The third CES visit of the season was carried out on Sunday. The weather overcast with a light wind. The team consisted of Gary, Pete S and myself. We were also joined for part of the session by Amelia, a potential new recruit. Tim Sexton also dropped in with his son Jake.
Unfortunately the catch was small for no obvious reason, the total catch was (new/retrap) 22/7 made up of: Blackbird 2/1, Dunnock 1/1, Wren 2/3, Robin 3/0, Blackcap 2/0, Chiffchaff 6/0, Reed Warbler 4/1, Long-tailed Tit 1/0, Bullfinch 1/1. The oldest retrap was a Reed Warbler from 2013.
Kev
Monday, 30 May 2016
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Ramsdale Park Golf Club, Friday 27 May
We held the first ringing session of the year at Ramsdale this morning. The weather was good with little wind and clear skies. The team consisted of Gary, Duncan and myself. The catch was quite slow throughout the morning and the number of warblers caught and heard singing was disappointing considering the numbers caught there last year. However, last year's visits did not start until after the first juvenile warblers were on the wing.
Total catch was (new/retrap) 29/6 made up of: Blackbird 4/0, Song Thrush 1/0, Dunnock 3/1, Wren 2/0, Robin 4/1, Blackcap 2/0, Garden Warbler 3/1, Whitethroat 3/0, Lesser Whitethroat 1/0, Chiffchaff 2/0, Willow Warbler 1/1, Bullfinch 2/2, Linnet 1/0. As would be expected the retraps were all from last year. A Tawny Owl was heard calling during the morning over towards the site of the Barn Owl box!
Kev
Total catch was (new/retrap) 29/6 made up of: Blackbird 4/0, Song Thrush 1/0, Dunnock 3/1, Wren 2/0, Robin 4/1, Blackcap 2/0, Garden Warbler 3/1, Whitethroat 3/0, Lesser Whitethroat 1/0, Chiffchaff 2/0, Willow Warbler 1/1, Bullfinch 2/2, Linnet 1/0. As would be expected the retraps were all from last year. A Tawny Owl was heard calling during the morning over towards the site of the Barn Owl box!
Kev
Tuesday, 24 May 2016
Holme Pierrepont, Sunday 22 May
We held a ringing session at the Grange end of Holme Pierrepont on Sunday morning. The weather was good with only a light wind and clear skies. The team consisted of Gary, Sue, Duncan and myself. We limited the number of nets to start with as campers were on site but they left fairly early on and we then put up a couple more nets. The catch was steady throughout the morning but the number of warblers caught was a little disappointing.
Total catch was (new/retrap) 25/18 made up of: Blackbird 0/1, Song Thrush 1/0, Dunnock 2/2, Wren 1/0, Robin 1/1, Blackcap 1/0, Garden Warbler 1/0, Whitethroat 1/1, Reed Warbler 12/4, Chiffchaff 1/0, Willow Warbler 1/2, Blue Tit 0/1, Great Tit 0/1, Greenfinch 2/0, Reed Bunting 1/5.
The oldest retraps were two Reed Warblers from 2012, one of which we had not recaptured since it was ringed. There were plenty of birds around including Cetti’s and Sedge Warblers that were singing all morning but did not manage to find any of the nets and a Cuckoo that gave great views but despite showing interest in the MP3 player did not like the look of the nets! The best birds around were probably a couple of Hobbies, one of which stayed around for most of the morning and was hunting very close to the base.
Kev
Total catch was (new/retrap) 25/18 made up of: Blackbird 0/1, Song Thrush 1/0, Dunnock 2/2, Wren 1/0, Robin 1/1, Blackcap 1/0, Garden Warbler 1/0, Whitethroat 1/1, Reed Warbler 12/4, Chiffchaff 1/0, Willow Warbler 1/2, Blue Tit 0/1, Great Tit 0/1, Greenfinch 2/0, Reed Bunting 1/5.
The oldest retraps were two Reed Warblers from 2012, one of which we had not recaptured since it was ringed. There were plenty of birds around including Cetti’s and Sedge Warblers that were singing all morning but did not manage to find any of the nets and a Cuckoo that gave great views but despite showing interest in the MP3 player did not like the look of the nets! The best birds around were probably a couple of Hobbies, one of which stayed around for most of the morning and was hunting very close to the base.
