Blues at Hay Bridge 19/03/2011

Present KH, RG and CG

After 101 Siskins we returned to the same site 10 days later and complete silence.  The noise from the flock had been remarkable. 96 birds were processed of 12 species (re-traps).Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Dunnock 1, Robin 1, Long-tailed Tit 2, Marsh Tit (1), Coal Tit 4 (2), Blue Tit 34 (13), Great Tit 8 (5), Nuthatch1, Chaffinch 12, Goldfinch7, Siskin 3. The only thing of note was an adult male Chaffinch with a wing of 93mm and the sorry state of the Blue Tit shown below.

 

Is this Feather Mite?

Some Degradation 

This Wing Okay

101 Siskins Ringed 09/03/2011

Present JS , KH, RG and CG

A not at all promising day turned out to be the opposite. Strong West Winds with rain almost led to the cancelling of the day at Hay Bridge.  It was only the horrible forecast for the rest of the week that decided us to have a go. We took with us some drop traps as insurance against the high winds   The birds processed were as follows, (re-traps). Robin 0 (1), Blackbird 0 (1), Long-tailed Tit 1 (1), Blue Tit 18 (3), Great Tit 2, Treecreeper 1, Chaffinch 13, Goldfinch 11, Siskin 101 (3), Lesser Redpoll 9 (2). We had two controls a Siskin and the last bird of the day a Lesser Redpoll. 

Chardonnerets -  Taken, used successfully at the start. 

One of the One Hundred and One

Too Busy to Pose

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) 

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

Hay Bridge - Red Kites and Winter Fires

Present RG, CG, KH.

The plan was to catch finches, but the distraction of  Red Kites flying overhead and a winter fire close by reduced the catch. 73 birds were processed, (15) re-traps and 1 control Redpoll.

Blackbird 1, Long-tailed Tit 3, Coal Tit 4 (2), Blue Tit 21(10), Great Tit 7, Chaffinch 6 (1),  Goldfinch1, Siskin 4, Redpoll 11(2).

REDPOLL  (KH's only photo not in hand)

SISKIN ( unfortunately after ringing)

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.

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!

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)

Brown Blue Tit 04/02/2010

Present KH

Thursday I decided to get among the Siskin and Redpoll Flocks at Hay bridge. A total of 49 birds were processed with 37 new,(retraps in brackets):

Blue Tits 25 (4); Coal Tits 3(1); Great tits 4(7); Blackbird 1(0); Nuthatch 1(0); Redpoll 3(0).

Below are photographs of a Blue Tit? We have some differently coloured tits in the valley. Another Blue Tit was photographed but the subtle difference in plumage was not apparent on the photos.

The brown colouration appeared to come from the lack of the fine barbules on the feathers that hold the blue colouration, notice how my fingers show through on the bottom photograph. Please feel free to comment.

Grey Day at Hay Bridge 19/01/2010

Present K H

One 12 metre net was erected for two hours by feeders covered with Siskins and Redpol, then the wind started to blow. Result Blackbird 1,Blue Tit 25, Redpol 3, Coal Tit 2, Great Tit 5 , Dunnock 1, Goldfinch 2.

Haybridge to Norway

A Blackbird ringed on the 27th of February 2005 was controlled at Svensbo, Vindafjord, Rogaland on the 25th of July 2009 some 783 km

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!)