A couple of short sessions in fairly settled weather on 2 & 5 November resulted in a modest combined total of 65 birds.
On 2 November the wind was a light easterly, and on 5 November it was from the north and had strengthened to such as degree that by 10:00 we were packing up.
The catch was as follows:
|
Species
|
Ringed
|
Recaptured
|
Total
|
|
Snipe
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Wren
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
Dunnock
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
|
Robin
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
|
Blackbird
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Redwing
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
|
Cetti’s Warbler
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Blackcap
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
7
|
0
|
7
|
|
Goldcrest
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Firecrest
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Long-tailed Tit
|
6
|
13
|
19
|
|
Blue Tit
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
|
Great Tit
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
Chaffinch
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Goldfinch
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
|
Reed Bunting
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Total:
|
40
|
25
|
65
|
The highlights were:
- A first winter snipe captured just after the nets were opened on 2 November. The eleventh of the year to date.
- A few more redwing, most of them adults based on criteria listed in Svensson (1992) – including the tip pattern of the tertials, the shape of the 1st tail feather and the presence / absence of retained greater coverts. We have now captured 36 in 2016,
- Another new Cetti’s warbler, The ninth new bird of this species ringed since early October.
- Seven chiffchaffs, It has been a good year for the species with 133 ringed (cross ref 99 in 2015).
- Two new firecrests, bringing the annual total to four.
The first firecrest, a male, was not specifically aged, as the shape of the tail was inconclusive (rounded tails are more typical of adults and pointed tails of first winter birds). The second bird, a female, was carrying a reasonable amount of fat (score of 4 using the British Working Group system) and had a rounded, fresh-looking tail. We aged it as an adult. Pictures are below.
Many thanks to Heather Coats, Keith Vaughton, Emma Cole, Darren Hicks, Phil Mead, Lynn Watts, Sammy-Jo Pengelly and Natasha Dodds for company and assistance over the two visits.
Owain Gabb
05/11/2016
 |
| Male firecrest |
 |
| Female firecrest |
 |
| Female firecrest |
 |
| Female firecrest (showing hint of orange in crown) |
 |
| Tail of presumed adult female firecrest |