Kev
Sunday, 22 May 2016
Next-door neighbours
I checked a double pole box tonight. The owners suspected Tawny Owls might be nesting in the top box. I had a quick look in the bottom box first and found a single Tawny Owl chick. Before ringing it, I thought I'd quickly check the top box and as I got closer I could hear bill snapping. I wondered if mum was roosting in it, but when I opened the door I found Barn Owl incubating! It will be interesting to see if both species successfully fledge young, particularly as I have not found any cached rodents yet and the Tawnys seem to be surviving on birds.
Pete
Pete
Monday, 16 May 2016
Attenborough CES Visit 2, Sunday 15 May
The second CES visit of the season was carried out on Sunday. The weather
was good with no wind, clear skies and a temperatures much lower than last week.
The team consisted of Gary, Alex, Sue, Nabegh and myself. It was good to have
Nabegh out with us again on a visit from Liverpool. The catch was slow first
thing but picked up and then a net round at about 10:30 produced 37 birds, half
of them Long-tailed Tits.
Total catch was (new/retrap) 54/18, made up of:
Blackbird 2/0, Dunnock 1/2, Wren 7/1, Robin 2/1, Blackcap 5/1, Chiffchaff 2/0,
Reed Warbler 1/0, Cetti’s Warbler 0/1, Blue Tit 4/2, Great Tit 7/5, Long-tailed
Tit 16/4, Tree Creeper 1/0, Bullfinch 6/1.The oldest retrap was a Robin from
2013.
First thing in the morning we heard a Tawny Owl call coming from a tree
near our base, we looked up and saw an adult Tawny owl perched next to a fluffy
chick 20m or so up the tree. The chick stayed there all morning at at one point
was fed by the adult, not sure where the nest had been but certainly not in one
of our boxes!
Kev
Tawny Owls (Gary Goddard)
Wednesday, 11 May 2016
Recent Recoveries
A bit of a bumper recovery round-up this time, and not dominated by Barn Owls for once!
Firstly, a spate of Mute Swan recoveries seem to have come in. One was a bird ringed in Cossall by SNRG in 2010, which has been resighted at Ilkeston in March this year. The other 6 recoveries also involve birds noted throughout Ilkeston in March, but they had all been ringed in the town about 2 weeks previously!
Otherwise, a Black-headed gull that I have noted (see photo below), which seems to spend its winters at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, has been reported through the group, and was ringed originally in Norway, in 2013, marked with a white darvic (J8TN). I first noted this bird in January 2014, and again in October 2015. In between times it has returned to where it was ringed to breed. It was originally ringed as an 8, so may have done the trip from Norway to Notts several times now.
A couple of Barn Owls made it onto the round-up. One, a bird ringed as a chick in Farndon in 2009, was found without its head in April this year. Another has been found dead in Norwell, after being ringed as an adult in nearby Bathley in 2014.
A Tawny owl, ringed in Plungar in 2005, was found nearby in Orston, in November 2014. It was found sick and unfortunately died in captivity.
And we have had some decent Passerine recoveries:
Jim conducted a New Year's Day ringing session this year in his garden, and caught 2 controls. One, a Redpoll, was originally ringed in September 2014 in the Highlands, and the other was a Goldfinch, ringed in July 2014 in Lanarkshire.
A male Chaffinch, ringed at Granby in November 2012, fell foul of a window in nearby Whatton this year, presumably a local bird. A Yellowhammer met the same fate in Morton on 3 May, after being ringed nearby at Brackenhurst only a few months ago on 20 January.
And a Siskin, ringed at Ramsdale Golf Club in August last year, has been controlled by ringers in Norfolk at Wicken at the beginning of April.
Tom
Firstly, a spate of Mute Swan recoveries seem to have come in. One was a bird ringed in Cossall by SNRG in 2010, which has been resighted at Ilkeston in March this year. The other 6 recoveries also involve birds noted throughout Ilkeston in March, but they had all been ringed in the town about 2 weeks previously!
