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

FIELD DAY AT ESKMEALS

Present CG, RG, JS,AM, NH and MW.
A cold weather movement brought two old cock ringers South.
A total of 117 birds processed of which 83 were new. The 14 species were as follows, (re-traps):
FIELDFARE 34, Wren (1),  Dunnock  (1), Robin 5 (6), Blackbird 10 (4), Song Thrush 5 (2), Redwing 3, Blackcap 1 (3), Long-tailed Tit 9 (4), Coal Tit  (1), Blue Tit 3 (5), Chaffinch 7 , Brambling 1, Bullfinch 5 (7).

Who has lost his binoculars?

Roudsea at Long Tom

20 January 2010; Present: JAF, ES.

74 birds processed, 39 new: Marsh Tit 2 (+2); Coal Tit 4 (+3); Blue Tit 21 (+17); Great Tit 11 (+13); Nuthatch 1.

Emily processes a Blue Tit...

And then fries the bacon.

Blackbird - Deformed Bill

KH.

As you may have noticed the B.T.O. are showing interest in birds with deformed bills.  Here is one I caught some time ago and never saw again.

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First Year Female 

Woodcock recovery

Does anybody remember this fellow? First appeared here when ringed a year ago (10 January 2010) at Askam Pits. Sadly, recovered shot 19 days later near Broughlane, Antrim, Northern Ireland, on 29th January 2010, a distance of 209 km.

Ringing and recovery places. I wonder if it stopped of on the 

Isle of Man on its way over to Northern Ireland

Colour Ringed Waxwing Photographed Three Times

This juvenile female was given three colour rings.  Lime Green over White over Yellow and on the other leg a BTO Ring  NW49498.

This  on 27/11/2010 at Claremont Gardens,  Nellfied,  ABERDEEN

Ulverston,  Cumbria      334 km SSW      21/12/2010       Ken Hindmarch

Hatfield, Hertfordshire     332km SSE       08/01/2011       John Yates

Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire        4.5 km NNE      11/01/2011      Chris Beach

View Waxwing map in a larger map

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)

First Visit To Eskmeals

Present KH, AM, JF, RG, CG.

This visit produced 118 birds to process, including 34 (re-traps). They were as follows . Sparrowhawk 1, Wren2, Robin(1), Blackbird 13 (3), Fieldfare 11, Song Thrush 4(1), Redwing 10, Blackcap 4(2), Goldcrest 1, Long-tailed Tit 1(1), Coal Tit 3(1), Blue Tit 8(13) Great Tit (4),  Treecreeper (1), Chaffinch 21, Bullfinch 5(7)

Redwing  (Rosalyn's Favourite)

Fieldfare  (An Eskmeals Speciality Enjoyed by All Members)

Private Garden Produces 23 Blackbirds In One December Visit 2010

Present AM, CG, and RG. 

This site produced 102 birds ringed with one Blue Tit control.  They were as follows note no retraps.  Dunnock 3, Robin 7, Blackbird 23, Coal Tit 1, Blue Tit 47, Great Tit 9, Chaffinch 8, Goldfinch 2, Yellowhammer 1.  

Male Blackbird

Waxwing

9 January 2011. Present: JAF, KH.
A Waxwing caught and ringed at Scales, Furness, represents the first ringing record of this species for the 01229 Ringing Group.

 Waxwing, processed as 5M at Scales, Furness