Wood Warblers

Present KH and JS

The drier woods in South Cumbria are alive with Wood Warblers.  Below are two photographs which with other clues help identify this specie in the hand .

The second primary aligns with the fourth. Strong yellow eye stripe and white lower parts.

Foulney Returns

KH
I received today two ringing returns . Both were Oystercatchers ringed as pulli on Foulney last summer. A total of 10 were ringed and as we all know the first year of life is the critical one for survival. I assume they were found as part of a beach survey this winter looking for dead "Oinks". Last winter was one of the worst and I will be looking with interest to see how birds survived on the bay.

Roudsea 15.5.2010

Present: JAF, KW.
We had 2 x (3 x 60ft) nets in the scrub along quarry ride.
18 birds processed (retraps in brackets): Tree Pipit 2; Dunnock 1; Garden Warbler 3; Chiffchaff 1 (1); Willow Warbler 1 (1); Coal Tit 0 (1); Great Tit 1; Treecreeper 3; Redpoll 2; Bullfinch 1.

The 3 Treecreepers were our first 3Js of the year and caught together, evidently belonging to the same brood.

Kim  extends her ringing training experience with her first Tree Pipit

Next Ness 09.05.2010

Present: JAF, KW.
10 Birds processed (retraps in brackets) Garden Warbler 1; Robin 1; Blackbird 3; Wren 1 (1); Bullfinch 3.

The wet willow and alder carr of Next Ness, perhaps looking more like the Everglades. 

Map and more pictures of Next Ness here.

Kim extends her ringing training experience with her first Garden Warbler

Tawny Owl, Roudsea

May 5th 2010. Present: JAF, KH

Ken is about to release a Tawny Owl as he extends his ringing experience into the Strigidae

The first Acros at Roudsea

May 3rd 2010.
Present: JAF, KW.

15 birds processed (retraps in brackets):
 Song Thrush 1 (0); Sedge Warbler 3 (0); Reed Warbler 1 (2); Blue Tit 4 (2); Chaffinch 1 (0); Reed Buntng 0 (1).

Roudsea Woods and Mosses NNR has a fringe of Phragmites bed skirting the southern side, along the Leven Estuary which provides a habitat for a few pairs of Acrocephalus warblers, and offers a diversion from ringing tits at feeders.

Kim extends her ringing training experience* with her first Reed Bunting 

(also with Reed and Sedge warblers)

(*Note how we assiduously avoid using the expression "ringing tick"!)

Two Chiffchaffs Return to Eskmeals 17/04/2010

Present:   KH. JS. AM. CG.  RG.
A total of 63 birds were caught of 14 species.  They were as follows, (re-traps).
Robin 2(3) Blackcap1(0) Blackbird 5(0) Bullfinch 4(3) Dunnock 6(2) Blue Tit 4(2) Wren 5(1) Chiffchaff 8(2) Willow Warbler 5(0) Long-tailed Tit 0(2) Goldfinch 2(0) Chaffinch 2(0) Coal Tit 1(0) Lesser Redpoll 3(0).

A. M. giving a wing measurement "Master Class"

Roudsea - Australian assistance

This morning's visit to Roudsea was with Australian friend Simon Cotter on a birding visit to England over Easter. We ringed down near the marsh and processed just 14 birds: 9 new, 4 local retraps and 1 Blue Tit control (recaptures in brackets): Blue Tit 1 (4); Great Tit 1 (1); Coal Tit 1 (0); Robin 1 (0); Treecreeper 1 (0); Chaffinch 2 (0); Reed Bunting 2 (0).

Simon at the ringing station at Roudsea Woods and Mosses National Nature Reserve

Simon seems pleased with his Reed Bunting

Male Reed Bunting

Chiffchaff Migrant? 27/03/2010

Present KH AM JS MW RG.
The idea was for some ringing but ride preparation for the summer was priority.
Almost immediately we caught a Chiffchaff which had been previously caught on  19/09/2009.  This split the team into two camps.  Two people thought it had possibly over-wintered and the other three that it was a returning migrant.  The pros and cons to the discussion I leave you to work out.  The re-trap Blackcaps were initially caught on the same date as the Chiffchaff but obviously had over-wintered.
The totals for the species ringed (re-traps) were as follows: Blackbird 2; Goldcrest 2(1); Chiffchaff (1); Dunnock 3(1); Robin 3(3); Blue Tit 1; Great Tit 1; Blackcap 1(2).

GRESPO with Brown on Wings 23/03/2010

Present KH

After some hard conservation work a little light ringing was the order of the day. The following were the birds ringed(re-traps). Marsh Tit 1: Great Tit 9(3); Coal Tit 4; Blue Tit 5; Robin 1; Nuthatch 1; Great Spotted Woodpecker (1).

First ringed as a 6 Female 13/01/2009. The brown was not noticed then!

Roudsea Woods - Rassing 7 March 2010

Present: JAF, JH

A good start with four Marsh Tits until bright sunshine reached the net and curtailed further catching.

18 birds processed, 8 new, 10 local retraps (retraps in brackets):

Marsh Tit 1 (3); Coal Tit 2 (0); Blue Tit 5 (3); Great Tit 0 (4).

Jenny sits on the log and processes a Blue Tit

Roudsea Woods - Rassing Update 3-5 March 2010

Present: JAF, KH, KW

Visits to Roudsea on three consecutive days, processed 117 birds of which 36 new and 81 local retraps (retraps in brackets):

Great Spotted Woodpecker 0 (2); Robin 2 (0); Blackbird 2 (0); Marsh Tit 1 (21); Coal Tit 3 (5); Blue Tit 19 (28); Great Tit 7 (23); Nuthatch 0 (2); Chaffinch 1 (0).

By 5th March, we have accounted already for 42 Marsh Tits, 17 recaptures (or re-sightings) from previous RAS seasons, and 25 "new entries" into the RAS population.

Kim processes a Blackbird at Roudsea Woods and Mosses NNR