Otherwise, a Black-headed gull that I have noted (see photo below), which seems to spend its winters at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, has been reported through the group, and was ringed originally in Norway, in 2013, marked with a white darvic (J8TN). I first noted this bird in January 2014, and again in October 2015. In between times it has returned to where it was ringed to breed. It was originally ringed as an 8, so may have done the trip from Norway to Notts several times now.
A couple of Barn Owls made it onto the round-up. One, a bird ringed as a chick in Farndon in 2009, was found without its head in April this year. Another has been found dead in Norwell, after being ringed as an adult in nearby Bathley in 2014.
A Tawny owl, ringed in Plungar in 2005, was found nearby in Orston, in November 2014. It was found sick and unfortunately died in captivity.
And we have had some decent Passerine recoveries:
Jim conducted a New Year's Day ringing session this year in his garden, and caught 2 controls. One, a Redpoll, was originally ringed in September 2014 in the Highlands, and the other was a Goldfinch, ringed in July 2014 in Lanarkshire.
A male Chaffinch, ringed at Granby in November 2012, fell foul of a window in nearby Whatton this year, presumably a local bird. A Yellowhammer met the same fate in Morton on 3 May, after being ringed nearby at Brackenhurst only a few months ago on 20 January.
And a Siskin, ringed at Ramsdale Golf Club in August last year, has been controlled by ringers in Norfolk at Wicken at the beginning of April.
Tom
Monday, 9 May 2016
Attenborough CES Visit 1, Sunday 8 May
The first CES visit of the season was carried out on Sunday. The weather was really too good with no wind, clear skies and a temperature that got to 24 Celsius by the time we had finished. The hot sun no doubt had an affect on the catch in the second half of the morning. The team consisted of Gary, Alex, Duncan, Sue, Mick P and myself.
The catch was steady during the first half of the morning but soon dropped off, the highlights being 5 returning warblers retrapped and a new Jay. A mallard tried hard to stay in the nets twice but not hard enough for us to extract it. We did catch the first 3J of the season, a Robin.
Total catch was (new/retrap) 26/6 made up of: Jay 1/0, Blackbird 2/1, Song Thrush 1/0, Dunnock 2/0, Wren 8/0, Robin 2/0, Blackcap 3/3, Chiffchaff 0/1, Reed Warbler 0/1, Cetti’s Warbler 1/0, Blue Tit 1/0, Great Tit 1/0, Long-tailed Tit 1/0, Tree Creeper 1/0, Reed Bunting 2/0.
The oldest retrap was a Blackcap from 2010 that we had not caught since it was originally ringed in the net next to where we caught it this time.
Kev
The catch was steady during the first half of the morning but soon dropped off, the highlights being 5 returning warblers retrapped and a new Jay. A mallard tried hard to stay in the nets twice but not hard enough for us to extract it. We did catch the first 3J of the season, a Robin.
Total catch was (new/retrap) 26/6 made up of: Jay 1/0, Blackbird 2/1, Song Thrush 1/0, Dunnock 2/0, Wren 8/0, Robin 2/0, Blackcap 3/3, Chiffchaff 0/1, Reed Warbler 0/1, Cetti’s Warbler 1/0, Blue Tit 1/0, Great Tit 1/0, Long-tailed Tit 1/0, Tree Creeper 1/0, Reed Bunting 2/0.
The oldest retrap was a Blackcap from 2010 that we had not caught since it was originally ringed in the net next to where we caught it this time.
Kev
Jay (Sue Lakeman)
Tuesday, 26 April 2016
Ravens
It was a mad dash through Nottingham's rush hour traffic after work to meet up with a team led by Gary and Mick (and also including Geoff White and Linda Lowndes) to ring some Raven pulli for North Notts Ringing Group.
It was touch and go whether we would be able to ring the birds as the April sunshine had turned to unseasonal cold winds and heavy rain was forecast. But, in no time at all the climber had assembled his kit and begun to approach the nest. The parent birds kept a close eye on proceedings and bar the occasional 'caw' remained calm.
The birds were soon safely out of the nest and passed to the ringers. All three had metal rings fitted to their right legs and colour rings to their left. It was real privilege to see such a mighty bird in the hand and to see some characteristics that you can’t appreciate through binoculars or telescope such as the milky eye (reminiscent of Jackdaw) or the glossy hue on the mantle. Within a matter of minutes all three chicks were processed, photographed and back in the nest.
