No. Not those! They're called motions.
A day and a half just gone in Norfolk to sort out the latest developments. Jen is being 'bought out' by her brother - so the packing has started. This means that my ringing there will also cease sometime in May. Since October 2005, I have ringed c.2000 new birds and handled over 3,000. This has meant a handsome database of retrap histories and one or two "beaut" recoveries.There maybe more to come.
A mere 14 birds. The weather was all wrong and wasn't suited to this particular garden on the day. Having said that, it was a glorious day with temperatures reaching a balmy 15C. Pity about the cold wind.
Blue Tit 1 (2)
Great Tit 2 (1)
Coal Tit 1 (2)
Dunnock (1)
Chaffinch 3
Goldfinch 1
The finches were all female and the Chaffinches were all 6's, with a broad tail, finishing in a flat angle. They were in good condition and were either carrying fat or showed signs of having recently used some of it up.
As I was travelling light, I could not take any 'photos, having left my "ringing accessories" at home
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
New to UK!
'Davy Crockett Morris' - a new mixed morris dancing Chiltern Morris? Who says?
Would be nice but, as a by-product of getting ready for the new CES season, certain jobs have to be undertaken at the site.
Trap set for "the beast" in a known run.
"Beastie" has eaten all the peanuts!
The latest one is the reduction of certain beasts of the trees, known to eat all the berries in autumn but preying on nesting birds, their eggs and young during the summer. As food is in short supply during spring, bait is put out and, once found, is put in and around a trap, securely pegged to the ground.
Remorseful "beast" - minus "Davy Crockett" appendage.
There are three or four pairs that come into "the rough" from surrounding plantations, so the target will be six or eight specimens. This amounts to six+ tails. Which brings us back to the morris; the ladies will adorn their chapeaux with said items.
When we started our long-term scientific study some twenty years ago, there were no "beasts". They arrived in the park some eight or nine years ago and have spread to all four corners since. So much for being surrounded by water. This is not a long term solution - it will have to be repeated next spring. But it does prove effective over the summer months ... and gives the warblers some respite.
Would be nice but, as a by-product of getting ready for the new CES season, certain jobs have to be undertaken at the site.
The latest one is the reduction of certain beasts of the trees, known to eat all the berries in autumn but preying on nesting birds, their eggs and young during the summer. As food is in short supply during spring, bait is put out and, once found, is put in and around a trap, securely pegged to the ground.
There are three or four pairs that come into "the rough" from surrounding plantations, so the target will be six or eight specimens. This amounts to six+ tails. Which brings us back to the morris; the ladies will adorn their chapeaux with said items.
When we started our long-term scientific study some twenty years ago, there were no "beasts". They arrived in the park some eight or nine years ago and have spread to all four corners since. So much for being surrounded by water. This is not a long term solution - it will have to be repeated next spring. But it does prove effective over the summer months ... and gives the warblers some respite.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Margaret's funeral
Jenny asked me to come and support her at her mother's funeral, which was yesterday (10th). Couldn't turn down a second visit in a week, could I? Joking apart, I felt I had to go and wish this sweet lady farewell anyway, along with all the King clan.
I took advantage by putting just the one net out early, hoping to catch more 'continental' Blackbirds. Both days were dull and the temperature never got above +6C, having climbed from near freezing. There was no frost however, the wind keeping it at bay. The one sign that spring was somewhere over the horizon and about to descend on us was this female Goldfinch. Her presumed mate was singing his heart out in an Ash tree above the garden. These are the first we have seen or heard since the late autumn.
The total haul was a mere 23 birds of which 9 were recaptures as follows:
Dunnock (1), Robin (1), Blackbird 7,
Long-tailed Tit 1, Marsh Tit (1),
Blue Tit 2 (3), Great Tit 2 (3),
Goldfinch 1.
A fairly even split with the Blackbirds; 2x each of 6M, 6F & 5M plus 1x 5F. There were 2 possible 'continentals'; a whopping 6M had a wing of 144mm and a weight of 139gm and a 5M with 135 & 118 respectively. The oldest known bird was a Blue Tit caught as a full adult (4M) in December '07.
