Yet more Redpoll

I didn’t ring myself today but the rest of the group did. Looks like they had another good day with over 100 birds ringed including more Lesser Redpoll and what must be our last Blackcap of the year. In addition, DZ got to ring his first Kingfisher.

Blackcap ringed on 18 October 2009 (D Bass)

Kingfisher ringed on 18 October 2009 (D Bass)

102 Birds ringed in total. Kingfisher (1), Wren (2), Robin (1), Blackbird (18), Song Thrush (12), Redwing (1), Blackcap (1), Marsh Tit (1), Coal Tit (1), Tree Sparrow (18), Chaffinch (1), Goldfinch (14), Lesser Redpoll (26), Reed Bunting (5).

Here come the Redpoll

It was quiet at first today so we got the breakfast on. At that point, Redpoll started flying into the net at a rate of about one a minute and they were even flying in as we stood there extracting the rest of the flock.

We passed one of Dave’s sneaky tests today - He extracted a Redwing without us knowing and hung the bag up amongst the Song Thrushes to see if we’d notice.

Also, I got to ring my first Yellowhammer and DZ got to ring his first Jay.

Yellowhammer ringed on 17 October 2009 (A Smith)

132 Birds ringed in total. Wren (7), Dunnock (4), Robin (2), Blackbird (11), Song Thrush (13), Redwing (4), Great Tit (1), Jay (1), Tree Sparrow (19), Greenfinch (2), Goldfinch (11), Lesser Redpoll (56), Yellowhammer (1).

Roost ringing

Having spotted many Redwings over the past few days Dave sent a text round mid-afternoon to see if people were up for some roost ringing; heading to our site straight from work I won best dressed ringer.

In addition to Redwings, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes we managed to re-trap the first bird we ringed on New Years day this year – a Dunnock.

19 Birds ringed in total. Blackbird (7), Song Thrush (9), Redwing (2), Bullfinch (1).

Colour ringed Tree Sparrow

Although it was quieter today, we did have a couple birds of interest. The first of these was a juvenile Jay that was a ringing tick for me - a vicious bird that managed to take a chunk out of Dave’s finger as he removed it from the net.

Jay ringed on 11 October 2009 (A Smith)

Our second bird of interest was a control Tree Sparrow with a metal ring on its right leg and light blue colour ring on the left. Does anybody know what project this was?

Tree Sparrow (A Smith)

75 Birds ringed in total. Wren (2), Dunnock (1), Robin (2), Blackbird (3), Song Thrush (5), Blackcap (6), Coal Tit (1), Blue Tit (6), Jay (1), Tree Sparrow (12), Chaffinch (4), Goldfinch (25), Lesser Redpoll (4), Bullfinch (3).

Fuglekongs

Plenty of birds ringed today, but no Fuglekongs.

156 Birds ringed in total. Wren (3), Dunnock (4), Robin (1), Blackbird (10), Song Thrush (27), Blackcap (8), Chiffchaff (2), Tree Sparrow (63), Chaffinch (10), Greenfinch (1), Goldfinch (22), Siskin (1), Bullfinch (3), Reed Bunting (1).

Recent recoveries

A Tawny Owl we ringed on 11th may 1997 as a pulli was found injured near Newby Hall on 1st August 2009. A distance of only 5km but 4465 days a very good age.

A Sand Martin ringed at Weather Hills Pond on11th August 2005 was recovered on 11th June 2009 near Lockerbie in Scotland. We guess it had returned to its natal area to breed; an interesting insight as to where our passage birds come from.

Rain stops play

From the outset, rain was on the horizon today so fewer nets were opened than usual. As there didn’t appear to be many birds around we started to set up a run of chicken wire for catching water rail later in the season – as we were setting up we heard one squeal! Our plan was soon abandoned as a large flock of birds hit the net at our feeding station. Birds caught included a Yellowhammer & Chaffinch that we ringed last autumn. After that the rain set in.

48 Birds ringed in total. Goldfinch (34), Blackcap (1), Meadow Pipit (4), Yellowhammer (1), Tree Sparrow (7), Wren (1).