler.
Well done Nabegh for winning the identification competition and therefore getting to ring it. Let's hope that next spring we are greeted by its explosive song and they take up residence.

For those less familiar with the species, note that it has only 10 tail feathers (the only British passerine not to have 12) and as you might guess from its short wings, it is not a migrant. As our winters have become milder it has started spreading from its stronghold on the south coast. A couple of years ago a pair appeared at Attenborough and bred, but never near the nets!

Sight records today included a Little Egret, 9 Snipe, regular Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, 2 Jays and single Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, Fieldfare and Siskin. Butterflies and dragonflies have gone now, but we did see a hornet.

News from Bardsey

Just heard from Jim. He and Elaine have finally made it across to the island. It was a beautiful calm crossing and they are now sun-bathing in their new habitat. After spending the last month making enough nestboxes to fit one to every tree in Notts, Jim plans to put his feet up for a while, but at some point he intends to start a blog of his own. In the meantime, the obs has a good website and the 'Latest Sightings' are updated almost daily:

http://www.bbfo.org.uk/

News from Spain

Just had a text from Kev - they are having a great time in Spain and in the last two days they have controlled three foreign Blackcaps - 2 from UK (unfortunately not SNRG rings) and 1 from Netherlands. Other good birds caught have included Wryneck, Serin, Crested Lark and Snipe. No doubt pictures to follow soon.

Israel, Part 6 - insects

And a few other things from the trip.
Gary

Israel, Part 5 - peckers, mines & kites

A few more pics from the Israel trip - 4 Syrian Woodpeckers, an interesting welcome sign at one of the ringing sites and a small section of an enormous Black Kite roost.
Gary

Ringing Demo at Attenborough Migration Day

Notts Wildlife Trust put on a migration day once a year at Attenborough and various activities are on offer including us doing a ringing demonstration.

Well, we did our bit, though not sure the birds did. More of a Waiting Demo really. We put up a single 40' net a little way beyond the feeders behind the Visitors' Centre and quickly caught a handful of Tree Sparrows and the people present at the time were very appreciative. However, it kept trying to rain, the wind got steadily stronger and the net caught an increasing number of leaves and a decreasing number of birds.

You can imagine how we felt when the inevitable text came through from Kev in Spain, listing some of the things they were catching... Bluethroats, Zitting Cisticolas, Penduline Tits, Subalpine Warblers...

Anyway, by 3pm the wind was just too strong and we threw in the towel. The first Redwings are in though and Gary reported very strong passage throughout the night last night. I had both Redwing and House Martin in the sky simultaneously at breakfast this morning which was an unusual sight.

Pete

Israel, Part 4 - Where's Wally?

Quite a few Grey Herons here. But can you find the Little Egret? Or the Spur-winged Plovers, Garganey or even terrapins? (Click to enlarge pic)
Gary

Israel, Part 3 - shrikes

Here are three species of shrike we caught in Israel - all juveniles, starting with Red-backed, then Lesser Grey and lastly Masked.
Gary

Strange Goldfinch

This bird was a normal Goldfinch in many respects (size, song and markings) but it was an extremely dull bird, the yellow on the primaries was washed out and hardly discernable as yellow and on the greater coverts it was more of a dull orange/buff. Where the crown should be red this was showing greenish-yellow. I released it without ringing it.
Mick

Looks like it is perhaps slightly leucistic or there is some similar sort of problem with the pigment cells. Could be a natural defect or possibly due to breeding and thus would imply bird is of captive origin. Anyone else care to comment?
Pete

Israel, Part 2 - Kingfishers

Some kingfishers from our trip to Israel - White-breasted or Smyrna first, then Pied and a pair of Commons helping with data entry at the bottom.
Gary

Hucknall's hundredth!

Today, 5/10/09, I ringed the 100th in my small garden. The lucky bird, wearing ring X717871, was a 3J (F) T Goldfinch. I provisionally sexed it as a female on its wing length of 76mm and the brown edges to its lesser coverts. There was not enough red on its head yet to use as an indication of its sex. It was moulting its tertials and had 2 OGCs (see photo).Goldfinches have been the predominant bird in the garden. Since 23/8/09 I have ringed 51. Of these:
- 39 were juveniles, 10 undergoing tertial moult
- 12 were adults, 9 undergoing primary moult
Of the ones I have sexed, including provisionally, 9 were males and 8 females.

Suprisingly (to me anyway) I have not retrapped any of them. The only birds I have caught more than once have been a Robin, a Dunnock and a Coal Tit.

Other birds caught today were 6 more Goldfinches, 2 Blue Tits, 2 House Sparrows, 1 Greenfinch and another new bird for the garden, a Chaffinch.

Mick

Holme Pierrepont - Sun 4 Oct

It was with a little trepidation that we ventured out this morning after yesterday's howling gales, but the clouds had cleared overnight and the wind was not much more than a gentle breeze. What's more, it was a bit parky.

We put up only 12 nets but caught better than predicted with 38 birds in about 4 hours before the wind got up, the sun warmed up and the birds dried up. 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Reed Warblers and a single Blackcap were the only warblers and Reed Buntings were most numerous with 7. For anyone following the recent discussions on the ringers' forum, this was quite timely and it gave us a chance to scrutinise the various aging criteria for this tricky species.

Amongst the things we've looked at are:
- tail shape (usually narrower, more pointed and more abraded in young birds - though beware young birds that have moulted some or all of their tail)
- primary covert colour and shape (see below)
- primary tips (young birds more abraded and slightly paler)
- moult limits in young birds in tertials and alula
- eye colour (seemingly richer more orangey brown in adults and slightly colder brown in young birds - this is the most difficult though and we need to try using hand lenses and practise a lot!)

Below are some pictures of primary coverts which are perhaps one of the easier things to see. Adults (first two pics) have crisper, cleaner edges to the feathers with more rounded tips. The fringe is brown, but greyer at the tip. Note these were taken in rather different light conditions.
Then those of young birds are more pointed with looser edges and there is little or no grey in the fringe.
To make this difference even easier to see, I've zoomed in even closer for the next two pics so you can appreciate the individual barbs! Again, adult first, youngster second.
Having said all that, we still caught a bird that was somewhere in between and we ended up aging it as a 2. As Richard de Feu said to me the other day - it's better to be accurately imprecise than precisely inaccurate.

Insect numbers are dwindling, with the exception of hornets. We know it's a good site for these impressive beasts as we occasionally catch one or two in the nets. However, we caught 12 of the blighters today and it was as if there was some sort of convention. Fortunately for (some of) the hornets, we managed to remove about half of them safely. Fortunately for us we all remained unstung.

A single Red Admiral was the only butterfly noted. The water levels continue to plummet and we haven't had decent rain for weeks now.

Back from Israel

Just back from a great trip with nearly 500 birds ringed of 50 species. More to follow, but here are some pics as a taster.
Gary

Juv Little Bittern

Wryneck

Pygmy Cormorant

Bumper net round!

I suppose that's a bit of an overstatement, but 5 birds in one net round in my garden is my best yet. I guess calling it a net "round" is also a bit of an overstatement as I seem to be watching the net constantly, have to resist the urge to dash out as soon as a bird goes in it and then have to walk about 20 feet to get to the net. Anyway, 5 birds, all goldfinches and a couple of photos showing different age tails, some OGCs and of course 5 birdbags in a row. Keep 'em coming!!

Mick