Thursday, 26 July 2012

First hirundine roost catch at Chelmarsh

Wednesday 25th July:

Linda, Dave and I decided to have a go having seen small flocks in the evenings. Three nets up on the new ride by the hide. Good numbers came in.

Total: 34 Swallow ( mainly juveniles ), 14 Sand Martin ( only 1 juvenile , unusually so in recent years when we normally catch young : adult nearly 10:1 ), 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Robin, 2 Blue Tit

Wednesday, 25 July 2012

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

Sunday, 22 July 2012

Very quiet at Chelmarsh once again

Sunday 22nd July 2012:

At last proper good weather ... but too late ?  6 nets at far side of reserve for 3 hours - all excellent locations based on last year's activity. Also two hedge nets.

Very quiet: 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler ( retraps from previous years ), 2 Song Thrush ( juveniles ), 2 Dunnock ( juveniles ) and 1 Robin

If this is the picture up-and-down the country, then it really has been a wash-out !

Saturday, 21 July 2012

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 !

Friday, 20 July 2012

Another quiet evening at Chelmarsh

Thursday 19th July 2012:

No rain, no wind ... at last ... but very little bird noise or activity. Three nets at edge of scrape by hide plus two along the path and one in the hedge.

4 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 2 Robin, 1 Blue Tit

Wise man stay in Walsall

Wed 18th July 2012:

Since getting his 'C' licence James has been netting regularly in his urban garden at Cheslyn Hay ... and doing well !


1 Blackbird, 4 Starling, 2 Robin, 4 Great Tit, 3 House Sparrow, 3 Goldfinch,     1 Dunnock, 3 Greenfinch, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Blue Tit and 1 Chiffchaff


Sunday, 15 July 2012

Work at Chelmarsh, and not too many warblers

Sunday 15th July 2012:

Dave, Joe and I began restoring the walkways with some heavy lifting, drilling and the like. Four nets were put up on the far side of the reserve but despite quite a bit of song, not many birds caught:

4 Sedge Warbler ( juveniles , so at least one nest wasn't a wash out ! ) and 4 Reed Warblers.

An interesting article from The Independent suggesting poor breeding all across the board:

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/nature_studies/nature-studies-by-michael-mccarthy-rain-stopped-play--why-birds-arent-breeding-in-the-wet-7912503.html?dm_i=IG4,VKOX,39GWVM,2MOO8,0