Woodland ringing - Somerton Wood, South Staffs

Sunday 22nd March 2015:

James has been busy since moving his feeders to Somerton Wood, with over 150 birds in a single net over two ringing sessions. Highlights include finches, Nuthatch and TreeCreeper - see below:

Ringing demonstration for Wenlock Edge Community Wildlife Group

Sunday 15th March 2015:

Single net set up in the garden of Ian Plumridge to introduce half a dozen members of the WECWG to bird ringing. All told Linda and I caught the following in very short 'net time' given the tremendous numbers of birds visiting the feeders.

Blue Tit 26, Great Tit 9, Coal Tit 1, Long-tailed Tit 3, Chaffinch 1, Nuthatch 1, Dunnock 1

French ringed Sedge Warbler information comes through

Species:	Sedge Warbler	Scheme:	FRP	Ring no:	6706081
		Original Scheme:	FRP	Original Ring:	-

Ringing details

Age: 3 Sex: - Sex meth: - P.ringed: 0 P.alive: 0 Condition: -

Colour marks added: - Metal marks added: - Act1: - Act2: -

Ringing date: 22-Aug-2012 09:00:00

Reg code: - Place code: - Site name: Urdains, Bayonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

County code: FR30 Grid ref: - Accuracy 0 Co-ords: 43deg 27min N 1deg 29min W Accuracy 0

Hab1: -- Hab2: --

Biometrics: Wing: - mm. Weight: - g. Time: -hrs

Remarks:-

Ringer: Paris, -11

---

Finding details

Ring not Verified Age: 4 Sex: M Sex meth: C

Colour marks added: - Metal marks added: - Act1: - Act2: -

Finding date: 26-May-2014 09:15:00

Reg code: CHE Place code: CHE Site name: Chelmarsh Reservoir, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, UK

County code: GBSHR Grid ref: SO7387 Accuracy 0 Co-ords: 52deg 29min N 2deg 24min W Accuracy 0

Hab1: B1 Hab2: C7

Biometrics: Wing: 69 mm. Weight: 10.8 g. Time: 09:15:00hrs

Finding condition: 8:20 Movement: -

Controlled Intentionally Taken

Remarks: -

Duration: 642 days Distance: 1006 km Direction: 357deg (N)

Finder: D W Fulton, 6 Hazelwells Road, Hollywood Park, Highley , Bridgnorth , WV16 6DJ

Finder: Chelmarsh Ringing Group, 9193 

Working party on the Wenlock Edge nest boxes

Monday 16th February 2015 :

Along with the National Trust and Wenlock Edge Community Wildlife Group Linda and I went round the lower and middle loops. Repairs were very much needed - new fronts following squirrel and woodpecker damage, new lids and new hangings. Upwards of 25% of boxes in need of some kind of repair.

Birds seen and heard : Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Buzzard

A rare Mistle Thrush caught

James caught this bird in his garden, along with some Siskin and Lesser Redpoll.

Severn Valley Country Park - Starling roost

Sunday 25th January 2015 :

Linda and I set the net in the main bird hide pool, hoping to catch Reed Buntings coming into roost. A few small flocks of Starlings became a very large flock ( c 600-700 birds ) which treated us to aerial displays before diving into the reeds. Lots of noise, and excitement as we approached the net, expecting a large catch ... not to be !

Birds ringed : Reed Bunting 9, Starling 1

Tremendous birding, terrible ringing !

Other birds seen : Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owl

Last Chelmarsh ringing of 2014 - small Reed Bunting roost

Tuesday 30th December 2014 :

Linda and Stuart set up a couple of rides ( iron path and central main bed ) for the dusk roost. Cold and frosty, with ice everywhere, and temperatures dropped like a stone as sun went down. We had hoped for Starlings, but only two came in to circle.

In the end we caught :

21 Reed Bunting, 1 Wren ( ringed in June as a youngster ), 1 Song Thrush, 1 Starling, 1 Blackbird