Ringing

  Sunday 29th Overcast with mostly a cool but gentle breeze. Three new birds again, this time a Song Thrush and two Chaffinches. For the first time for a while no House Sparrows. The next task is getting some of the large nest boxes, which have been donated, up. Saturday 28th Good, fairly calm, conditions meant it was possible to…

Tuesday 27th After a run of mild, damp, and/or windy days this morning dawned clear and a frost formed. It only lasted a couple of hours as cloud rolled in. The bushes were very quiet and only eight birds were caught. Two of these were new, firstly a Chaffinch and finally a Redwing. This could be the last bird ringed…

Friday 25th Stormy weather limited ringing activity but when conditions allowed birds, particularly thrushes, were still moving. Today was clear and not too breezy, the sun still getting the temperature into double figures and tempting a couple of Common Darters out in the Whitehouse. There were plenty of thrushes around but most were busy feeding in the isolated bushes and…

Monday 30th The mild weather continues to suppress migration. Nine birds were ringed. These were a Robin, two Song Thrushes, a Great Tit, two Chaffinches and three Lesser Redpoll. Saturday 29th The very mild spell seems to have put a stop to typical migration, indeed there were several Swallows which we might have caught if the breeze had not picked…

Friday 30th Clear overnight with a calm start meant there were lots of birds around. By the time the wind arrived we had ringed 192 birds. This was made up of 93 Blackcaps (+ a control), 74 Chiffchaffs, six Goldfinches, five Blue Tits, four Goldcrests, three Song Thrushes, two each of Robin and Great Tit, and singles of Wren, Reed…

Tuesday 30th The wind continued to restrict what nets could be used and it appeared to limit new arrivals as well. Birds ringed were a Magpie, two Blackcaps, a Robin and a Willow Warbler. The best was left to the very last when a Common Rosefinch was found in the Whitehouse nets. This is the first record here for 54…

Sunday 31st Things continue to improve helped by some early cloud. There were 17 new birds; the best of which were five Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler (the first this year), and a Treecreeper. The supporting cast were two each of Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, and Blue Tit plus singles of Robin, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, and Chaffinch Friday 29th The flood gates…

June 30th Conclusive proof that activities associated with ringing are good for your health. One of our regular ring readers was by Sandwich Quayside and noticed a ringed Jackdaw. He got his camera out and sacrificed several chips in order to get photos clear enough to read all the ring. He then reported this on the BTO website and has…

Tuesday 31st Results from the latest round of the nest boxes are mixed. We missed some broods of Great Tits and there seem to be plenty moving around in noisy groups. Blue Tits do not seem to be doing as well with several nests where not all the birds fledged, they seem to be struggling due to the run of…

Friday 29th More of the same conditions with warm sun and cold onshore wind, the latter will not give up. Seven birds were caught of which three were new – two Whitethroats and a Blue Tit. With just two Willow Warblers ringed this spring it is a clear indication of how much climate change has affected some of our once…