A ringing session in late April, and a second in early May 2018 resulted in 133 birds being captured.
The combined total from the two sessions was as follows:
|
Species Name
|
New
|
Recaptured
|
Grand Total
|
|
Blackcap
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
|
Blue Tit
|
|
10
|
10
|
|
Bullfinch
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Cetti’s Warbler
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
|
Chaffinch
|
|
3
|
3
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Dunnock
|
|
6
|
6
|
|
Goldfinch
|
14
|
3
|
17
|
|
Great Spotted Woodpecker
|
|
4
|
4
|
|
Great Tit
|
1
|
9
|
10
|
|
Long-tailed Tit
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Reed Bunting
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
|
Reed Warbler
|
6
|
1
|
7
|
|
Robin
|
1
|
9
|
10
|
|
Sedge Warbler
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
|
Siskin
|
11
|
28
|
39
|
|
Song Thrush
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
Whitethroat
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Willow Warbler
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
|
Wren
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
Grand Total
|
47
|
86
|
133
|
The highlights were:
- Three recently fledged juvenile siskins on 5 May. These were our first fledglings of the year.
- Our first whitethroat of 2018, a female.
- A little influx of reed warblers, including a returning bird from 2017 (captured as a recently-fledged juvenile).
- Proving local breeding in a range of common and widespread residents, including long-tailed tit, blue tit and great spotted woodpecker, based on brood patches and / or cloacal protrusions
In addition, a group of migrating whimbrel were noted over the site, and at least one reeling grasshopper warbler was present throughout, suggesting breeding again this year.
The ringing total for 2018 to date is as follows:
|
Species Name
|
New
|
Recaptured
|
Grand Total
|
|
Blackbird
|
6
|
3
|
9
|
|
Blackcap
|
14
|
2
|
16
|
|
Blue Tit
|
39
|
122
|
161
|
|
Brambling
|
21
|
5
|
26
|
|
Bullfinch
|
3
|
|
3
|
|
Cetti’s Warbler
|
1
|
11
|
12
|
|
Chaffinch
|
50
|
12
|
62
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
8
|
1
|
9
|
|
Coal Tit
|
2
|
5
|
7
|
|
Dunnock
|
4
|
44
|
48
|
|
Goldcrest
|
5
|
1
|
6
|
|
Goldfinch
|
75
|
20
|
95
|
|
Grasshopper Warbler
|
2
|
|
2
|
|
Great Spotted Woodpecker
|
1
|
13
|
14
|
|
Great Tit
|
14
|
74
|
88
|
|
Greenfinch
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
|
Jack Snipe
|
5
|
1
|
6
|
|
Lesser Redpoll
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Lesser Whitethroat
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Long-tailed Tit
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
|
Marsh Tit
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Mute Swan
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
Nuthatch
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Reed Bunting
|
20
|
25
|
45
|
|
Reed Warbler
|
6
|
1
|
7
|
|
Robin
|
2
|
25
|
27
|
|
Sedge Warbler
|
5
|
5
|
10
|
|
Siskin
|
92
|
155
|
247
|
|
Snipe
|
27
|
4
|
31
|
|
Song Thrush
|
|
2
|
2
|
|
Treecreeper
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Whitethroat
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Willow Warbler
|
8
|
1
|
9
|
|
Wren
|
3
|
6
|
9
|
|
Grand Total
|
426
|
543
|
969
|
A direct comparison with 2017 indicates a greater diversity of species captured (34 (2018) 26 (2017)), and approximately 200 more birds at this point this year than last year. The only species that has been captured in significantly lower numbers than last year is goldfinch. Siskin numbers appear well up at present, with numerous between-year recaptures.
Thanks to Heather Coats, Keith Vaughton, Cedwyn Davies, Wayne Morris, Sophie de Grissac, Joanne Conway, Amy Schwartz, Richard Dann, Val Wilson and Alex McCubbin for company and assistance over the two visits.
 |
| Sophie de Grissac, Richard Dann and Joanne Conway (l-r) (Aurelien Prudor) |
 |
| Bluebells in the ringing field (Richard Dann) |
 |
| Sedge warbler (Richard Dann) |
 |
| The first juvenile siskin of the year (Richard Dann) |
