Despite early season worries about low catches on CES, both Bedfont and Wraysbury
improved later and are heading for reasonable totals.
Overall, August saw 982 new birds ringed, rather more than 2017 (945) and well up on 2016 (764). The 34 species included: pulli of Barn Owl and Swallow and there were captures of Sparrowhawk, Jay, Magpie and three Jackdaw among larger species.
Five House Martin and 13 Meadow Pipit came from Stanwellmoor and Willow Warbler were up to 56 after only 24 last year. Blackcap was top species at 299 followed by Whitethroat at 153 and Garden Warbler at 84. Reed Warbler had good numbers through Stanwellmoor raising them to 4th place at 71.
Sunday, 21 October 2018
Friday, 10 August 2018
July 2018 - bird numbers down on recent years
A poor month for captures with a total of 482 new birds, when recent Julys have been over 700.
Low catches continued on CES sessions and one of the three planned Wraysbury sessions was postponed till August, but whether the low numbers are due to the hot weather, or to a cold spring, or to low productivity, awaits analysis.
The top species was Blackcap at 90, closely followed by Reed Warbler on 85. Only 20 Chiffchaff were ringed. Kingfishers have had a difficult year so it was good to have singles at Bedfont and Wraysbury, and Stanwellmoor had some success with all three hirundines.
Other pleasing records this month were 3 juvenile Meadow Pipit at Stanwellmoor, 4 Cetti’s Warbler (Bedfont, Wraysbury and Stanwellmoor) and a House Sparrow at Bedfont South Side.
Low catches continued on CES sessions and one of the three planned Wraysbury sessions was postponed till August, but whether the low numbers are due to the hot weather, or to a cold spring, or to low productivity, awaits analysis.
The top species was Blackcap at 90, closely followed by Reed Warbler on 85. Only 20 Chiffchaff were ringed. Kingfishers have had a difficult year so it was good to have singles at Bedfont and Wraysbury, and Stanwellmoor had some success with all three hirundines.
Other pleasing records this month were 3 juvenile Meadow Pipit at Stanwellmoor, 4 Cetti’s Warbler (Bedfont, Wraysbury and Stanwellmoor) and a House Sparrow at Bedfont South Side.
Tuesday, 24 July 2018
A good(ish) month of bird ringing - June 2018
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| Barn Owl breeding in Berkshire |
Robin topped the species list with 44, closely followed by Reed Warbler on 43 and Blackcap on 40.
Meadow Pipit made an early appearance at Stanwellmoor where there were also 9 Linnets. Nuthatch was unusual at Wraysbury as were two Green Woodpeckers at Bedfont. Only 6 Long-tailed Tits were ringed.
There was a good control of a Barn Owl, ringed as a pullus near Hatfield, Herts and found breeding in Berkshire a year later.
Friday, 15 June 2018
Constant Effort Sites Scheme 2018 kicks off May
And so another CES and pulli season starts, with 355 new birds ringed of which 123 were fully grown and 232 pulli.
Despite the cold weather lasting until the start of the month, both Tythebarns and Woolley Firs reported that Blue and Great Tits were on time, and with good survival at ringing dates. For migrants, over 60 warblers were ringed with Garden Warbler top at 19 but Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff below expectations. High water levels hindered operations at Stanwellmoor.
Sparrowhawk (Wraysbury) and Jackdaw (Tythebarns) were unusual and the only Reed Bunting was at Bedfont.
Despite the cold weather lasting until the start of the month, both Tythebarns and Woolley Firs reported that Blue and Great Tits were on time, and with good survival at ringing dates. For migrants, over 60 warblers were ringed with Garden Warbler top at 19 but Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff below expectations. High water levels hindered operations at Stanwellmoor.
Sparrowhawk (Wraysbury) and Jackdaw (Tythebarns) were unusual and the only Reed Bunting was at Bedfont.
Thursday, 24 May 2018
Spanish Swallow from 2013 finally reveals its story - April 2018
In contrast to the warm, dry April 2017, this month was cold and very wet, delaying spring
migrants and plant growth. Given that, and the loss of Chobham for spring ringing, the month's total of 204 of 26 species compares well with the 234 of 35 species of last year.
Wraysbury provided the bulk of the captures with a session on 21st coinciding with good numbers of warblers both caught and recorded. Bedfont on 22nd, after a night of heavy rain, had a very thin time.
Blackcap came in as top species on 69 followed by Chiffchaff on 22; altogether 9 species of warbler were ringed.
An important role for bird ringing is tracking migration. While the miles covered by birds can be truly astounding sometimes the human element can be less than impressive in recording these feats. A Swallow, captured at Stanwellmoor, back in 2013, has finally had its ringing record returned to us: it was ringed in Zaragoza, Spain in the autumn if 2010.
migrants and plant growth. Given that, and the loss of Chobham for spring ringing, the month's total of 204 of 26 species compares well with the 234 of 35 species of last year.
Wraysbury provided the bulk of the captures with a session on 21st coinciding with good numbers of warblers both caught and recorded. Bedfont on 22nd, after a night of heavy rain, had a very thin time.
Blackcap came in as top species on 69 followed by Chiffchaff on 22; altogether 9 species of warbler were ringed.
An important role for bird ringing is tracking migration. While the miles covered by birds can be truly astounding sometimes the human element can be less than impressive in recording these feats. A Swallow, captured at Stanwellmoor, back in 2013, has finally had its ringing record returned to us: it was ringed in Zaragoza, Spain in the autumn if 2010.
Friday, 13 April 2018
Firecrest, Water Pipit and Fieldfare standout in March 2018
Not a month to venture out ringing and there were only 6 sessions held apart from gardens.
Recent March totals have varied between 33 and 276 so the total of 102 new birds was not too bad.
Not without interest, however, with Woolley Firs attracting two more Firecrests. Top species were Blue Tit on 38 and Great Tit on 18 but then there was a five-way tie for third, with Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Siskin and Lesser Redpoll all on 5.
A sighting of one of the colour-ringed Water Pipits from Stanwellmoor came from Staines Moor and there was a remarkable retrap of a Fieldfare – after four years – at Iver Heath.
Recent March totals have varied between 33 and 276 so the total of 102 new birds was not too bad.
Not without interest, however, with Woolley Firs attracting two more Firecrests. Top species were Blue Tit on 38 and Great Tit on 18 but then there was a five-way tie for third, with Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Siskin and Lesser Redpoll all on 5.
A sighting of one of the colour-ringed Water Pipits from Stanwellmoor came from Staines Moor and there was a remarkable retrap of a Fieldfare – after four years – at Iver Heath.
Miserable weather is though on bird ringing - February 2018
In a testing month for birds and ringers, nearly all activity was around feeders or milder days. 161 birds of 21 species were ringed, which is actually similar to several recent years although if weight were a criterion it was extremely good with Sparrowhawk, 5 Parakeets, Jay and 2 Magpie providing the bulk.
Top species was Blue Tit at 61, with Great Tit on 43 and Coal Tit a surprise third on 7. A Firecrest was a good record at Woolley Firs and we received details of a Blackcap control from Gibraltar and a Portuguese-ringed Chiffchaff at Minet.
Top species was Blue Tit at 61, with Great Tit on 43 and Coal Tit a surprise third on 7. A Firecrest was a good record at Woolley Firs and we received details of a Blackcap control from Gibraltar and a Portuguese-ringed Chiffchaff at Minet.
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