Woodcock in Much Wenlock

Sunday 30th November 2014:

Great start to a sunny morning - walking dog up over fields, flushing a Woodcock from hedgerow !

A few birds ahead of 48 hours of rain for the Bank Holiday

Sunday 26th August 2014

Back garden in Much Wenlock - 2 nets.

1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Bullfinch, 2 Great Tit ( one juvenile with curved deformity of upper mandible and half length lower , but in good condition generally ), 3 Robin ( adult and 2 juvenile ), 2 Dunnock, 10 Blue Tit ( including a 3J ringed as pullus on Wenlock Edge in area of feeding station ).

Other birds about : lots of House Martin, a few Swallow, Peregrine heard, Buzzard, juvenile Blackbirds eating Rowan and Elderberry

And then it rained !

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.

New Year netting in garden

Tuesday 1st January 2013:

At last the rain has relented. Pond net and bottom of garden by shed. Helped by William.

4 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 House Sparrow, 2 Robin, 1 Blackbird, 1 Goldfinch

Also around: Rooks, single Lesser Redpoll on feeders, Buzzard, Yellowhammer ( at least 3 ) feeding under main feeders

1515: temperature 6.3C with windchill 4.2C ; humidity 55% ; barometer 1008.0 mb ; wind speed 3.9 mps bearing 264Westerly

Back garden ringing

Sunday 23rd December 2012:

Single net up by the main pond. Help from William.

7 Blue Tit, 7 Long tailed-tit ( flock included two retraps DXH487 and DXH488 from start of year ), 2 Coal Tit ( one retrap from Nov 2011 ), 5 Great Tit, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Robin ( retrap from Oct 2010 )

First Garden Warbler of year in garden netting

Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th August 2012:

Two morning netting sessions. One net up by main pond, the other down by big feeder. Sadly House Sparrows avoiding both !

Totals: 6 Robin, 5 Great Tit, 3 Dunnock, 1 Bullfinch, 4 Blue Tit, 1 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Blackbird

So pretty quiet. Around: House Martin, Swallow, Buzzard, Collared Dove, Goldfinch party

Nice variety in back garden

Sunday 22nd July 2012:

Early evening session with a net up by main pond and another by big feeder.

1 Great Tit, 2 House Sparrow ( colour ringed ), 2 Dunnock, 1 Blackbird, 2 Wren, 3 Blue Tit, 3 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch

Garden session leads to a few colour-ringed Sparrows

Friday 20th July 2012:

Much Wenlock garden:

A small net by large feeder led to 10 House Sparrows, 3 juvenile Dunnock and 1 Great Tit. A similar attempt next morning yielded zero ! Canny those House Sparrows !

Another short garden session - only a GSWoodpecker saves the day !

Sunday 5th February 2012:

Single net by top feeders - not much about. 7 Blue Tits, 3 Great Tits and a first year female Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Sparrowhawk about but wary , Yellowhammer elsewhere and noisy roving House Sparrows.

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

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.

Short garden session - too many Blue Tits !

Thursday 24th November 2011:

Lots of finches ( Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Brambling ) about so quick net session by the feeders. Birds hitting net before fully up, mainly tits ... then too many tits. In the end going in quicker than extracting ... great ! One session curtailed as more tits about. Not all wasted effort as a couple of Coal Tits, 3 Great Tits and close to a score of Blue Tits. Once net was down finches back, House Sparrow, Great-S Woodpecker etc. !

Swallows on the phone lines

3rd September 2011:
Much Wenlock - 250+ Swallows on the wires - noisy and great to see. Net by main pond and feeders yielded a single Chiffchaff and then garden birds - 6 Blue Tits, 1 Robin, 1 Dunnock and 1 colour-ringed House Sparrow.
Other birds about: Goldfinch coming down to pond; Long-tailed Tit flocks

Slightly better fortunes

30th August 2011:
Ringing session in back garden brought 3 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, a colour-ringed House Sparrow, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler with fat score 4.

Short garden session curtailed by increasing breeze

29th August 2011:
The cool, breezy ( north westerly ) autumn continues and looks set for the week. In short time available 4 Blue Tits, a juvenile Goldfinch ( several birds drinking at pond ) and a Chiffchaff.
Some Long Tailed Tits in the garden.

Plenty of finches - Much Wenlock

24th August 2011:
Another short garden netting session by main pond and feeders leading to a few ringed Goldfinch and Greenfinch. Also a couple of Blackcap and a Chiffchaff, none of which had any fat reserves.

Short garden netting session - Much Wenlock

23rd August 2011:
Brief netting session by main garden pond and feeders : adult Dunnock well on with its primary moult, juvenile Lesser Whitethroat caught again ( previously 19th ), a female House Sparrow colour-ringed and a juvenile Goldfinch.
Other bird interest: Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, House Martin and Swallow numbers high towards roost time.