Thursday, 24 November 2011

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. !

Sunday, 20 November 2011

More work and another good roost at Chelmarsh

Sunday 20th November 2011:

Dave, Joe, James and Denise put up 9 roost nets. Again mainly Reed Buntings - 51 birds caught, this time a few more retraps ( 29% ). Also caught: 3 Starling, 2 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 3 Robin and 12 Long Tailed Tit ( 8 of which were retraps ).

Sunday, 13 November 2011

Conservation day and roost catch at Chelmarsh

Sunday 13th November 2011:
More strimming from Joe; Denise and I removed more crack willow from the scrape.
Dave and James arrives and so plenty of nets then put up - 5 in the remaining portion of reed-bed alongside scrape, 2 on scrape, 4 over Baxters.
Again Sparrowhawk bounced, again flock of Starlings ( approx 300 birds ) roosted elsewhere.
Totals: 29 Reed Bunting ( again almost all fresh birds suggesting ongoing movements ), 4 Redwing , 2 Pied Wagtail, 5 Blackbird and 1 Goldcrest

Dawn attempt on RAS site for House Sparrows ... scant success

Sunday 13th November 2011:
Following confirmation of usual roost site the evening before, it was early alarms and nets up before dawn. Only for dawn to arrive and birds to be absent and not obviously anywhere else on the farm !
Anyway, 3 House Sparrows ended up  being colour-ringed; other ringed birds were 2 Dunnock, 1 Robin and Blue Tit.
Other birds seen at farm or nearby: a Barn Owl on road back to Bridgnorth, a Tawny Owl was heard, a Sparrowhawk hunted along hedge, a Buzzard, several flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare.

Sunday, 6 November 2011

Roost at Chelmarsh - more Reed Buntings and some near misses

Sunday 6th November 2011 :
Dave, Joe, James, Denise and I: 2 hedge nets, 5 in reedbed, 2 in corner of scrape.
Totals:  37 Reed Bunting, 1 Blackcap, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Blackbird, 1 Wren and 1 Bullfinch
Near misses : 2 Sparrowhawks hit net and escaped, 1 Moorhen caught but escaped as we approached and a roosting flock of c200 Starling dropped away from catching area ... we could have been much busier
First cold evening really - 5 degrees and falling by the finish

Wednesday, 2 November 2011

More Reed Buntings caught at roost and first Redwing

Sunday 30th October 2011:
Dave, Joe, Denise and James set up for roost catch and caught 42 Reed Bunting, 1 Song Thrush and our first Redwing of the year ...

Friday, 28 October 2011

Reed Bunting recovery

Species: Reed Bunting         Scheme: GBT         Ring no: L752112

Ringing details
Age: 4  Sex: Male  Sex meth: -  P.ringed: -  P.alive: -  Condition: -
Colour marks added: -  Metal marks added: -  Act1: R  Act2: -
 
Ringing date: 31-Dec-2010  
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: 76 mm.   Weight: 22.5 g.   Time: 1800hrs
 
Remarks:
 
Ringer: Chelmarsh Ringing Group, 9193

Finding details
Ring not verified  Age: 4  Sex: M  Sex meth: C
Colour marks added: -    Metal marks added: -    Act1: -  Act2: -
 
Finding date: 16-Apr-2011  
Reg code: ROS  Place code: ROS  Site name: Rostherne Mere, Knutsford, Cheshire
County code: GBCHE  Grid ref: SJ7484   Co-ords: 53deg 21min N  2deg 23min W 
Hab1: G3  Hab2: C7
 
Biometrics: Wing: 78 mm.   Weight: 19.9 g.   Time: 1220hrs
 
Finding condition: 8:20  Movement: --
Controlled    Intentionally Taken
Remarks:
 
Duration: 106 days    Distance: 97 km    Direction: 1deg (N)
Finder: South Manchester RG, 9083