DT2 ringing 2010
The end of my first whole year as a C ringer and 1261 birds of 41 species were caught and processed in 2010. That’s 2452 birds of 43 species in the last 20 months with my own rings. My thanks go to Steve Hales my trainer for his continued support and help. Ringing continues at Kingston Maurward College, in Martinstown and a few other places around and about including Eype.
On the College estate we continued to ring pulli. Altogether 241 pulli were rung of 14 species – my thanks to Steve Jeffery and the good work he carries out with student groups particularly the NDCM. Other members of staff with eagle eyes include Rob Murgatroyd and all the gardening team. We continue to ring pied wagtail pulli as part of the colour ringing project that Steve Hales is involved in. Some of the KMC birds roosted in Weymouth last winter. Less farmland birds were rung as I struggle to find a reliable site but the starlings that invaded the dairy gave some interesting sexing and ageing challenges in November and December.
Ringing in the garden and the allotment again showed that there is steady trickle of migrants through Martinstown – it appears you can start and finish August by the presence or not of Garden Warblers.
My thanks to Terry and Radipole Ringing Group and Mike and the Axe Valley Ringing Group for letting ring with them as and when I am available - which has not been enough this year!
Among the highlights in of bird ringing fin 2010 has to be catching a swallow in the top shelf of the allotment mist net that had previously been rung as a pulli at College the previous year, extracting a buzzard from a mist net and finding 2 little owlets when I thought it was going to be stock doves.
Happy new year!
Total 2010 Total 2009 Running total
Sparrowhawk 1 0 1
Buzzard 1 0 1
Kestrel 5 0 5
Stock dove 4 7 11
Woodpigeon 2 4 6
Collard dove 4 1 5
Barn owl 4 2 6
Little owl 2 0 2
Kingfisher 4 2 6
Swallow 70 62 132
Meadow pipit 1 0 1
Pied wagtail 27 28 55
Wren 41 33 74
Dunnock 41 57 98
Robin 51 36 87
Redstart 1 0 1
Blackbird 61 92 153
Song thrush 9 4 13
Redwing 2 0 2
Grasshopper warbler 1 2 3
Sedge warbler 1 6 7
Reed warbler 3 1 4
Lesser whitethroat 1 0 1
Whitethroat 10 13 23
Garden warbler 13 10 23
Blackcap 135 103 238
Chiffchaff 60 103 163
Willow warbler 39 49 88
Goldcrest 9 10 19
Spotted flycatcher 0 2 2
Long tailed tit 21 40 61
Coal tit 5 2 7
Blue tit 156 162 318
Great tit 99 120 219
Rook 2 2 4
Starling 80 4 84
House sparrow 55 82 137
Chaffinch 81 41 122
Greenfinch 49 45 94
Goldfinch 86 66 152
Linnet 0 1 1
Bullfinch 5 8 13
Yellowhammer 8 2 10
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Sunday, 10 October 2010
A belated September report
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
The first week in September
There is nothing like a gentle anti-cyclone for still mornings and a little mist - suddenly there are birds to catch and this week its been Blackcaps - 41 so far this September. Today there were clear signs of fattening up with weights of 23.4 and 24.8 - it is a surprise these heavyweights can get off the ground.
This year there has definitely been evidence that the allotment is a good site for feeding up for migration with both blackcaps and garden warblers hanging around for 2 or 3 days and getting heavier. This coupled with the elderberry/blackberry juice surprises that the blackcaps seem to enjoy landing on my shirt!
This year there has definitely been evidence that the allotment is a good site for feeding up for migration with both blackcaps and garden warblers hanging around for 2 or 3 days and getting heavier. This coupled with the elderberry/blackberry juice surprises that the blackcaps seem to enjoy landing on my shirt!
Friday, 20 August 2010
Phew
This beauty was sitting looking at me from the bean frame as I entered the allotment and obligingly gently blundered into the net. After a little blood was shed, a small hole in a work shirt appeared, a large quantity of adrenalin released and lots of looking things up, a ring was placed on the leg and off went my first buzzard!
Friday, 9 July 2010
June update
June
The day job interfered with the ringing and the total numbers suffered.
Overall blue and great tit pulli numbers were similar to last year but there is a bit more analysis is needed before a final judgement can be made.
One delightful evening did include ringing pulli of barn owl (2), little owl (2), kestrel (5) and stock dove (1).
Ringing swallow pulli continues and we are beginning to attempt to mist net some adults – but they are good at spotting nets!
Monday, 31 May 2010
May
202 birds processed in May of 19 species - so far this year its 483 of 28 species.
32 nests have been visited and pulli rung, top of the list are blue and great tits, then swallow and pied wagtail followed by blackbird, stock dove and collard dove. Well done to Steve and his students who have sorted the tit nest boxes and done some sterling work on the college estate. Still watching robin, swallows and great tits.
The first robin juvenile this morning in the Martinstown mist nets was most welcome.
As was this handsome whitethroat
32 nests have been visited and pulli rung, top of the list are blue and great tits, then swallow and pied wagtail followed by blackbird, stock dove and collard dove. Well done to Steve and his students who have sorted the tit nest boxes and done some sterling work on the college estate. Still watching robin, swallows and great tits.
The first robin juvenile this morning in the Martinstown mist nets was most welcome.
As was this handsome whitethroat
Monday, 24 May 2010
What another nest box post!
The first ringing week end at the College on Saturday with 11 nests of pulli rung.
Its early days with another 2 trips at least to get the full picture but we think the cold weather has had an effect on those birds who laid their eggs early. 4 blue tit boxes had 5.25 chicks rung , 6 great tit boxes had 3.3 average chicks rung.
A second set of pied wagtails pulli 5/5 were rung.
2 swallows nests and around 8 more boxes to be rung next weekend As there are definitely more caterpillars around this week than last the fingers crossed that the averages will improve.
Its early days with another 2 trips at least to get the full picture but we think the cold weather has had an effect on those birds who laid their eggs early. 4 blue tit boxes had 5.25 chicks rung , 6 great tit boxes had 3.3 average chicks rung.
A second set of pied wagtails pulli 5/5 were rung.
2 swallows nests and around 8 more boxes to be rung next weekend As there are definitely more caterpillars around this week than last the fingers crossed that the averages will improve.
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