The second half of August has proven no better than the first half. Settled weather has been very limited, with wind speed consistently limiting catches.
The overall result has been that what was was looking like a good year in terms of new birds ringed is now looking distinctly average. A comparison of new bird totals for Oxwich in the period between the 1 Jan and late August for the past three years is below:
Table 1: New birds ringed 1 Jan – 26 August (2017-2019)
Species
Name |
2019
|
2018
|
2017
|
Blackbird
|
31
|
43
|
28
|
Blackcap
|
72
|
70
|
40
|
Blue Tit
|
219
|
178
|
120
|
Brambling
|
|
21
|
|
Bullfinch
|
11
|
11
|
10
|
Cetti’s
Warbler |
11
|
10
|
12
|
Chaffinch
|
136
|
135
|
65
|
Chiffchaff
|
52
|
17
|
49
|
Coal Tit
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
Dunnock
|
29
|
51
|
40
|
Garden
Warbler |
6
|
12
|
6
|
Goldcrest
|
2
|
5
|
4
|
Goldfinch
|
183
|
162
|
232
|
Grasshopper
Warbler |
6
|
5
|
13
|
Great
Spotted Woodpecker |
17
|
29
|
15
|
Great
Tit |
98
|
163
|
73
|
Greenfinch
|
120
|
44
|
90
|
Jack
Snipe |
3
|
5
|
6
|
Jay
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
Kingfisher
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
Lesser
Redpoll |
0
|
1
|
0
|
Lesser
Whitethroat |
0
|
1
|
0
|
Long-tailed
Tit |
7
|
3
|
6
|
Marsh
tit |
0
|
3
|
0
|
Meadow
Pipit |
1
|
0
|
0
|
Nuthatch
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
Pied
Flycatcher |
1
|
0
|
0
|
Pied/White
Wagtail |
5
|
8
|
4
|
Reed
Bunting |
30
|
51
|
36
|
Reed
Warbler |
124
|
215
|
151
|
Robin
|
37
|
37
|
44
|
Sand
Martin |
3
|
31
|
11
|
Sedge
Warbler |
97
|
161
|
119
|
Siskin
|
124
|
182
|
153
|
Snipe
|
29
|
27
|
22
|
Song
Thrush |
5
|
10
|
5
|
Sparrowhawk
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
Starling
|
0
|
10
|
0
|
Stonechat
|
5
|
1
|
4
|
Swallow
|
237
|
146
|
289
|
Tree
Pipit |
7
|
7
|
10
|
Treecreeper
|
7
|
3
|
2
|
Whinchat
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
Whitethroat
|
18
|
24
|
18
|
Willow
Tit |
0
|
1
|
0
|
Willow
Warbler |
45
|
89
|
63
|
Wren
|
27
|
36
|
30
|
Yellowhammer
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
Yellow
Wagtail |
0
|
1
|
0
|
Grand
Total |
1814
|
2013
|
1775
|
Late August highlights have been limited to:
- A pied flycatcher, the first for the site, on 24 August
- 5 tree pipits on 24 August
The results of the limited August catches have been to make it a very poor year for willow warbler (totals are typically massively influenced by a few big days in August), sand martin, reed warbler and sedge warbler, and a very average one for tree pipit and garden warbler (we may have caught our last of both for 2019).
A good September is desperately needed for the purposes of sanity!
Thanks to all who have attended the various blustery sessions: Heather Coats, Keith Vaughton, Wayne Morris, Emma Cole, Val Wilson, Sarah Davies, Joanne Conway, Bethan Dalton, Sophie de Grissac, Alex McCubbin, Richard Dann, Amy Schwartz, Dionne Jenkins, Martin Thomas, Colin Baker, Miguel Lurgi and Lucy Rowley.
Owain Gabb
29/08/2019
![]() |
Pied flycatcher (a provisionally sexed young female) (Amy Schwartz) |
![]() |
Tree pipit (Sophie de Grissac) |
![]() |
Tree pipit (Amy Schwartz) |