A short period of fairly settled weather, with light easterly and north-easterly winds, allowed us to get in two sessions. The results are below:
|
Species
Name |
Ringed
|
Recaptured
|
Grand
Total |
|
Blue
Tit |
4
|
10
|
14
|
|
Brambling
|
5
|
|
5
|
|
Chaffinch
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
|
Dunnock
|
1
|
5
|
6
|
|
Goldfinch
|
7
|
2
|
9
|
|
Great
Spotted Woodpecker |
|
2
|
2
|
|
Great
Tit |
2
|
8
|
10
|
|
Nuthatch
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
Reed
Bunting |
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Robin
|
|
3
|
3
|
|
Siskin
|
7
|
18
|
25
|
|
Snipe
|
2
|
|
2
|
|
Treecreeper
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Willow
Warbler |
1
|
|
1
|
|
Wren
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Grand
Total |
37
|
51
|
88
|
The features of the combined catch were:
- What were probably the final two common snipe of the spring (one in both sessions). Jack snipe were seen on the marsh on 1 April, but we did not manage to capture any. Both species are likely to be down to single figure numbers at present.
- A continued trickle of bramblings. Of the five birds captured, four were females and one a cracking male. We had to release another male brambling that showed evidence of developing Fringilla papillomavirus.
- Our first willow warbler of the spring (and the first sub-Saharan migrant captured in 2018). This bird was carrying reasonable fat deposits, suggesting it was still en route to its breeding grounds.
- Evidence of breeding in dunnock, great spotted woodpecker and siskin. Individuals of these species either showed defeathering or well defined brood patches (females), or cloacal protrusions (males).
- The first treecreeper of the year, caught on 1 April. The nuthatch trapped during the same session would have been more notable had it not been initially ringed during a March 2018 visit.
A breakdown of birds captured in the year to date is below. It is very nice to have siskin as our most captured species; greenfinch (conversely) is largely notable by its absence from the working totals at present, while it has also been a slow start to the year in terms of goldfinches. The number of new brambling suggests it has been an exceptional winter locally for the species, while it is also our best first winter period for common snipe.
|
Species
Name |
Ringed
|
Recaptured
|
Grand
Total |
|
Blackbird
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
|
Blue
Tit |
31
|
97
|
128
|
|
Brambling
|
17
|
3
|
20
|
|
Cetti’s
Warbler |
|
4
|
4
|
|
Chaffinch
|
45
|
4
|
49
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Coal
Tit |
2
|
3
|
5
|
|
Dunnock
|
3
|
32
|
35
|
|
Goldcrest
|
5
|
1
|
6
|
|
Goldfinch
|
36
|
9
|
45
|
|
Great
Spotted Woodpecker |
1
|
3
|
4
|
|
Great
Tit |
11
|
45
|
56
|
|
Greenfinch
|
3
|
|
3
|
|
Jack
Snipe |
5
|
1
|
6
|
|
Marsh
Tit |
1
|
|
1
|
|
Nuthatch
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Reed
Bunting |
10
|
4
|
14
|
|
Robin
|
|
15
|
15
|
|
Siskin
|
61
|
75
|
136
|
|
Snipe
|
26
|
4
|
30
|
|
Song
Thrush |
|
1
|
1
|
|
Treecreeper
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Willow
Warbler |
1
|
|
1
|
|
Wren
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
|
Grand
Total |
266
|
305
|
571
|
Thanks to all who managed to attend one or both sessions: Heather Coats, Keith Vaughton, Wayne Morris, Bethan Dalton, Alex McCubbin, Edward O’Connor, Sophie de Grissac and Richard Dann.
Owain Gabb
02/04/2018
 |
| The last snipe of spring? |
 |
| Female brambling |
 |
| Male brambling |
 |
| Female brambling |
 |
| The first willow warbler of the year |
 |
| Blue tit with deformed bill (3 years old) |
