Covid-19 halts group bird ringing - March 2020

With Covid-19 lockdown rules coming into force, ringing at all core and special interest sites came to an end on 23rd March leaving only garden sites able to operate.

Bedfont, Minet and Woolley Firs managed one or two sessions – even a public demo at Woolley Firs – and 75 new birds were ringed including 10 at garden sites.

RRG public ringing demo at Woolley Firs (Karl D Tarratt)

Great Tit and Blue Tit topped the list of 17 species but there were nice records of Green Woodpecker at Minet, Stonechat and Linnet at Woolley Firs and a Chiffchaff at Bedfont. Thorpe Lea Road produced 4 House Sparrows and 2 Coal Tits.

Young male Stonechat (Carl Hunter Roach)

We were pleased to see that a Yellowhammer we ringed at Woolley Firs Farm in December 2014 is doing well, 5+ years later and was caught and released by Hughenden Ringing Group at Jealott's Hill, about 8km to the south.

Public ringing demo at Woolley Firs, BBOWT

The postponed ringing demo went ahead on 7th March - a date picked using long-range weather forecasts.

A small but hardy group came to see a bird ringing session. They listened to Erica Wells, Runnymede RG member, about the ringing scheme (and asked lots of questions) and Erica explained what we're doing on the farm and how it fits into the national scheme.

Public at a ringing sesson at Woolley Firs (photo: K Tarratt)

House Sparrow, only the second caught at the feeders in 9 years (photo: K Tarratt)

Second chance to see a bird ringing session

Our February invitation to the public to come to Wolley Firs and see bird ringing in action was postponed due to the storms.

The good news... you can catch us this Saturday!

Details here:
https://www.bbowt.org.uk/events/2020-03-07-bird-ringing-woolley-firs

Morocco comes to Bedfont - February 2020

We got news of a Chiffchaff which we ringed in September 2019. This young bird left Bedfont and headed south. But where south? This bird was trapped and released this February, 1,970km south-south-west in Kenitra, Morocco. We'll have to wait patiently to see if the bird returns to Bedfont this summer!

February itself continued with the blustery winds and heavy rain theme and meant that little bird ringing took place this month. Twenty-four birds of eight species were ringed, an all-time low for the group, across only two sites: Bedfont and Minet.

However, much groundwork took place at Wraysbury Gravel Pits to improve the site for breeding birds and other wildlife during this quiet month for wildlife. RRG thanks Maydencroft for all their time and effort on the site.

Opening up a ringing site

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.