Many thanks to Mick and Gary and North Notts Ringing Group for the opportunity. It’s certainly not a bird I ever thought that I would have the privilege to ring, but as they continue to spread slowly, perhaps we will find ourselves ringing a few more.
Alex
It was touch and go whether we would be able to ring the birds as the April sunshine had turned to unseasonal cold winds and heavy rain was forecast. But, in no time at all the climber had assembled his kit and begun to approach the nest. The parent birds kept a close eye on proceedings and bar the occasional 'caw' remained calm.
The birds were soon safely out of the nest and passed to the ringers. All three had metal rings fitted to their right legs and colour rings to their left. It was real privilege to see such a mighty bird in the hand and to see some characteristics that you can’t appreciate through binoculars or telescope such as the milky eye (reminiscent of Jackdaw) or the glossy hue on the mantle. Within a matter of minutes all three chicks were processed, photographed and back in the nest.
Many thanks to Mick and Gary and North Notts Ringing Group for the opportunity. It’s certainly not a bird I ever thought that I would have the privilege to ring, but as they continue to spread slowly, perhaps we will find ourselves ringing a few more.
Alex
Raven pulli (G. Goddard)
Sunday, 24 April 2016
Holme Pierrepont, Saturday 23 April
Alex, Duncan, Sue, Tom, Gary and I made another ringing visit to the Grange end of Holme Pierrepont today, this time using the usual net rides. Another frosty morning to start but again the sun soon warmed things up. This water level is pretty high which restricted us putting some of the nets up but the rest were soon up and catching was steady all morning.
We ended with a total of 44 birds including 14 retraps. The species totals were (new/retrap): Great Spotted Woodpecker 1/0, Song Thrush 1/0, Blackbird 2/0, Robin 1/1, Wren 0/1, Blackcap 3/0, Whitethroat 1/0, Reed Warbler 1/0, Sedge Warbler 4/0, Cetti’s Warbler 0/1, Chiffchaff 4/1, Willow Warbler 2/1, Dunnock 2/1, Reed Bunting 3/4, Blue Tit 0/2, Great Tit 1/1, Chaffinch 1/0, Bullfinch 3/1.
The oldest retrap was a Robin ringed in 2012, we also had a returning Willow Warbler from 2014 and a Chiffchaff from 2015. The reed bed was pretty quiet and only one Reed Warbler was heard singing, which could have been the one we caught, we did see one Swift passing over.
Kev
We ended with a total of 44 birds including 14 retraps. The species totals were (new/retrap): Great Spotted Woodpecker 1/0, Song Thrush 1/0, Blackbird 2/0, Robin 1/1, Wren 0/1, Blackcap 3/0, Whitethroat 1/0, Reed Warbler 1/0, Sedge Warbler 4/0, Cetti’s Warbler 0/1, Chiffchaff 4/1, Willow Warbler 2/1, Dunnock 2/1, Reed Bunting 3/4, Blue Tit 0/2, Great Tit 1/1, Chaffinch 1/0, Bullfinch 3/1.
The oldest retrap was a Robin ringed in 2012, we also had a returning Willow Warbler from 2014 and a Chiffchaff from 2015. The reed bed was pretty quiet and only one Reed Warbler was heard singing, which could have been the one we caught, we did see one Swift passing over.
Kev
Sedge Warblers (top A. Phillips, bottom S. Lakeman)
Monday, 18 April 2016
Holme Pierrepont, Sunday 17 April
Alex, Duncan, Gary and I made the first ringing
visit to the Grange end of Holme Pierrepont today. We decided to try the new
section we had cleared between the Grange pit and the A52 lake. Another frosty
morning to start with, can’t you tell spring is here?! But with the clear skies,
the sun soon warmed things up. This new area is pretty pole intensive as all the
nets are singles apart from a double 12m ride but they were soon up and catching
was steady all morning.
We ended with a total of 40 birds including 5 retraps.
