Settled weather allowed us to complete two sessions this week. The numbers of birds in the marsh remains modest, and the catches reflect this. It appears that the large flocks of finches present in January and February have now dispersed, while the first spring migrants are coming through.The combined total from the two days is below:
|
Species
|
New
|
Recaptures
|
Total
|
|
Great Spotted Woodpecker
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Wren
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
|
Dunnock
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
Robin
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Goldcrest
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Blue Tit
|
4
|
5
|
9
|
|
Great Tit
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Chaffinch
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Greenfinch
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Goldfinch
|
10
|
2
|
12
|
|
Siskin
|
20
|
8
|
28
|
|
Reed Bunting
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
|
Total:
|
46
|
27
|
73
|
 |
| A view back towards the marsh from Oxwich Point. The marsh is tucked between the dunes and the woodland behind |
The highlights have been good numbers of siskin (we have now exceeded the total of unique birds captured in 2015 and 2014) and a few spring chiffchaffs, some of which are carrying a little fat and one of which showed a pollen horn. The numbers of greenfinches at the marsh appears considerably lower than in previous years: in March 2014 we captured 91, in March 2015 75 but in March 2016 only 5 birds.
The totals for the year to date (at the end of the first quarter) are as follows:
|
Species
|
Unique Birds
|
|
Water Rail
|
1
|
|
Jack Snipe
|
5
|
|
Snipe
|
6
|
|
Great Spotted Woodpecker
|
4
|
|
Wren
|
10
|
|
Dunnock
|
13
|
|
Robin
|
7
|
|
Blackbird
|
3
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
6
|
|
Goldcrest
|
9
|
|
Long-tailed Tit
|
1
|
|
Coal Tit
|
4
|
|
Blue Tit
|
91
|
|
Great Tit
|
37
|
|
Treecreeper
|
1
|
|
Chaffinch
|
77
|
|
Greenfinch
|
32
|
|
Goldfinch
|
122
|
|
Siskin
|
89
|
|
Lesser Redpoll
|
1
|
|
Reed Bunting
|
33
|
Thanks to all who have made it along for the last couple of sessions: Keith Vaughton, Paul Aubrey, Wayne Morris, Dan Rouse, Val Wilson and Gareth Watkins.
Owain Gabb
25/03/2016
25/03/2016
