February's Totals Eskmeals and Rusland Valley 27/02/2011

Present KH, RG, CG and JS (part time)
The Winter Thrushes have moved away and ringing will be slow for the next month unless the weather take a turn for the worst. The month totals are as follows, re-traps in brackets.
Wren (1), Dunnock (2), Robin 2 (3), Blackbird 1 (1), Fieldfare 2, Blackcap 4, Long-tailed Tit (1), Coal Tit 4 (5), Blue Tit 69 (15), Great Tit 38 (5), Chaffinch 10, Goldfinch 6 (1), Siskin 22 (1), Lesser Redpoll 20,Bullfinch (1).
The two things of note in the month were our preparation for our Spain ringing trip and our encounters with Kite Surfers when trying for Rock Pipits.

Ros Practises Taking Biometrics Ready For Spain

They who harass geese shall be harassed (eco warrior) 

Spring arrives at Roudsesa

26 February 2011. Present: JAF.

At last some spring sunshine and reasonable temperatures. Mainly maintenance (repairing and topping up feeders ready for the start of the RAS season next week), but a few birds caught (additional retraps/resightings in brackets): Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 (+1); Blue Tit 3 (+6); Great Tit (3); Marsh Tit 1 (+5).

The warmer weather brought out these little fellows 

making their way to spawning sites

Miserable Monday at Roudsea

21 February 2011, present: JAF, KW.

A promising start with 4 Marsh Tits in the first round before rain stopped play at nine o'clock. 23 birds processed, 13 new (additional retraps in brackets): Robin (1); Blackbird 1; Marsh Tit 2 (+2); Blue Tit 3 (+3); Great Tit 2 (+4); Nuthatch 2; Chaffinch 1; Lesser Redpoll 1.

Kim tries to stay cheerful

on a miserable Monday morning

processing the last few birds

before rain stopped play.

Hawk among the Tits at Roudsea

17 February 2011; Present: JAF

68 birds processed, of which 42 new. The session was remarkable for an influx of Blue Tits. Additional retraps in brackets: Sparrowhawk 1; Robin 1; Blackbird 1; Marsh Tit (5, +2 field sightings); Coal Tit (2); Blue Tit 35 (+12); Great Tit 2 (+4); Nuthatch 2; Chaffinch 1.

A male Sparrowhawk makes a change from the plethora of tits

Roudsea Woods and Mosses NNR on a winter's afternoon

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Roudsea, 18 February 2011, present JAF

70 birds processed, 30 new (additional retraps in brackets): Great Spotted Woodpecker 1; Marsh Tit (5); Coal Tit 1 (+2); Blue Tit 22 (+22); Great tit 3 (+11); Chaffinch 3.

Wednesday morning in the park

Askam Park 16 February 2011. Present: JAF.

With the local kids safely locked up in the village school I was able to pass a couple of hours in the little park while waiting for the the engineer to come to service my gas boiler.

13 birds (11 new. retraps in brackets): Dunnock 2; Blackbird 2; Starling 3; House Sparrow 2; Greenfinch 1; Bullfinch 1 (+2).

A quiet corner of Askam village park. 

The mist net is set in front of the hedge on the far right.

Record catch at Roudsea

10 February 2011. Present: JAF

123 birds processed (45 new) represents a record catch for this site (previous best 94).
A retrapped Marsh Tit ringed on 3rd March 2003 is the oldest known bird in the wood and was a member of the first cohort of Marsh Tits in the RAS project.

Species list (additional retraps in brackets): Marsh Tit: 2 (+11); Coal Tit 2 (+9); Blue Tit 18 (+28); Great Tit 20 (+29); Nuthatch 1 (+1); Chaffinch 2.

"Old Faithful", (right below: blue above red; left below: metal) 

is the oldest known bird in the wood

Hazel catkins in late winter sunshine in Roudsea Woods and Mosses NNR

A Satisfying Day At Hay Bridge

08/02/2011

Present KH, RG, CG and  JS part time.

A total of 104 birds were processed of 10 species, details are as follows (re- traps).

Robin 1, Long-tailed Tit 0(1), Marsh Tit 1, Coal Tit 1(2), Blue Tit 35(8), Great Tit 2(1), Chaffinch 8, Goldfinch 4 (1 Control), Siskin 21(1), Lesser Redpoll 17.  

JS being a ringer who loves to ring waders decided to wader off and take photographs At the time of publishing the blog we were unable to use Jack's shots of the many birds in the area due to copy write restrictions ,  So those below were taken by the ringers present, in the only way they know how,

Large Siskin

Small Lesser Redpol

Marsh Tit Bonanza at Roudsea

8 February 2011; present JAF, PM

A record number of Marsh Tits processed in a day, 13 new birds, 2 retraps and 4 field sighting of colour ringed birds.
52 birds ringed, 39 new. Ringing totals (additional retraps in brackets): Marsh Tit 13 (+2, +4); Coal Tit 2 (+3); Blue Tit 14 (+3); Great Tit 10 (+5).

The Librarienne Extraordinaire takes control of the paperwork

pre-Rassing Starts at Roudsea

3 March 2011
Present: JAF, KW

February marks the start of pre-Rassing the Marsh Tits, now in its 10th year. The season starts officially on 1st March but February is the month for attempting to catch and colour-ring any remaining juveniles from last summer, locating and repairing feeders, and generally trying to find which birds are on territory which will facilitate locating them later.

39 birds were processed, 6 new. These included 1 new Marsh Tit, 3 retraps and two field sightings (additional retraps in brackets): Marsh Tit 1 (+5); Coal Tit 1 (+6); Blue Tit 1 (+11); Great Tit 1 (+11); Treecreeper (1); Chaffinch 1.

A plank nailed to a fallen log makes a suitable field station

(I think Kim might have just been bitten by that Great Tit)

Kim colour-rings a Marsh Tit