As is usual at Oxwich (a coastal reed bed with fringing scrub) in late July and early August, the numbers of birds captured has varied widely between sessions. A total of 431 birds have been captured over four visits, albeit almost 200 of these were on 4 August.
The breakdown is as follows:
|
Species
Name |
Ringed
|
Recaptured
|
Total
|
|
Blackbird
|
9
|
1
|
10
|
|
Blackcap
|
30
|
2
|
32
|
|
Blue Tit
|
23
|
9
|
32
|
|
Cetti’s
Warbler |
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Chaffinch
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Dunnock
|
5
|
13
|
18
|
|
Garden
Warbler |
9
|
0
|
9
|
|
Goldfinch
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
|
Grasshopper
Warbler |
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Great
Spotted Woodpecker |
0
|
3
|
3
|
|
Great
Tit |
7
|
24
|
31
|
|
Greenfinch
|
8
|
0
|
8
|
|
Reed
Bunting |
2
|
9
|
11
|
|
Reed
Warbler |
66
|
14
|
80
|
|
Robin
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
|
Sedge
Warbler |
76
|
5
|
81
|
|
Siskin
|
1
|
5
|
6
|
|
Song
Thrush |
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Stonechat
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Swallow
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Tree
Pipit |
5
|
0
|
5
|
|
Whitethroat
|
13
|
0
|
13
|
|
Willow
Tit |
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Willow
Warbler |
61
|
0
|
61
|
|
Wren
|
9
|
2
|
11
|
|
Grand
Total |
339
|
92
|
431
|
Highlights have been:
- A willow tit (only the second to be captured at the site since 2013) on 27 July
- Our first garden warblers of the year (3) on 27 July. At the time of writing we have captured nine.
- Sixty-one willow warblers, including a day total of 46 on 4 August
- Seventy-six sedge warblers, including a day total of 58 on 4 August
- Our first stonechat of the year, a recently-fledged juvenile
- Our earliest tree pipits (by one day) to date; three on 9 August with two more on 11 August.
The willow tit was a young bird in post juvenile moult. The principal features in identification (i.e. separation from marsh tit) were the unmarked upper mandible, the lack of contrast between the white cheeks and the neck sides, the difference in length between the longest and shortest tail feather, and a relatively clear pale panel in the wing (for a young bird).
Willow tit is a notable record for south / west Gower; the remnant local population is confined to the northern edge of the recording area, so this represents an indication that a local breeding population persists in the Peninsula.
Garden warbler is a scarce breeder and under recorded passage migrant in Gower. They typically first appear each year in the last few days of July, and are captured throughout August before becoming scarce in early September. The willow and sedge warblers have clearly included birds preparing to migrate, with some carrying significant fat. The tree pipits to date have all been fledged birds of the year.
Among the recaptured birds during the period have been a reed warbler and a reed bunting ringed in 2013. We have also been notified that one of our young reed warblers was recaptured at the Teifi Marshes recently (ringed 14 July and recovered at Teifi on 1 August). This is a north north-westerly movement of 67 km. Initial dispersal further away from the wintering grounds is not atypical of young reed warblers.
Thanks to all who have attended recent ringing sessions: Heather Coats, Keith Vaughton, Wayne Morris, Edward O’Connor, Richard Dann, Joanne Conway, Alex McCubbin, Martin Thomas, Martin Georgiev, Val Wilson, Sarah Davies, Amy Schwartz, Sophie de Grissac, Dionne Jenkins and Kathryn Dunnett.
Owain Gabb
11/09/2018
 |
| Willow tit (Richard Dann) |
 |
| Whitethroat (Alex McCubbin) |
 |
| Tree pipit (Amy Schwartz) |
 |
| Tree pipit (Richard Dann) |
 |
| Tree pipit (Richard Dann) |
 |
| Common lizard (Richard Dann) |
