February 2016 - Siskins and Little Owl among highlights

There were some late additions to January to boost the total to 186 new birds but February could only reach 164 of 20 species.

Sites struggled to ring 20 birds and it was left to the Iver Heath garden to supply the numbers with 68 Siskin and 20 Goldfinch topping the list. Six Redwing and a Yellowhammer featured at Woolley Firs and a house-caught Little Owl at Tythebarns was the first for 13 years.

January 2016 - Cetti's Warbler, Redwing & Firecrest among highlights

169 birds of 26 species were ringed, with Blue Tit and Great Tit making up 40% of that number.

There were some good species to have on the list in the first month of the year – a Redwing at Tythebarns and 14 at Woolley Firs, Cetti’s Warblers at Bedfont and Stanwellmoor; Blackcap in the Ealing garden; Chiffchaff at Bedfont and Wraysbury, 5 Yellowhammers at Woolley Firs and a Firecrest at Stanwellmoor.

A Willow Warbler, we ringed near Ripley, Surrey last August passed through Main-et-Loirem, France, 413km away only 10 days later.