Brisk winds limit bird ringing sessions - January 2020

Suitable days for ringing were limited by rather brisk winds throughout although Bedfont, Wooley Firs and the Heston garden did manage nine sessions between them.

The total of 153 new birds was one of our lowest January figures but did include Kestrel, Firecrest, Nuthatch and Yellowhammer amongst the 18 species.


Adult Female Kestrel Primaries

Nearly 50% of the catch were Blue Tit at 74 with Great Tit at 29.

Retraps and controls included a Cetti’s Warbler at Stanwell Reservor ringed over 3 years ago; a Blackcap ringed at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory in the summer of 2017 and retrapped at Bedfont in April 2019; and a Goldcrest ringed at Gilbraltar Point in October 2019 and recorded at Bedfont in that December.

Public invitation to see bird ringing

We'll be demonstrating bird ringing at BBOWT's Woolley Firs reserve on 15th February. See birds up close and join in the Q&A

https://www.bbowt.org.uk/events/2020-02-15-bird-ringing-woolley-firs

Coal Tits (male, left & female)

December & 2019's a wrap - Red Kite added to list but poor year for Redpoll

In a month when weather and social pressures conspired against ringing, it is amazing that 8 sessions
were possible, especially as there was no activity at garden sites. 123 birds of 19 species were ringed with Blue Tit top at 62, Great Tit at 23 and Goldcrest at 11.

Good captures this month were Sparrowhawk, Meadow Pipit, Redwing, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff and 2 Yellowhammer.

2019
New species for the group were 3 Red Kite and a Lesser black-backed Gull, whilst others, rarely ringed by the Group, were Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Nightingale, Redstart and Stonechat.

Blackcap were top species at 1513 followed by Blue Tit 672, Whitethroat 394 and Chiffchaff 390. But did we really only ring one Kingfisher, 3 Siskin and 7 Lesser Redpoll?

November - recoveries come in from France, Belgium, The Gambia and Devon!

With only Bedfont and Woolley Firs operating this month, the total of 269 compares well with recent
Novembers.

No surprises in top species with Blue Tit on 105, Great Tit on 46 and Long-tailed Tit at 25, but 9 Redwing and 6 Gt. Spotted Woodpecker added to the total. Single records of Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff, Firecrest, Bullfinch and Yellowhammer added interest.

We had some interesting returns from birds we'd ringed arriving this month - such foreign records can take a time to work their way to the BTO.

A Common Tern, ringed at Bedfont in July turned up in The Gambia (4,500km SSE) this month.

A female Reed Warbler, breeding at Bedfont this summer, was caught in the Bay of Biscay (750km S) in August.

A male Blackcap ringed in Wraysbury last summer, turned up in Belgium (330km ESE) this August and a Chiffchaff, we ringed last September also appeared on the continent, near Calais, this October.

A Redwing, ringed at Stanwellmoor Gravel Pits in October turned up in Devon (214km WSE) this month too.

And two of our Blue Tit chicks from this year's broods, one each from Woolley Firs and Bedfont turned up at Queen Mary Reservoir on the same day this October.

October - The Goldcrests have arrived

Despite the unhelpful weather, a few sessions were possible on calmer days and the month total did reach 418.

October is always variable depending on Redpoll and Meadow Pipit flocks, so this is quite a healthy total.

A Stonechat at Stanwellmoor was the most unusual species. Goldcrest poured into all sites and tied for first place with Blue Tit at 74; Meadow Pipit followed on 56 with Long-tailed Tit on 35 and Redwing on 32.

Blackcap and Chiffchaff both managed 22 and there were small numbers of finch including four Lesser Redpoll.

September - high catches kick-off the month but weather stops the migration survey

A rather frustrating month with only Bedfont, Wraysbury and Tythebarns in operation and the weather being uncooperative after 22nd.

The sessions that were held were very productive with Wraysbury processing over 200 on each of two sessions and Bedfont 40-50, so the total of 737 would have been much higher with better weather.

Blackcap was top species at 397 (54% of the total) with Chiffchaff at 112 and Blue Tit trailing at 52. Noteworthy were 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Whitethroat and 7 Willow Warblers; the only Sedge Warbler ringed, was at Bedfont.