Twite data

Some of you will be aware of the Twite project, co-ordinated by Jamie Dunning, that I have been involved in for the last few years. The project site in Derbyshire is watched intently by two local chaps, Peter and George, who keep a spreadsheet of all their Twite colour-ring sightings.

 

From this spreadsheet we have recently entered and submitted about 1000 sightings, from 2015 – 2019, via DemOn. And this is just a small percentage of all their sightings!

 

The use of colour-rings has been invaluable in reinforcing, and even adding to, the information we have on Twite and hopefully assisting to develop a long term plan to protect the decreasing population.

 

Entering this data encouraged me to try a bit more data interpretation, please see below.

 

Mick P 

 

 

Covid-19 update

Please note that the BTO has asked all volunteers to refrain from undertaking any survey work or ringing beyond the boundaries of their homes. This includes nest-recording and monitoring of nestboxes and remains the case until at least 7 May 2020 when the next Government review is currently scheduled.

Sibthorpe - Sunday 12 April

Like everything else at the moment, our bird ringing is severely curtailed, and rightly so. This means in practice only ringing and nest recording in your own garden. The BTO’s stance on this is here, and closely follows Government guidance.

Right now, the group's focus would normally be on monitoring breeding Cormorants, Grey Herons and Tawny Owls, but not this year... Like many ringers with more time on their hands, I have refocused on ringing in my garden. My normal fare is tits, finches, Dunnocks, Starlings and sparrows, but interesting migrants do drop in from time to time. These might include Redpoll, Siskin and Chiffchaff.

As Sunday was calm and overcast, I decided to mist net from dawn. My first visit to check the nets produced two unringed Dunnocks which was unusual as they are rather sedentary and I must have ringed most of this winter's population, but then an odd robin-shaped bird caught my eye and after an initial WTF moment I soon had a female Black Redstart in my hand! They are early spring migrants and Birdguides currently shows reports of a handful across the country and I’m told one was ringed in a Coddington garden a few years back. However, only 39 were ringed in Britain and Ireland in 2018, so what are the odds of one turning up in my garden mist net?

Jim Lennon

 female Black Redstart, Sibthorpe (J. Lennon)

Exploring data

In these unusual times when we're restricted to garden ringing, it's a good opportunity to look at our data and try some interpretation.

I am by no means an expert but have had a couple of previous attempts with the Bullfinches and Willow Warblers I catch at Goosedale Fisheries (which can be found in the 2014 and 2016 group reports) so I thought I would update these for the blog.

Unfortunately, the annual survival estimates were so poor I don't want to include them. The numbers of new birds ringed is both encouraging and disappointing at the same time (see graph) and it's important to poimt out that these figures can't be viewed as definite population trends over such a short period and in such a random study.

I thought I would also look at the sex ratio of the new Bullfinches caught. You can see variation over the 5 years but interestingly after the study period the totals are almost the same. The unsexed birds were juvenile birds still in their juvenile plumage.

This type of analysis is not going to re-write science, but it does add another dimension to understanding 'our' birds and how they are doing.

Give it a go!

Mick P



 

Brackenhurst Ringing Demo, Wednesday 4 March

It was third time lucky. We finally managed to deliver a ringing demonstration with the students at Brackenhurst on Wednesday, in what seemed to be the first calm day in like forever! Our team was Cliff, Gary, Kevin, Louise and myself. Weather was bright, cold and calm; almost disconcerting...

We managed 63 birds; just over half were Yellowhammers. Oldest retraps were a Blue Tit (2017), Reed Bunting (2018) and two Yellowhammers (both 2018).

We handled 67 birds (48 new/19 retrap) which comprised: Blue Tit 7/6, Coal Tit -/1, Goldcrest 2/1, Great Tit 3/2, Reed Bunting 1/3, Robin 2/1, Yellowhammer 32/5, Wren 1/-.

Jim

Cormorant movements

I've just had details of a couple of our colour-ringed Cormorants which were spotted yesterday (21 Feb) alive and well at Havergate Island, near Orford in Suffolk. The first had been ringed in August 2016 at Attenborough and has been seen near Boreham, Dungeness and the Wirral during the intervening period. The second had been ringed at Attenborough in April 2018 and has been slightly less adventurous, having been seen on five additional occasions on the Suffolk coast up until now.

Jim

Brackenhurst Update

I’ve not made as many visits to the Brackenhurst feeders as I would have liked this winter. A combination of ringer availability, the weather and commitments elsewhere has restricted opportunities. However, here’s an update on recent visits:

Wednesday 20 November Team – Duncan, Kev and myself.

Oldest retraps were a Robin from 2014 & a 2012 Blue Tit.

Birds handled (new/retrap 31/24): Blackbird 3/-, Blue Tit 6/11, Coal Tit 1/1, Goldcrest 1/-, Great Tit 5/10, House Sparrow 3/-, Redwing 9/-, Robin 3/2.

Wednesday 4 December Team – Cliff and myself.

Oldest retrap was a Robin from 2015.

Birds handled (new/retrap 34/18): Blackbird 1/1, Blue Tit 1/6, Bullfinch –/1, Chaffinch 1/1, Fieldfare 1/-, Great Tit -/3, Long-tailed Tit 4/1, Redwing 25/-, Robin –/5, Song Thrush 1/-.

Friday 27 December Team – Pete, Tom and myself.

Oldest retraps were a Robin from 2014 and a 2016 Blue Tit.

Birds handled (new/retrap 34/18): Blackbird 1/-, Blue Tit 4/12, Chaffinch -/1, Coal Tit –/1, Goldcrest –/1, Great Tit 2/8, Redwing 4/-, Robin –/1, Treecreeper –/1, Yellowhammer 2/1.

Tuesday 21 January Team – Kev, Duncan and myself.

Oldest retrap was a Great Tit from 2016.

Birds handled (new/retrap 9/13): Blackbird 1/1, Blue Tit 4/3, Chaffinch -/1, Dunnock 1/2, Great Tit 3/4, Robin –/2, Treecreeper –/1.

Overall – it looks like tits and Robins had a decent breeding season last year and the mild weather means the buntings aren't coming to the feeders.

Jim Lennon

 Redwing, Goldcrest & Treecreeper, Brackenhurst, 27 December 2019 (P Leonard)

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

Help Attenborough Nature Reserve!

The group have just donated to the appeal to buy and save Attenborough Nature Reserve. The Wildlife Trust is not far off their target, but every last penny is gratefully received. Please help by donating here:

https://www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/discover-and-learn/attenborough-nature-centre-and-reserve