A steady second half of the month. Sessions were fitted in around the weather.
Totals are shown in the table below:
|
Species
|
Ringed
|
Recaptured
|
Total
|
|
Jack Snipe
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Snipe
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
|
Great Spotted Woodpecker
|
1
|
5
|
6
|
|
Meadow Pipit
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Wren
|
10
|
6
|
16
|
|
Dunnock
|
2
|
10
|
12
|
|
Robin
|
7
|
7
|
14
|
|
Stonechat
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Blackbird
|
9
|
2
|
11
|
|
Song Thrush
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
|
Redwing
|
53
|
0
|
53
|
|
Cetti’s Warbler
|
5
|
5
|
10
|
|
Blackcap
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
|
Goldcrest
|
50
|
1
|
51
|
|
Long-tailed Tit
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
Coal Tit
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Blue Tit
|
74
|
38
|
112
|
|
Great Tit
|
11
|
12
|
23
|
|
Starling
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Chaffinch
|
7
|
0
|
7
|
|
Greenfinch
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
|
Goldfinch
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
|
Reed Bunting
|
11
|
0
|
11
|
|
Total:
|
275
|
90
|
365
|
The highlights were as follows:
- Our ninth jack snipe of the year on 15 October
- Six common snipe. We have now captured 36 in 2017, which accounts for just over half of the birds ringed on the marsh to date (70). This has reflected the fact that low water levels have allowed us to use rides close to the South Pond throughout the year.
- Our 32nd great spotted woodpecker of the year. Most are captured in June, as locally breeding adults and recently fledged juveniles visit the feeders at this time. Late in the year, however, birds seem to range more widely, and a few more are typically ringed in the late autumn / winter.
- Five new Cetti’s warblers. Since the first was ringed on 19 May 2013 we have captured and ringed a further 101 birds and controlled one other (from Magor Marsh).
- Good numbers of redwing (for the site). Forty on 27 October has been the only relatively big day to date.
- Over 100 blue tits, of which 74 have been newly ringed. 2016 was a very poor year for the species, and numbers reflect what appears to have been a productive breeding season in 2017. The retraps include birds of several years old.
- Two starlings. The first captured for several years at the site. They appear to have been drawn in to a redwing tape.
Thanks to everyone who has been able to make it along: Heather Coates, Cedwyn Davies, Keith Vaughton, Emma Cole, Val Wilson, Lynn Watts, Kirsty Franklin, Stephen Vickers, Jo Conway, Alex McCubbin, Sophie de Grissac and Edward O’Connor.
Some photos are below
Owain Gabb
30 October 2017
 |
| Redwing. One of 40 captured on 27 October (Stephen Vickers) |
 |
| Starling. Our first since August 2014 (Stephen Vickers) |
GREAT !