Sunday 31st
The month signed out with another, slightly unexpected calm start. There were 36 new birds all, bar two, were migrants. The residents were a Great Tit and a juvenile female Cetti's Warbler. The latter is one of the few UK passerines which can usually be sexed on biometrics. The male is longer winged and heavier.
The flow of Blackcaps continues to build with 24 today. The rest were four Sedge Warblers, two Reed Warblers, two Garden Warblers and singles of Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher. The ratio of Sedge to Reed warblers is the reverse of what we would expect at this time of the season.
Saturday 30th
A calm and cooler start with the breeze getting up late morning bringing proceedings to a rapid halt. Forty-six birds were ringed of 11 species. The appearance of another Pied Flycatcher got things going and this was followed by the second Tree Pipit of the year. Next most numerous were Reed Warbler, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler with four each. There were two each of Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler and Great Tit. Three Blue Tits added to the surprising run of unringed tits and there was also a new Chaffinch. Amongst the retraps were six each of Blue and Great Tit.
Thursday 28th
Calm and overcast to start with with the occasional spot of drizzle. There was a heavy shower overnight. Twenty six birds were ringed. The range is getting more autumnal with 13 Blackcaps and three Chiffchaffs. The others were three Chiffchaffs, four Sedge Warblers, two each of Robin and Reed warbler and singles of Garden warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler.
A Tree Pipit flew over but showed no interest in dropping in.
It looks as if tomorrow might be windy and wet.
Wednesday 27th
We seem to be approaching a much more unsettled period with wind and even rain. Fortunately the mornings remain calmer. It is still warm. There were 26 birds ringed today. They were ten Blackcaps, four Reed Warblers, three Robins, two each of Blue Tit and Sedge Warbler plus single Bullfinch, Great Tit. Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler. None of the warblers have notable fats, mostly scores one or two. The Bullfinch was a juvenile.
Sunday 24th
Good conditions to start with again with a breeze increasing mid-morning. Forty birds were ringed. Blackcap kept the lead with 12, followed by seven Reed Warblers and four Sedge Warblers and four Willow Warblers. There were two more Lesser Whitethroats and it looks as if they have had a good season. A Pied Flycatcher provided the bonus.
Saturday 23rd
Calm and overcast conditions to start with allowed a small team to get some nets up The reward was 31 new birds. After Thursday's complete lack of Phylloscopus warblers there were three Willow Warblers and a few more, plus some Chiffchaffs, calling from the hedges. The highlight was the ringing of two Grasshopper Warblers - the first this year plus the first Goldcrest of the autumn. It would appear the autumn movement of Blackcaps is getting underway as there were 15 new birds. The other warblers were three each of Reed and Sedge, plus single Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Whitethroat. The regular appearance of unringed woodpeckers was kept up by a Green Woodpecker.
The continued gap continues to be hirundines, none were even seen this morning.
Thursday 21st
A small team showed it was worth the effort with 16 new birds including a Sedge Warbler with a Belgian ring. This is the first foreign control this autumn. The new birds were four Reed Warblers, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers (they appear to have had a good season), two Great Tits and singles of Blackcap, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Greenfinch (two in a year is exceptional!), Lesser Whitethroat, Robin and Woodpigeon.
Tuesday 19th
A bit windy for ringing but two interesting controls. The first was of a Blackbird. This was ringed 51 years ago. Unfortunately only the ring was found (by a metal detectorist) and so the date of death is unknown. The second was the longest movement of one of our colour-ringed House Sparrows. It was sadly killed by a cat but had moved a whole 5km into Sandwich.
Sunday 17th
The migrants really have not appreciated the continuing Easterly and the catch went down to 25 birds. The highlight was a Pied Flycatcher. The finer details of ageing could be looked at, as time allowed. Careful checking of all the bird was order of the day as illustrated by two Lesser Whitethroats. One puzzled a trainee as its eye appeared to be juvenile (a browny-olive colour) but its tail appeared to be adult, with clean white outer tail marking and a white tip to the next tail feather. However on looking at the other side of the head a clear white crescent could be seen in the iris - confirming (with other features) the adult diagnosis. The second bird appeared to have an adult tail on the right but both eyes were juvenile pattern. Checking the left tail feather pattern showed juvenile tail feathers. So at some time this bird must have lost the tail feathers on the right which were now replaced with fresh, adult pattern ones.
