Wreakes Moss 24 October 2009

Present: JAF

Wreakes Moss is a component of the larger Duddon Mosses National Nature Reserve. We have not used the site since September 2004 but I visited it today to install a feeding station for later use. I put up a net for half an hour before the heavens opened and caught 10 new birds.

New Birds: Coal Tit 1; Blue Tit 7; Great Tit 2.

Noteworthy was the use of the last ring on a string of 1000, the first of which was used on a Blue Tit in Roudsea Wood on 2nd March 2008.

Roudsea Woods and Mosses 23 October 2009

Present JAF

103 birds processed, 78 new birds, 25 local retraps.

New birds: Great Spotted Woodpecker 1; Wren 1; Robin 2; Goldcrest 1; Long-tailed Tit 1; Coal Tit 3; Blue Tit 12; Great Tit 6; Chaffinch 3; Redpoll 47; Reed Bunting 1.

"Redpoll Ride"

This ride has caught 60 Redpolls in two sessions

Female Great Spotted Woodpecker

Twite at Home

Recent recovery forms from the B.T.O. have shown that the birds now known to breed in N.W. Scotland and winter in N.W. England are winter site faithful, but do wander within the N.West. Three birds ringed at Askam have subsequently been controlled twice at Heysham. Two birds ringed on Bank Marsh(Ribble Estuary) have been controlled twice at Askam. These are recent, but not the only controls and re-traps we had from the 368 Twite caught on the Duddon Estuary.

Lesser Redpoll Control

This bird moved 149km south in 13 days this spring!! Hay Bridge is one of the Lake District sites the group use and Light Oaks is ringing site used by J A Lawrence near Stoke on Trent.

(Coincidentally, J.A. "Andy" Lawrence is a former student and ringing trainee of JAF!)

Roudsea Woods and Mosses 18 October 2009

Present: JAF, KW

41 new birds ringed; 5 local retraps; one control (Long-tailed Tit).

New birds: Wren 3; Robin 1; Long-tailed Tit 7; Marsh Tit 1; Coal Tit 2; Blue Tit 6; Great Tit 4; Nuthatch 1; Goldfinch 3; Redpoll 13.

Rain stopped play at 10.30 am.

Latest recruit Kim examines a nice pink male Redpoll

Redpoll

Eskmeals 17 October 2009

Present KH, JS, JAF
69 New Birds Ringed, 6 retraps.

1 Sparrowhawk; 12 Wren; 8 Dunnock; 11 Robin; 6 Blackbird; 3 Song Thrush; 2 Blackcap; 2 Goldcrest; 3 Long-tailed Tit; 3 Coal Tit; 5 Blue Tit; 3 Great Tit; 7 Bullfinch; 2 Redpoll.

First winter male Sparrowhawk, Eskmeals, 17/10/2009 . The wing of this bird was 7mm below average. At this open site we normally catch females, let's hope one of them does not eat him.

Walney Golf Course, 16 October 2009

Present: JAF, KH, JS

14 new birds ringed, 5 local retraps.

New birds: Wren 1; Dunnock 2; Robin 1; Blackbird 4; Blue Tit 4; Chaffinch 2.

Next Ness, 15 October 2009

Present: JAF

14 New birds ringed, 6 retraps.

New birds: Robin 1; Coal Tit 2; Great Tit 1; Blue Tit 8; Jay; 1; Chaffinch 1

Walney Golf Course, 13 October 2009

Present: JAF, KH, JS.

27 new birds ringed, no retraps.
Great Spotted Woodepecker: 1 (a female undergoing post-juvenile moult maybe evidence of breeding on Walney); Wren 4; Robin 3; Blackbird 3; Blue Tit 8; Great Tit 4; Chaffinch 1; Bullfinch 2; Reed Bunting 1.

Also seen: Jack Snipe.

Walney NNR, 10 September 2009

Present: JAF

30 New birds ringed.

New birds: Wren 3; Dunnock 1; Spotted Flycatcher 1; Coal Tit 1; Blue Tit 11; Great 2 Tit; Chaffinch 2.

Walney Biggar Bank 25 & 28 July 2009

Present: JAF, KH, JS

10 New birds ringed: Wren 1; Blackbird 3; Sedge Warbler 1; Whitethroat 5.