Next Ness 3 September 2010

Present: JAF
42 birds processed, 34 new. This brings the total birds ringed at this site in the last two visits to 101.

Birds processed (retraps in brackets): Dunnock (1); Blackcap1; Chiffchaff 3; Blue Tit 20 + (3); Great Tit 3 + (2); Treecreeper 1 + (1); Chaffinch 3 + (1); Bullfinch 3.

Juvenile male Bullfinch undergoing partial post-juvenile moult

The path through the Cumbria Wildlife Trust reserve at Next Ness 

runs parallel to the railway line (on the left) and looks overgrown at this time of year.

Record catch at Next Ness

13th August 2010
Present: KH, JAF
67 Birds processed, 65 new (retraps in brackets): Wren 1; Dunnock 2; Blackbird 1; Chiffchaff 3; Coal Tit 2; Blue Tit 31 (1); Great Tit 19 (1); Treecreeper (1); Chaffinch 6.
This represents the largest catch by far at this ringing site.

This juvenile Chaffinch undergoing post-juvenile moult has enough pink breast feathers 

growing thorough to be able to sex it as male

You can see more pictures and information about our Next Ness site here.

Next Ness 09.05.2010

Present: JAF, KW.
10 Birds processed (retraps in brackets) Garden Warbler 1; Robin 1; Blackbird 3; Wren 1 (1); Bullfinch 3.

The wet willow and alder carr of Next Ness, perhaps looking more like the Everglades. 

Map and more pictures of Next Ness here.

Kim extends her ringing training experience with her first Garden Warbler

Next Ness 16/02/2002

Present: JAF, KW

Next Ness is a small boggy woodland strip (mainly alders and willow) running parallel to the railway line. It is owned and managed by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, to whom we are grateful for permission to ring there. The wood is habitat for Teal, Moorhen, Kingfisher, Siskin and various tits and finches.

Today we processed 24 birds, of which 19 were new (retraps in brackets):

Wren 1 (0); Coal Tit 1 (1); Blue Tit 8 (3); Great Tit 3 (1); Chaffinch 4 (0); Bullfinch 2 (0).

Next Ness CWT Nature Reserve is the strip of woodland alongside the railway line.
The approximate position of the feeding station is arrowed.

There is just one site where a 120-foot net can be stretched across
the swampy woodland through the tangle of willow and alder

The improvised field station at Next Ness Nature Reserve

ASKAM PARK 15/02/2010
Present: JAF

Another attempt yesterday at the House Sparrows was thwarted by noisy children playing in the park during Half Term. Why couldn't they go somewhere else?
Ringed: Blackbird 2; Song Thrush 1; Greenfinch 1; Bullfinch 1; House Sparrow 3.

Next Ness, 15 October 2009

Present: JAF

14 New birds ringed, 6 retraps.

New birds: Robin 1; Coal Tit 2; Great Tit 1; Blue Tit 8; Jay; 1; Chaffinch 1