High Tides Bring Pipits 02/03/2010

Present JS and KH

The highest tides of the year provide opportunities to meet old friends. Whilst waiting to confirm yet another winter visit from our Scandinavian Rock Pipit, caught previously with a Norwegian ring, we took the opportunity to place some single shelf nets and a whoosh net just above the high tide. Since catching the bird and using blown up images of the ring when we were unable to catch, the bird has developed its own recognisable "GISS ". This is the fifth winter and so far we have not had any luck, but have caught Water and Rock Pipit. See photographs below.

Water Pipit Wing

Rock Pipit Tail

Water Pipit Tail

Rock Pipit

Water Pipit

March 1st - Rassing commences at Roudsea

Present: JAF and KW.

Today was the first official day of our Marsh Tit "RAS Season". We got off to a flying start with 10 Marsh Tits processed and an additional dozen field observations of colour-ringed birds.

37 birds of six species were processed, 9 new and 28 local retraps (retraps in brackets):

Marsh Tit 1 (9); Coal Tit 2 (3); Blue Tit 5 (10); Great Tit 0 (5); Jay 1 (0); Chaffinch 0 (1).

By Ancient Custom and Practice, the first day of the RAS Season is marked by a cooked breakfast.
Kim attends to the bacon sizzling in the Trangia in the field kitchen.

Kim seems pleased with her first Jay.
I believe she went home with all ten fingers intact.

The Jay was processed as an adult male

Chardonnerets versus Mist Net 26/02/2010

Present KH.

It was not an ideal day for a mist net ,a little too much wind. I decided to place 3 Chardonneret and 1 Potter Trap on a wall with a 40 foot Superfine Mist Net close by. The Cardonnerret out performed the Mist Net and the potter trap was a complete waste of time . Joe Public puts up the fat balls on the trees and I simply move them into the traps.

It only take one minute to set up

Dog walkers pass by and never notice the traps

Next Ness 16/02/2002

Present: JAF, KW

Next Ness is a small boggy woodland strip (mainly alders and willow) running parallel to the railway line. It is owned and managed by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, to whom we are grateful for permission to ring there. The wood is habitat for Teal, Moorhen, Kingfisher, Siskin and various tits and finches.

Today we processed 24 birds, of which 19 were new (retraps in brackets):

Wren 1 (0); Coal Tit 1 (1); Blue Tit 8 (3); Great Tit 3 (1); Chaffinch 4 (0); Bullfinch 2 (0).

Next Ness CWT Nature Reserve is the strip of woodland alongside the railway line.
The approximate position of the feeding station is arrowed.

There is just one site where a 120-foot net can be stretched across
the swampy woodland through the tangle of willow and alder

The improvised field station at Next Ness Nature Reserve

ASKAM PARK 15/02/2010
Present: JAF

Another attempt yesterday at the House Sparrows was thwarted by noisy children playing in the park during Half Term. Why couldn't they go somewhere else?
Ringed: Blackbird 2; Song Thrush 1; Greenfinch 1; Bullfinch 1; House Sparrow 3.

Elusive Finches Hay Bridge 12/02/2010

present K.H.

Hay Bridge Deer Reserve has many feeders and attracts numbers of photographers taking the easy option of obtaining stunning shots of finches around the feeders. The birds are so approachable the photographers with the large lenses are three times the distance away that the birds will normally accept. There should be signs up warning of flash photography. Although large flocks of Siskin and Redpoll were present, they were not going to be caught.

36 birds were processed of which 32 were new, re-traps in brackets. Blackbird 1(0) Coal Tit 2(0) Blue Tit 20(4) Great Tit 7(0) Chaffinch 2(o)

Behind the Hut at Roudsea 14/02/2010

Present: JAF, KW.

