The Year to Date

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Late March and early April can be relatively slow, particularly at Oxwich, where we see a high ratio of recaptured to newly ringed birds and a limited range of species recorded. We get some good data on survival, but few surprises.

As April progresses, and the migrants start to appear, the catch becomes less predictable. It is therefore a good time to reflect on how the year is shaping up.

Our totals to date are as follows:

Species
Oxwich
Pwll Du
Crynant
Other
Total
Blackbird
10
6
3
12
31
Blackcap
6
2
8
Blue Tit
383
66
26
4
479
Bullfinch
5
30
2
37
Cetti’s Warbler
6
6
Chaffinch
75
3
1
1
80
Chiffchaff
2
2
4
Coal Tit
10
13
4
27
Dipper
13
13
Dunnock
51
27
6
84
Goldcrest
1
2
3
Goldfinch
63
21
84
Grasshopper Warbler
2
2
Great Spotted Woodpecker
20
2
1
23
Great Tit
137
77
1
6
221
Greenfinch
18
18
House Sparrow
3
3
Jack Snipe
4
4
8
Jackdaw
1
1
Long-tailed Tit
5
4
9
Marsh Tit
2
2
Meadow Pipit
1
1
Mute Swan
1
2
3
Nuthatch
6
6
Pied/White Wagtail
1
1
Reed Bunting
28
28
Reed Warbler
3
3
Robin
16
16
9
6
47
Sedge Warbler
7
7
Siskin
163
10
173
Snipe
32
32
Song Thrush
7
4
11
Sparrowhawk
1
1
Starling
1
1
Willow Warbler
2
2
Woodcock
7
7
Wren
6
2
8
Grand Total
1065
289
64
56
1474

These totals do not separate new and recapture birds. Many of the dunnocks, blue and greats tits, the great spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches have been recaptures. However, we are significantly ahead of previous years at this stage; equivalent totals in 2018 (1,067), 2017 (969) and 2016 (1,014) for the period 1 Jan to 23 April were lower.

So what have the highlights been?

  • Two between winter recaptures of snipe. We have now ringed 177 snipe at Oxwich, recapturing 11 of these. Three of the total recaptures have been of between-winter birds, indicating year-on-year site fidelity. We have also captured birds within winters, often several months after initial capture, suggesting they stay on the marsh for some time once present.
  • A between winter recapture of jack snipe. We have ringed a total of 38 jack snipe at Oxwich over the past few years, and this represents the second between winter recapture of the species.
  • Good numbers of bullfinch at our new site at Pwll Du, indicating a large local population. Seventeen have been ringed over the course of six visits. The total of 30 in the table above indicates that we have recaptured ringed birds regularly.
  • A recovery of one of our redwings from Saale, Halle, Germany. The bird was ringed during an influx of the species in late October 2015 and recovered (unfortunately freshly dead) on 21 March 2019.
  • Some excellent early results for the dipper project set up by Wayne Morris. Numerous nests have been staked out in Rhondda Cynon Taf and neighbouring boroughs. Both pulli and adults are being targeted as part of this planned long-term study.
  • A good catch of woodcock at a site near Upper Killay – with thanks to Tony Cross from the mid-Wales Ringing Group. We captured 11 individuals on the site over the winter of 2018/19 – which is a series of 5-6 damp fields grazed by organically-farmed cattle. Six of these birds were caught on a single visit in early 2019.
  • Our first sub-Saharan migrants of the year. Grasshopper warbler (2), sedge warbler (3), reed warbler (1) and willow warbler (1), all captured on 21 April. While willow warbler had been relatively common for at least a week at this time, the other species were first recorded on 16 (reed warbler) and 18 April.
  • Siskins ringed near Minhead, Somerset and Langstone, Devon and recaptured at Crynant (Dulais Valley) and at Oxwich. Siskin, along with reed and sedge warbler account for many of our controls.
  • Some old stagers. One such bird is a male great tit initially ringed at Oxwich in November 2013. It has subsequently been recaptured on 25 occasions, including twice in 2019. Recapture data shows we have caught it in nine of the twelve months of the year. 
  • Our only recovery of a great spotted woodpecker by a non Gower RG member; despite ringing 130 since 2013, a bird that moved from Briton Ferry to Skewen (a distance of approximately 4 km) was our first.
  • And finally, slightly belated news of a female redstart ringed at Cwm Clydach in the Swansea Valley in May 2018 and controlled on passage at Portland, Dorset in September of the same year. 
Other good news is that the group has secured a grant from the Gower Society to substantially contribute towards covering the cost of rings and seed at Oxwich for a fifth consecutive year. We are very grateful for the continued support of the Society.
Thanks to all who have attended sessions this year, particularly: Heather Coats, Keith Vaughton, Cedwyn Davies, Emma Cole, Wayne Morris, Val Wilson, Sarah Davies, Joanne Conway, Sophie de Grissac, Alex McCubbin, Richard Dann, Amy Schwartz, Martin Georgiev, Dionne Jenkins, Martin Thomas, Colin Baker, Andrew Roberts, Claudia Allen, Miguel Lurgi, Lara Bates-Prior and Kathryn Dunnett.
Photos, mainly by Richard Dann, are below.
Owain Gabb
23/04/2019
Woodcock
Grasshopper warbler (Alex McCubbin)
L-R: Alex McCubbin, Andrew Roberts, Dionne Jenkins, Jo Conway, Kathryn Dunnett, Lara Bates-Prior, Heather Coats, Val Wilson, Owain Gabb, Sarah Davies, Amy Schwartz, Colin Baker, Richard Dann.
Jack snipe

Jackdaw
Nuthatch
Dipper pullus
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