Monday 28 April 2014

Reed Warbler control with France

Monday 28th April 2014:

Species: Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus         Scheme: FRP          Ring no: 6377590


Ringing details
Age: 3  Sex: unknown  Sex meth: -  P.ringed: -  P.alive: -  Condition: -
Colour marks added: -  Metal marks added: -  Act1: -  Act2: -
 
Ringing date: 12-Aug-2010  
Reg code: ---  Place code: ---  Site name: Pirou, Manche, France
County code: FR03  Grid ref: ------   Co-ords: 49deg 10min N  1deg 34min W 
Hab1: --  Hab2:
 
Biometrics: Wing: -- mm.   Weight: -- g.   Time: --hrs
 
Remarks:
 
Ringer: Paris, -11

Finding details
Ring not verified  Age: 4  Sex: -  Sex meth: -
Colour marks added: -    Metal marks added: -    Act1: -  Act2: -
 
Finding date: 21-Jul-2013  
Reg code: CHE  Place code: CHE  Site name: Chelmarsh Reservoir, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire
County code: GBSHR  Grid ref: SO7387   Co-ords: 52deg 29min N  2deg 24min W 
Hab1: C7  Hab2: G2
 
Biometrics: Wing: 67 mm.   Weight: 12.1 g.   Time: 1000hrs
 
Finding condition: 8:20  Movement: --
Controlled    Intentionally Taken
Remarks:
 
Duration: 1074 days    Distance: 374 km    Direction: 351deg (N)
Finder: Chelmarsh Ringing Group, 9193

Saturday 19 April 2014

Wrong roost at Chelmarsh

Friday 18th April 2014:

Dave, Linda and I made a final attempt to catch any passing hirundines - but no roost materialised. A large ( 150+ )  Pied Wagtail roost went in over towards Baxter's.
Final plans were made for the summer's CES at Chelmarsh, so all was not lost.
Nice to hear first Sedge Warbler of the year, just in front of main hide.

Stonechat RAS - some good news from Clee Hill

Friday 18th April 2014:

Dave and Joe spent all day up on the hill. It seems that the early signs are positive after recent poor seasons. Already 20 nests found, with many birds on eggs and already two ( small ) broods have been ringed. This suggests birds are about three weeks ahead of the normal dates.

Interesting Chiffchaff in garden

Friday 18th April 2014

Going up to feed chickens and Bryn ( Kelpie dog ) flushed a Chiffchaff which clearly had a ring on its leg. Net up and before too long it was caught and identified as a bird ringed in August 2011, also in the garden, as a young bird.
Garden currently has Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat singing.

A few days at Portland Bill Observatory

Linda and I spent four days ringing at Portland Bill earlier this week, hoping for some good birds migrating across the channel. Great set up and great people both for ringing and for birding generally. Early starts around the observatory gardens, but an easy and well-worked set of rides in excellent cover to pull in the passing birds.
Sadly the weather was against us on three of the four days, though on Monday 14th we had a sizeable fall of over 200 migrant warblers.
In the main we rung Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap, but also had 2 Redstart, a first Whitethroat for the year, Pied Flycatcher, Goldfinch, Wren, Greenfinch, House Sparrow and a handful of Linnet.
Birding was great: Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Guillemot, Common Scoter, Little Owl, Peregrine, Kestrel, a passing Ring Ouzel, Rock Pipit, Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Raven, Stonechat, Shag

For more information: Portland Bill Bird Observatory blog

Sunday 6 April 2014

Sand Martins caught at Chelmarsh

Saturday 5th April 2014

Just when Linda and I were giving up hope, a small and very active party of Sand Martins came into the scrape to feed some time after sunset. Of the 50+ birds thought to be flying around we caught 37 in the nets along the path to the hide. Of the 37, 4 were ringed as Chelmarsh birds, 3 from 2013 and 1 from 2011. Interestingly, two of the 2013 birds had been ringed together as juveniles on the same night last Autumn by Linda.

Friday 4 April 2014

Attempt to net Sand Martins

Saturday 29th March 2014

Dave, Linda and me - a net up for Warblers and nets along side of scrape in attempt to catch any arriving / roosting hirundines. Approximately 20 or so Sand Martins came in, but sadly they evaded the net, perhaps largely due to lack of cover either side due to Starling roost having flattened just about everything.

Birds ringed: 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Bunting

Good views of Curlew ( 9 in total on scrape ), and nice to hear Lapwing and Oystercatcher.