Fred Cooke reported 30 odd Siskins in the Babingley valley, which is not very far away at all. None so far heard in our part of the wood. I suspect his were in the Alders on the Castle Rising Estate.
I took advantage by putting just the one net out early, hoping to catch more 'continental' Blackbirds. Both days were dull and the temperature never got above +6C, having climbed from near freezing. There was no frost however, the wind keeping it at bay. The one sign that spring was somewhere over the horizon and about to descend on us was this female Goldfinch. Her presumed mate was singing his heart out in an Ash tree above the garden. These are the first we have seen or heard since the late autumn.
The total haul was a mere 23 birds of which 9 were recaptures as follows:
Dunnock (1), Robin (1), Blackbird 7,
Long-tailed Tit 1, Marsh Tit (1),
Blue Tit 2 (3), Great Tit 2 (3),
Goldfinch 1.
A fairly even split with the Blackbirds; 2x each of 6M, 6F & 5M plus 1x 5F. There were 2 possible 'continentals'; a whopping 6M had a wing of 144mm and a weight of 139gm and a 5M with 135 & 118 respectively. The oldest known bird was a Blue Tit caught as a full adult (4M) in December '07.
Fred Cooke reported 30 odd Siskins in the Babingley valley, which is not very far away at all. None so far heard in our part of the wood. I suspect his were in the Alders on the Castle Rising Estate.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Cakes & ale rejected
A mid-week trip to Norfolk, principally for the Norfolk Ringers annual meet. A good night was had by all, thanks to Allan, the county ringing co-ordinator.
But, as always, a session in the garden is what really stirs the brain into action - especially at 06:30 on a frosty (-4C) morning. Now that the sun is climbing in the sky, I only get about 4 hours before the nets are 100% visible to all and sundry. Nonetheless, 40 birds of just 7 species was good enough. It would have been better if the Siskins had returned from their winter haunts, possibly as far away as Catalonia (thank you, Jeff K) - Barcelona, Spain for the uninitiated.
Robin 2 (1)
Blackbird 8 (2)
Coal Tit (2)
Blue Tit 1 (8)
Great Tit 4 (4)
Greenfinch 6
Chaffinch 4
First up was this large (wing 139) male 'Blackie' with a crossed bill; as a >/=3CY it must be managing OK. It was not as heavy, at 115g, as some which I caught later that reached 132g with a good fat load (scored 3).
At the same time I had this female, a normal 'English wing' sized bird. However the 4 old greater coverts show up much better in the photo' below than in the hand. Many 'continental sized' birds habitually have these deceptively coloured covert feathers. This female had a lovely mottled breast - which took my fancy.
aaaaa
But, as always, a session in the garden is what really stirs the brain into action - especially at 06:30 on a frosty (-4C) morning. Now that the sun is climbing in the sky, I only get about 4 hours before the nets are 100% visible to all and sundry. Nonetheless, 40 birds of just 7 species was good enough. It would have been better if the Siskins had returned from their winter haunts, possibly as far away as Catalonia (thank you, Jeff K) - Barcelona, Spain for the uninitiated.
Robin 2 (1)
Blackbird 8 (2)
Coal Tit (2)
Blue Tit 1 (8)
Great Tit 4 (4)
Greenfinch 6
Chaffinch 4
First up was this large (wing 139) male 'Blackie' with a crossed bill; as a >/=3CY it must be managing OK. It was not as heavy, at 115g, as some which I caught later that reached 132g with a good fat load (scored 3).
At the same time I had this female, a normal 'English wing' sized bird. However the 4 old greater coverts show up much better in the photo' below than in the hand. Many 'continental sized' birds habitually have these deceptively coloured covert feathers. This female had a lovely mottled breast - which took my fancy.
aaaaa
Jen had mentioned that her Garlic shoots had disappeared. Her thoughts were that a mouse or similar had had them because the mesh cage over the plot stopped any birds getting to them. Lo and behold, what should appear on the feeder hanging under the climbing rose but "Mr. Country Mouse"
I was able to get fairly close and eventually 'it' stopped hiding round the other side of the peanuts. Finally, a couple of Coal Tits frightened it back to its underground home below the patio.
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