Over the weekend we ringed 162 birds of 19 species so not a bad catch considering conditions.
Saturday 16th
The wind swung around to East and picked up noticeably, it certainly did not feel as warm as yesterday. The bushes were much quieter and, despite the coverage, there were just 30 new birds. Retraps went up to 22 and most of these were local birds, e.g. nine Great Tits. Reed Warbler was most common with just seven, followed by four Whitethroats, three Lesser Whitethroats and two Sedge Warblers. Hirundines were again noticeable by their absence. A session practicing net erection in various forms, done in the lee of the Haven could not yield any despite one or two flying around.
Friday 15th
Each year we try and have a weekend where most of the team are present and we get up as much as is viable plus do extra training. This weekend started with warm, calm conditions and just got hotter and hotter as the sun shone through. There were 105 birds ringed plus 25 retraps.
The highlights were a Nightingale, two Pied Flycatchers and 31 Reed Warblers. The other new birds were five Blackcaps, six Blue Tits, three Garden Warblers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, four Great Tits, a Green Woodpecker, three Lesser Whitethroats, five Robins, 12 Sedge Warblers, seven Whitethroats, twenty Willow Warblers, a Woodpigeon and a Wren.
The continuing strong showing of Reed Warblers on the Estate is pleasing. Of note at present though is the continued appearance of new tits. We do not know if they are the result of relaying after early failure or even possibly second broods but most are still in full juvenile plumage or only just staring moult.
The most notable absentees are hirundines, where are the Sand Martins and Swallows?
Wednesday 13th
Continued settled weather found the steady trickle of migrants continuing. Thirty-three birds were ringed and this included 13 Willow Warblers, six Reed Warblers, four Sedge Warblers, single Whitethroats and Garden Warblers plus, best of all, a Spotted Flycatcher.
Tuesday 12th
No ringers available until tomorrow but an interesting, but local movement. It is a common sight in spring and autumn to see small flocks of tits moving up and down the coast. A Long-tailed Tit ringed here on November 11th 2023 was recaught by one of our team at Kingsdown on August 8th. Only 9 Km away but nearly two years later.
Sunday 10th
A warm, settled morning and there were 37 new birds. Reed Warbler was top again with 14 - it seems to be a very good year for them. Willow Warbler was next with 11. Other migrants were two Blackcaps, two Whitethroats and singles of Robin, Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler.
Friday 8th
The weather is definitely settling and the catch improved to 38 new birds. Reed Warblers led the way with 11 followed by nine Willow Warblers. One of these was notable for being an adult - probably the first of the autumn. There were also two Chiffchaffs, four Garden Warblers, two Sedge Warblers and five Whitethroats.
A Magpie was a surprise capture in one net.
Wednesday 6th
A better morning. The highlight was the first pipit, a Tree Pipit, we have ringed for two years. Warblers included ten Willow Warblers, four Whitethroats, three Lesser Whitethroats, six Garden Warblers, one Sedge Warbler, seven Reed Warblers, and two Blackcaps, plus a retrap Chiffchaff. Most of the warblers are moving quickly on we are not retrapping many.
Tuesday 5th
After the storms to the north and west of us it was not a surprise that there were not a lot of new arrivals overnight. Seventeen birds were ringed of nine species. Willow Warbler led with five followed by three Whitethroats. There were also two each of Chaffinch and Sedge Warbler plus single Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
A Kestrel which was found sick along the seafront and which subsequently died had been ringed earlier this year at Stodmarsh by one of our ringing team.
Monday 4th
A check of all the House Martin boxes provided a mixed bag. The changeable weather in July caused some problems and there were two broods which failed at quite large size) which is unusual in July. However there are several sets of eggs which have been laid since and hopefully these will help boost the population.
Sunday 3rd
The steady flow of migrants continues with 57 birds ringed this morning. The highlight was our first Marsh Warbler since 2002. Reed and Willow Warblers continue to lead the way with 17 of each. There were also six each of Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler, two each of Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler and Robin, and singles of Blackbird, Dunnock, Lesser Whitethroat and Wren.
Friday 1st
A bit breezy but still birds on the move. Thirty one were ringed, again led by Willow Warbler with eight and Reed Warbler with six. The times rain has fallen seems to have benefitted Blackbirds with another three new ones today.