The species totals were (new/retrap): Song Thrush 1/0, Robin 1/1, Wren 3/0,
Blackcap 11/0, Whitethroat 1/0, Lesser Whitethroat 1/0, Cetti’s Warbler 1/1,
Chiffchaff 2/0, Willow Warbler 1/0, Dunnock 4/1,
Reed Bunting 5/0, Blue Tit 1/0, Great Tit 2/0, Long-tailed Tit 1/2.
The oldest retrap was the
Cetti’s Warbler which was ringed in October 2012. There were at least 3
Buzzards, the other summer migrants noted but not caught were Swallow, Sand
Martin and Sedge Warbler.
Kev
Tuesday, 12 April 2016
Returning Chiffchaff
I began ringing at Newthorpe Sewage Works in June 2012, mainly to monitor the Swallows, House Martins, Sand Martins and Swifts which are present during the summer months. However it seemed a wasted opportunity not to ring there through the rest of the year and to see what birds use the site through the winter months.
Even though few birds are caught in winter, it proved to be a good decision because when I submitted my latest data, Kev noticed an interesting Chiffchaff entry.
This bird was first ringed on 11 January 2014 and given the age code of 6, meaning it was an adult which had hatched before 2013. This bird has subsequently been retrapped every year since and around the same date, the 16 January 2015 and the 15 January 2016.
I guess this shows how some warblers overwinter in the UK and how important certain sites may be to their survival.
Mick P
Even though few birds are caught in winter, it proved to be a good decision because when I submitted my latest data, Kev noticed an interesting Chiffchaff entry.
This bird was first ringed on 11 January 2014 and given the age code of 6, meaning it was an adult which had hatched before 2013. This bird has subsequently been retrapped every year since and around the same date, the 16 January 2015 and the 15 January 2016.
I guess this shows how some warblers overwinter in the UK and how important certain sites may be to their survival.
Mick P
Sibthorpe, Friday 8 April
I had another solo session in my Sibthorpe garden on Friday. That’s now half a dozen sessions with more than 300 birds of 18 species processed, plus three controls (Lesser Redpoll and two Goldfinch). As you can see from the species totals below, I get a nice mix of sparrows & finches, and thankfully not many tits. It was pleasing on Friday to ring four Reed Buntings which we hardly see here, and start colour ringing the House Sparrows (though they are very wary). Group members are very welcome to join me ringing here. Breakfast is included!
Species totals 292/43 (new/retrap) so far at Sibthorpe are:- Great Spotted Woodpecker 1/0, Wren 3/2, Dunnock 15/7, Robin 6/3, Blackbird 9/1, Redwing 1/0, Long-tailed Tit 5/2, Coal Tit, 1/0, Blue Tit 17/3, Great Tit 5/3, Starling 6/0, House Sparrow 53/5, Tree Sparrow 3/1, Chaffinch 5/0, Goldfinch 110/13, Lesser Redpoll 0/2, Reed Bunting 5/0.
The first House Sparrow colour ringed! If I can colour ring enough, the plan is to do a HS Retrapping Adult Study; see more on the BTO website.
Species totals 292/43 (new/retrap) so far at Sibthorpe are:- Great Spotted Woodpecker 1/0, Wren 3/2, Dunnock 15/7, Robin 6/3, Blackbird 9/1, Redwing 1/0, Long-tailed Tit 5/2, Coal Tit, 1/0, Blue Tit 17/3, Great Tit 5/3, Starling 6/0, House Sparrow 53/5, Tree Sparrow 3/1, Chaffinch 5/0, Goldfinch 110/13, Lesser Redpoll 0/2, Reed Bunting 5/0.
The first House Sparrow colour ringed! If I can colour ring enough, the plan is to do a HS Retrapping Adult Study; see more on the BTO website.
Jim
Brackenhurst, Sunday 10 April
With one of the hardest frosts of the winter(!), Duncan and I set up the nets at Brackenhurst yesterday. I guess I was thinking we’d catch about 30 birds and then take the poles and guys down, and not return until next winter. So it was a nice surprise, to handle 45 birds and it would have been more if the south-westerly breeze had not billowed the mist nets. Highlights were:-
Totals as follows: 45 birds processed (36 new/9retrap), breaking down as follows: Wren 1/0, Dunnock 1/0, Robin 0/1, Chiffchaff 3/0, Goldcrest 1/0, Long-tailed Tit 1/0, Blue Tit 2/3, Great Tit 0/2, Tree Sparrow 2/0, Chaffinch 8/1, Yellowhammer 15/2, Reed Bunting 2/0.
