In search of Nightingales.

To cut it short, 2 calling, none rung! Not that we shall give up that easy, an evening session will follow soon.

First bird was a beautiful male Kestrel...

After playing the waiting game we had...

1 Chiffchaff
2 Song Thrush
1 Jay
1 Woodpigeon
1 Kestrel
3 Blackcap
5 Willow Warbler
1 Garden Warbler
1 Robin
2 Dunnock

Another good day in birdland! AND counted up my yearlist, 140, not too bad for someone who hasnt twitched a bird in his life.

Frampton Marsh 20/04

20th April- A fairly quiet day on the marsh, a slight sea breeze the only thing stirring the perfect calm. My grandparents and I went down around midday to trek around the marsh, maybe the fact we came later than I usually would was the reason for the seemingly quiet day.

Around 30 Avocets on the reserve, Redshank out on the saltmarsh. Lapwings displaying left right and centre. At least 5 Wheatears on the reserve though I suspect I saw 7. A pair being extremely photogenic.

Also earlier in the week a great moment, a Montagu's Harrier appearing as we drived to do a spot of pullus, the site obviously not to be told incase the very slight chance of it staying and breeding, fingers crossed!

A long overdue update.

Since I last posted (shockingly about a month ago >.<)  we have finished winter ringing started the first pullus of the year and will soon be 'owling'.

The winter totals for our farmland site are as follows...

Northorpe Fen- Winter 10/11
Brambling- nearly 300!
Reed Buntings- 236
Yellowhammers- 217
Goldfinches- 197
Chaffinches- 117

Also of note is the Bourne Woods site, specifically Bob Sheppards garden, with amazing Redpoll totals.

Lesser Redpoll- 320
Common Redpoll- 70

I also ringed my first Meadow Pipit since my last post.

The first Pulli of the year also began with the ringing of 2 Heron chicks and with a returned date on the cards to get to the other nests. The first Owl checks have also begun, of note a very early Little Owl egg (the date I'll confirm when I remember). Another Little Owl when released after processing headed straight down a rat hole, interesting behaviour.

Yesterday I attended the BTO conference at Riseholme college, Lincoln. The talk was very informative and it was nice to be able to put faces to names I have heard a lot about through the other ringers. Hopefully in years to come I'll be working as part of other conservation schemes as a career, fingers crossed !

A catch-up!

Its been a while! 2 weeks have gone by and I havent updated, thats 3 ringing sessions...

Starting with the 12th March, A very early start (5-30am) saw us off to a new site for myself, Vine House Farm. The site was laden with seed and birds though the conditions were not perfect a good catch of 7 Brambling and 70 or so other birds met us throughout the day. Also of note was a Goldfinch controlled from out Fenland site, not a significant movement, probably less than 5km but nice to see the birds were getting around.

After this we moved ourselves to Bourne Woods and Bob's garden, this time for the Redpoll again, 5 new Commons bringing the total upto 62 this year, really quite something!

Now 13th March, down the fen once again, a fairly average catch, though 10 Brambling once more, really quite common nowadays but exciting enough to still mention with pride!

Rolling onto this weekend (19th) and the morning started with some good news for myself, I had a Blackbird rung down the fen last year controlled in Helgoland, Germany! My furthest movement and so far only forgein recovery. The smiles had already started and first round was leading to a good day. I had my first Sparrowhawk, almost a bogey ring tick for myself, we had seen the young bird flying around a fair bit this year and eventually he ended up in the net. The day ended with 104 ringed and 19 Brambling leaving the fen total for the year at 200!

My first Sparrowhawk, what a beauty!

Cor blimey its spring!

...or should I say 'Corn' blimey. Pardon the awful pun there but I was very surprised to see my first Chiffchaff of the year on the 5th March! That coupled with displaying Lapwings was a sure sign on a fairly wintery day that the future is looking a little brighter.

In the past years we have noticed that March is Corn Bunting month, we rarely catch them before then and after the others retrapped a bird from last year this time round, I wasnt greatly surprised when Alan reached to grab the B+'s without telling me of the hidden bunting in the bag, I'm sharper than I look ;)

Northorpe Fen- 5/03
12 Brambling
1 Corn Bunting
82 birds ringed

200 Redpoll at Bob's garden last week, couldnt ring as he was away, the better stick around before they move back to there summer haunts.

Adventures over the past week.

I was out last Sunday ringing back down Northorpe Fen, good Brambling numbers, 14 out of 50 birds being of the former. Once again good numbers of Reed Bunting though few finding the nets, Goldfinches taking up a good number of our newly ringed birds.

Interestingly the unregularity of the Yellowhammers reoccurs from last year. We noticed the birds are not regulars on the bait and we caught 1 retrap 6M. However on Thursday, the others went out and caught 47! Thurday had 120 new birds rung, 16 Brambling.

The amount of time I spend ringing will more than likely reduce as the summer exams loom in the distance, time to knuckle down (sigh!)

A good day once again!

Once again awaking to the sound and sight for 30+ Redpoll!

Northorpe Fen- 22/02
Reed Bunting
Yellowhammer
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
Brambling (1 Control)

Bourne Woods
2 Common Redpoll (3 retrap)
4 Lesser Redpoll
Bullfinch
Tits

60 birds in total, the ringing is good!