Worked behind the Hut at Roudsea Woods and Mosses NNR

61 birds processed of which 26 were new (retraps in brackets):

Great Spotted Woodpecker 0, (1); Robin 1(0); Marsh Tit 1, (3); Coal Tit 0, (2); Blue Tit 14 (12); Great Tit 5, (16); Nuthatch 0, (1); Chaffinch 4 (0); Redpoll 1 (0).

Century Before Lunch (Eskmeals 13 /02/ 2010)

Present: KH, JS, A. MacK, MW, JAF

Our Director of Studies gave a demonstration of how not to handle birds of prey. Photographs of the bloody outcome are available for those who have a strong stomach.

129 birds were processed of which 98 were new, re-traps shown in brackets.

Sparrowhawk 1(0); Woodcock 1(0); Wren 2(0); Dunnock 3(0); Robin 5(2); Blackbird11(6); Fieldfare 28(0); Song Thrush 6(0); Redwing 11(0); Blackcap 7(0);Goldcrest 1(5); Long-tailed Tit
0(3); Coal Tit 1(3); Blue Tit 2(3); Great Tit 1(1); Chaffinch 8(2); Bullfinch 10(6).

Ken and Jack process a Woodcock

One of the 28 FieldfaresRinged

One of the Seven Wintering Blackcaps Caught

Bottom End at Roudsea 12/02/2010

Present: JAF, KW

Ringed at a feeder in the coppiced hazel stands at the bottom end (SE corner) of Roudsea Woods and Mosses NNR.

55 birds were processed, of which 33 were new and one Blue Tit was a control:

Long-tailed Tit 2, (o); Marsh Tit 0, (1); Coal Tit 4, (o); Blue Tit 14, (10); Great Tit 11, (11); Nuthatch 2 (0).

Only a single recent retrap Marsh Tit was disappointing.

Working amidst the coppiced hazel trees

River Duddon Nest Boxes 08/02/2010

present LH and KH

A cold dry day, perfect for carrying boxes up Wallabarrow Gorge to replace six rotten boxes. Two designs of box were installed the target specie being Pied Flycatchers.

Linda re-numbering refurbished Hay Bridge donated boxes.(BTO Small Hole)

The reason for the strange design. They were made from a ship's ladder salvaged off the beach.

13,000 Fieldfare at Eskmeals 06/02/2010

present JS ,AM ,KH

Strictly speaking 13,000 were estimated a few days earlier as part of the B.T.O. Atlas. There were thousands on Saturday with many more feeding in the surrounding fields and roosting within the gun range.

49 birds were processed with 38 being new ( retraps shown in brackets):

Fieldfare 15(0); Blackbirds 3(1); Song Thrush 2(0);Bullfinch 5(4);Blue Tit 4(3);Blackcap 2(0);Great Tit 3(2);Chaffinch 2(0);Coal Tit 1(0);Long-tailed Tit 1(1)

Fieldfare what Fieldfare?

Old Marsh Tit at Long Tom, Roudsea

Present: JAF, KW.

Worked at Long Tom ride, processed 39 of which 17 new (retraps in brackets):

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1; Marsh Tit 1 (2); Coal Tit 3 (2); Blue Tit 12 (15); Great Tit (3).
Highlight was Marsh Tit R426277 (RBG,B;LBM) which was ringed on 27th May 2003 and is one from the first cohort of Marsh Tits ringed in the RAS programme.

Kim processes a Blue Tit at the "Long Tom" ride in Roudsea Woods and Mosses NNR

Askam Park Sparrow Roost

Present: JAF, KH. 5 February 2010

There has long been a roost of House Sparrows inhabiting a hedge the runs along the back of a small recreational park in Askam-in-Furness. Today we thought we'd give it a try. We caught 4 sparrows, but have learned something from the trial. Birds ringed were:

Blackbird 1; Bullfinch 2; Chaffinch 2; House Sparrow 4.

Askam Park: The mist net runs in front of the hedge at the back

Ken extracts a Bullfinch

Target species, a male House Sparrow