- Yellowhammer – getting decent number of them for a change, with 17 being processed. 15 of them were males, I guess the females must be on territory?
- Goldcrest – we ringed a young female which weighed 6.6g and assumed it was breeding. However, it had a fat score of 4, so presumably was a migrant?
- Chiffchaffs - several singing males and three were ringed.
- Retraps - the most interesting were a male chaffinch that was born in 2009 or earlier and a Robin from 2013 that lives in Orwin's.
Totals as follows: 45 birds processed (36 new/9retrap), breaking down as follows: Wren 1/0, Dunnock 1/0, Robin 0/1, Chiffchaff 3/0, Goldcrest 1/0, Long-tailed Tit 1/0, Blue Tit 2/3, Great Tit 0/2, Tree Sparrow 2/0, Chaffinch 8/1, Yellowhammer 15/2, Reed Bunting 2/0.
15 of the 17 Yellowhammers were male!
Sutton Bonington, Sunday 10 April
Gary, Sue and I made the final visit of the ‘winter’ to Sutton Bonington this morning. We started in sub-zero conditions with a good frost, clear skies and just a light breeze. The bright sun was showing the nets up from the start and catching was quite slow throughout the morning plus the breeze picked up as the morning progressed.
We ended with a total of 15 birds including 7 retraps. The species totals were (new/retrap): Blackbird 1/0, Song Thrush 0/1, Goldcrest 1/0, Dunnock 0/4, Chaffinch 0/1, Yellowhammer 1/0, Reed Bunting 2/1, Greenfinch 1/0, Great Tit 2/0. The retraps were all recently ringed birds.
There were at least 4 Buzzards around and a Sparrowhawk but the Chiffchaffs that were singing last week were silent or had moved on. We took the nets down a little early to give us time to dismantle the feeders and clear the site, until we return in the autumn.
Kev
We ended with a total of 15 birds including 7 retraps. The species totals were (new/retrap): Blackbird 1/0, Song Thrush 0/1, Goldcrest 1/0, Dunnock 0/4, Chaffinch 0/1, Yellowhammer 1/0, Reed Bunting 2/1, Greenfinch 1/0, Great Tit 2/0. The retraps were all recently ringed birds.
There were at least 4 Buzzards around and a Sparrowhawk but the Chiffchaffs that were singing last week were silent or had moved on. We took the nets down a little early to give us time to dismantle the feeders and clear the site, until we return in the autumn.
Kev
site photos by S. Lakeman
Sunday, 10 April 2016
Sutton Bonington, Sunday 3 April
Alex, Tom, Gary, Sue and I made another visit to Sutton Bonington this morning. It was overcast and fairly still as we put up the nets but the sun did break through a few times during the morning.
Catching was quite slow throughout the morning, it seems that many of the birds have possibly gone off to their breeding sites. We ended with a total of 17 birds including 7 retraps.
The species totals were (new/retrap): Blackbird 0/1, Wren 3/0, Dunnock 0/1, Yellowhammer 6/3, Reed Bunting 1/0, Robin 0/1, Long-tailed Tit 0/1. The retraps were all recently ringed birds.
There were at least 2 Buzzards around, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel and Red Kite also drifted past. Chiffchaffs were singing but none found the nets. Next week we are planning to make the final visit of this season to the site.
Kev
Catching was quite slow throughout the morning, it seems that many of the birds have possibly gone off to their breeding sites. We ended with a total of 17 birds including 7 retraps.
The species totals were (new/retrap): Blackbird 0/1, Wren 3/0, Dunnock 0/1, Yellowhammer 6/3, Reed Bunting 1/0, Robin 0/1, Long-tailed Tit 0/1. The retraps were all recently ringed birds.
There were at least 2 Buzzards around, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel and Red Kite also drifted past. Chiffchaffs were singing but none found the nets. Next week we are planning to make the final visit of this season to the site.
Kev
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