Swallow controls

On the final day of August things started well and it looked like we were going to get a proper ringing session in for a change. There were plenty of Swallows swirling around the net. But, after the good start, numbers dropped off and the rain moved in so it was yet another early night. On the plus side, we did manage to control 2 Swallows and as they were both off the same ring string I’ll be checking them with our friends at the East Dales Ringing Group prior to submitting the data to the BTO, as on occasion they ring close by.

51 New birds, [2] controls and (1) retrap – Swallow 46[2], Reed Bunting 3(1), Reed Warbler 1, Sand Martin 1.

July update

A busy few months so hence an update for July when we’re almost in September!

July turned out to be a funny month - It’s normal for us to be inundated with hundreds of Sand Martins but this year they just didn’t seem to turn up, or went early. Not through a lack of trying our Sand Martin tally for the year is less than some single evenings we had last year! We hear others found this too.

That said, while we didn’t get the quantity we did get the quality. Reed Buntings became our staple and Linnet often made its way into the net too. And, of course, there was much excitement when we ringed two Green Sandpiper and two Yellow Wagtail, both new for our site and ringing ticks all round for a change.

Over at our Scarborough site Dave managed a single Storm Petrel, always a dedicated achievement to catch them in Yorkshire.

Green Sandpiper

Yellow Wagtail

706 New birds in July at our Bishop Monkton sites - Green Sandpiper 2, Sand Martin 220, Swallow 130, House Martin 4, Meadow Pipit 5, Yellow Wagtail 2, Pied Wagtail 17, Wren 8, Dunnock 6, Robin 5, Redstart 2, Blackbird 5, Song Thrush 1, Grasshopper Warbler 3, Sedge Warbler 49, Reed Warbler 8, Whitethroat 46, Garden Warbler 1, Blackcap 4, Chiffchaff 14, Willow Warbler 37, Marsh Tit 3, Blue Tit 4, Great Tit 2, Treecreeper 2, Jay 1, Jackdaw 1, Tree Sparrow 3, Chaffinch 3, Greenfinch 1, Goldfinch 18, Linnet 5, Bullfinch 17, Yellowhammer 3, Reed Bunting 74.

Sand Martin session 5

Just the one ringing session over the past week. A little breezy to start, but it soon calmed down to give better conditions. Once again, species other than Sand Martin made for a large proportion of our ringing session. It’s looking like we’ve either missed the Sand Martins or that they’re just not around in the numbers they were last year. Greenfinch was a bonus ringing tick for Alun – It’s been a while since we’ve caught one!

60 New birds and (2) retraps – Sand Martin 15, Swallow 14, Sedge Warbler 10, Reed Bunting 7(1), Pied Wagtail 5, Whitethroat 1, Reed Warbler 2(1), Greenfinch 1, Goldfinch 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Monthly Totals

A few nets were opened this morning. But, with only three birds caught rain was on the horizon so it was back home to update IPMR and our website - Where monthly totals for 2011 have been added.

http://www.bishopmonktonbirders.co.uk

2 New birds and (1) retrap - Dunnock 1(1), Whitethroat 1.

A fine start

The forecast blue sky didn’t materialise. However, the overcast conditions made for perfect ringing until torrential rain brought proceedings to an end a little earlier than we would have liked. Plenty of 3Js around today and young David managed two ringing ticks – Redstart and Jackdaw.

3J Redstart

58 New birds and (10) retraps – Whitethroat 8(1), Sedge Warbler 8, Willow Warbler 5(2), Blackbird 5, Chiffchaff 4(1), Bullfinch 4, Robin 4, Blackcap 3(1), Grasshopper Warbler 2(2), Wren 2(1), Dunnock 2(1), Marsh Tit 2, Yellowhammer 2, Chaffinch 1(1), Jackdaw 1, Great Tit 1, Redstart 1, Reed Bunting 1, Blue Tit 1.

Dave gets a ringing tick (a rare thing these days)

Convinced the Green Sandpiper would be back Dave started a long night of net checking. By dawn he only had a single Swallow to show for his efforts so he called it a night and went to take the net down. At which point the bird flushed and Dave got a ringing tick on his own patch.

On joining Dave for our planned mornings ringing session we then headed down to our main site to prepare some net lanes for the autumn ringing season.

11 New birds and (3) retraps – Sedge Warbler 4, Whitethroat 3, Willow Warbler 1, Jay 1, Green Sandpiper 1, Swallow 1, Grasshopper Warbler (1), Reed Bunting (1), Reed Warbler (1).

Sand Martin session 2

Conditions were much better but it was looking like another slow evening. A flypast from a Sparrowhawk didn’t help so a trip to the chip to the chip shop in Boroughbridge ensued. Two Green Sandpiper flew in at about 20:00 to feed on the mud that shows in dry conditions, so another net was hastily put up to cover this. It remained quiet until about 21:45 when the Sand Martins swarmed and hit the net as they came into roost. There were a few retraps from last year and 2 controls - I suspect these controls are from the East Dales Ringing Group who occasionally ring Sand Martins in the area too.

Unlike the Pipistrelle bats the Green Sandpiper bounced the new net as we returned. It was first time I’d seen a bat in the net and now there were five!

152 New birds, (7) retraps and [2] controls – Sand Martin 131 (5) [2], Reed Bunting 12 (1), Sedge Warbler 3, Reed Warbler 2, Whitethroat 1, Chiffchaff 1, Swallow 1, Blackbird 1.