Interview on Spring Watch

One of the group's ringers, Josie Hewitt was interviewed this month on Spring Watch Extra. Covering a lot of ground "the natural history of Josie" covers how she got interested in birds, general bird ringing questions as well as a ringing demonstrating from Josie, first with a Green Woodpecker and then a recently fledged Robin.

Josie's blog.

Bird Ringing Talk at BBOWT

A Runnymede Ringing Group trainer, Carl Hunter Roach, gave a talk on the origins of bird ringing and how it has developed. Using species such as Firecrest and Yellowhammer, Carl illustrated how bird ringing across Berkshire and at Woolley Firs Farm itself, fit into the national picture.

Talk at Woolley Firs Farm, BBOWT

Carl answers follow-up questions after the talk

April 2015

As the spring rush got underway, the weather was not exactly helpful and most sessions were wind-affected or cancelled.

Nightingale (Rachelle Reagan)

Nevertheless 145 birds of 23 species were ringed with Blackcap (44) and Chiffchaff (16) the highest numerically. Showstopper was a Nightingale at Bedfont on 19^th, the first record for the site in 25 years although two Mistle Thrush at Tythebarns are almost as unusual in RRG tables.

A sprinkling of other warbler species brought some returning regulars from previous years.

Nightingale (Rachelle Reagan)

March 2015

Despite a reasonable weather summary for the month, the facts were that most weekends were just too breezy to launch ringing sessions.

The total of only 35 new birds of 14 species reflects this but does include two Dartford Warblers from Chobham, two Chiffchaff from Bedfont and a Reed Bunting at both Chobham and Woolley Firs. Even retrap numbers were low but added interest came from a Cetti’s Warbler at Bedfont and a Firecrest at Woolley Firs.

Online resources

The web is enabling bird ringers to share their knowledge directly with each other. A couple of initiatives, although focused abroad, can be very useful to ringing in Britain.

A couple of useful resources are:
An ageing and sexing guide for birds of Aragon, Spain
Identification Atlas of Birds of Aragon

An ageing and sexing guide (primarily passerines) for the Scandinavian countries.
Ringers' DigiGuide

February 2015

Age 6: Woodcock (Roger Ackroyd)

Winds and low temperatures made it difficult to get out so the total of 230 new birds of 25 species is noteworthy.

61 Blue Tits and 58 Great Tits dominated but the biggest surprise was a Woodcock at Tythebarns, where there was also a Sparrowhawk.

There were 6 Meadow Pipits from Stanwellmoor whilst 4 Blackcap came from 3 sites. Woolley Firs managed four sessions across the month, ringing 79 new birds, including a Firecrest and 10 Yellowhammer; and Black Park came up with 10 Lesser Redpoll in a winter of low numbers for this species.

Bedfont had both Bullfinch and Reed Bunting which have been scarce recently at this site.

Age 6: Woodcock (Roger Ackroyd)

Ringing Demo at BBOWT's Woolley Firs Farm (14th Feb)

Ringing at Woolley Firs

The planned ringing demonstration to members of the public went well. Two well attended groups got a tour of the site and a session learning about the benefits of bird ringing. BBOWT told me that there was such demand they had to turn people away which is shows how much interest there is in conservation.

I was rather busy talking all morning and my crew were busy with net rounds and ringing birds, that not many photos were taken. I stole one of some of the ringers present and it wasn't until the public left I was able to pick up the camera again.

Just in time for our last arrival - a male Firecrest (a bird hatched only last year) caught away from the feeders.

Male Firecrest (Carl Hunter Roach)