Short garden session in Much Wenlock

Monday 30th January 2012:

Still, crisp, bright morning - one net up by seed feeder and apples near house. 3 House Sparrows colour-ringed, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 3 Dunnock, 1 Blackbird, 1 Wren, 1 Goldfinch

Other birds seen: Yellowhammer, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Chaffinch, Long-tailed Tit

At last some success with the Linnet flock at Chelmarsh

Sunday 29th January 2012:

Dave, Denise, James and I put up two hedge nets, a net besides the hide as finches about feeders, 3 in the main reed bed and 3 over Baxter's field.
A bit more clearing up, getting ready for reintroduction of duck trap and for burning some of the dried reed beds.
41 birds caught in total, made up of the following: 19 Reed Bunting, 2 Dunnock, 1 G-S Woodpecker, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Great Tit, 2 Greenfinch ( stunning green males ), 5 Blue Tits, 1 Fieldfare ( ringing tick for Denise ) and 6 Linnet lured in ...
Was a Bittern heard briefly ... ? Other birds seen - Teal, Sparrowhawk, Water Rail

Tawny Owl and Kingfisher make all the Blue Tits worthwhile at Severn Valley Country Park

Sunday 15th January 2012:

Linda and I put up usual net by feeders and a short net in reed bed for roost. Lures for Thrushes and Pied Wagtail - first failed, latter worked but birds entered other end of bed from where net had been placed.
Catch was 17 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 2 Dunnock, 7 Reed Bunting, 1 Kingfisher and, after dark, 1 superb Tawny Owl ( a ringing tick for me ! ).

                                     

Lower numbers but varied catch at Chelmarsh

Sunday 8th January 2012:

Dave, James, Denise and myself. 2 hedge nets ; 2 over Baxters ; 4 in the main bed ...
Very mild, still, quiet - no. obvious roosts

Total 37 birds : Reed Bunting 18, Blue Tit 5, Great Tit 3, Greenfinch 2, Goldcrest 1, Great S-W 1, Lesser Redpoll 1, Blackbird 2, Long-tailed Tit 1, Marsh Tit 1 ( retrap ), Chaffinch 1, Fieldfare 1 ( ringing tick for James ! )

Treecreeper at Chel - otherwise pretty quiet

Friday 6th January 2012:
Crisp, sunny morning - still after gales of last 36 hours. Linda and I. Feeders topped up, 2 hedge nets and one by hide. Quiet ... Raven overhead.
Caught: Blue Tit 14, Great Tit 3, Long-tailed Tit 3, Song Thrush 1, Chaffinch 2, Dunnock 2, Reed Bunting 5, House Sparrow 1, Treecreeper 1

Much Wenlock garden net session to start the New Year

Monday 2nd January 2012:

A single net set in the dark by the Sparrow run ...
Yes, not much success ! Just 1 House Sparrow colour-ringed, 2 Dunnock, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Greenfinch and 3 Blackbirds.
Wet windy spell on the way. 2011 for the country second warmest on record - last summer second driest in the West Midlands for 30+ years.

Chelmarsh Ringing Group 2011 summary report

A total of 4044 birds were processed during 2011 across several sites ( Bridgnorth, Bucknell Wood, Chelmarsh Reservoir, Clee Hill, Harmer Hill, Highley, Much Wenlock, New England, Walcot Grange, Wenlock Edge ). This included 2853 full grown, 820 pulli, 371 retraps and recoveries.

A total of 61 species were ringed.

Totals:
Dipper 4, Stock Dove 1,  Spotted Flycatcher 1,  Dunnock 88,  Blackbird 62, Blue Tit 919, House Sparrow 46, Chaffinch 25, Brambling 22, Greenfinch 93, Goldfinch 60, Redstart 9, Pied Flycatcher 65, Mallard 2, Water Rail 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Coot 1, Lapwing 6, Snipe 2, Kingfisher 2, G-S Woodpecker 13, Sand Martin 342, Swallow 86, Yellow Wagtail 3, Pied Wagtail 113, Wren 26, Robin 41, Song Thrush 6, Redwing 5, Kestrel 5, Lesser Whitethroat 2, Wood Pigeon 1, Wheater 59, Stonechat 114, Meadow Pipit 2, Skylark 2, Reed Bunting 643, Yellowhammer 14, Bullfinch 23, Lesser Redpoll 57, Linnet 12, Siskin 92, Sedge Warbler 77, Reed Warbler 118, Whitethroat 19, Garden Warbler 2, Blackcap 77, Chiffchaff 180, Willow Warbler 29, Goldcrest 3, Long-tailed Tit 19, Willow Tit 1, Coal Tit 16, Great Tit 305, Treecreeper 4, Starling 25, Tree Sparrow 3, Tawney Owl 4, Marsh Tit 30, Nuthatch 23, Jackdaw 3