Mid-way through our Constant Effort Sites scheme - June 2022

Across our country, bird ringers are working together by generating data for the BTO's Constant Effort Sites scheme. This programme monitors the breeding success, decade-on-decade, of 24 species.

Of these, two are on the 'Red list' of the Birds of Conservation Concern (BOCC): Song Thrush and Willow Tit; and four are Amber-listed: Dunnock, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting. 

The other species are Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch.

Twelve surveys take place each year to make up a complete data survey. This June, we completed the fifth and sixth surveys of the twelve.

The fifth session bucked the year’s catching trend and was significantly up on 2021 which helped this year pull back on last year’s numbers. One still left feeling we’re missing a third of the catch.

We did see some older birds this month: two Garden Warblers ringed by us in 2015. Garden Warblers migrate to Africa each winter and in these cases, that's seven-round trips since being ringed - mindblowing when you see how small these birds are (they weigh less than 20g).

The site's flora was in full bloom...

Bird vetch

Centaurea nigra

2 Pyramidal orchids

Myosotis nemorosa Wood Forget-me-not