I'm back! My laptop has now decided I can infact use blogger once again (why I wasnt allowed to is a mystery) My last day of freshers life is upon me and hence this summer can be turned around from alcohol fuelled partying (and hard work...) to birding. C-permit will get an outting finally, with a Kestrel nest box I know to have at least 3 chicks in down the road I hope to begin as I mean to continue.
Will once again be spending as much time as possible out with Owls and Raptors pullus, having already ringed Peregrine chicks earlier on last month, hopefully it won't be the only highlight. I will also be spending my August at Spurn Head Bird Observatory on the Yorkshire Coastline. Cannot wait!
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Thursday, 15 March 2012
From another world!
My laptop has decided that updating my blog is on the list of things I cannot do anymore (Its a long list, my laptop has had it). So I update from the university library.
So birding wise its been rather slow recently as all the deadlines crash in on me. Missing the majority of the winter ringing down the fen is a big shame but I did get a little done when I briefly returned in February. Also seeing 8 Cranes fly over my home town (A special thing for me as I have never seen any before!). Bar this I have also been on my first bird ringing excursion on the South Coast with a Siskin session with the Christchurch Harbour ringing group at Blashford Lakes. Yet to join them again but plan to in the not too distant future.
Now back to the joy of biology write-ups. Good ol' enzymes!
So birding wise its been rather slow recently as all the deadlines crash in on me. Missing the majority of the winter ringing down the fen is a big shame but I did get a little done when I briefly returned in February. Also seeing 8 Cranes fly over my home town (A special thing for me as I have never seen any before!). Bar this I have also been on my first bird ringing excursion on the South Coast with a Siskin session with the Christchurch Harbour ringing group at Blashford Lakes. Yet to join them again but plan to in the not too distant future.
Now back to the joy of biology write-ups. Good ol' enzymes!
Saturday, 12 November 2011
LEGGIT 2011
Off raising money for charity for the weekend/ longer by blagging my way as far away from campus as possible. Who knows where I will end up and birds I will see. Very excited!
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Winter wish list.
Birds I would like to catch up with this winter.
1) Whoopers and Bewicks at Welney would be loveeeely
2) A Wash wader spectacular something I still have never done but would love to.
3) Winter Finch ringing. Lets hope for another winter filled with Brambling and Redpoll!
They way things are going I won't be back home to go and do these things til middle of December so a little wait to come. Also need to get down to Portland Bill or Christchurch Harbour to explore the local avifauna soon.
Oh and not forgetting Waxwings. I would definitley like to see another few of them this winter.
1) Whoopers and Bewicks at Welney would be loveeeely
2) A Wash wader spectacular something I still have never done but would love to.
3) Winter Finch ringing. Lets hope for another winter filled with Brambling and Redpoll!
They way things are going I won't be back home to go and do these things til middle of December so a little wait to come. Also need to get down to Portland Bill or Christchurch Harbour to explore the local avifauna soon.
Oh and not forgetting Waxwings. I would definitley like to see another few of them this winter.
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
I NEED TO RING!
Its now heading upto 2 months without ringing and its not a good thing!!! C permit now good and on its way so hopefully soon I'll be all ready to get some garden ringing done at the new house (which I have yet to visit, the family have moved since I've been at Uni but it looks promising!) Can't wait til I get get my hands on some more winter finches! Saying that I would settle for anything even a bitey blue tit.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
A long awaited update!
I am now an Ecology and Wildlife Conservation student at Bournemouth University! I am on the hunt for a local ringing group but rather struggling with the lack of transport currently. Will keep you posted but not much is occuring currently. Went to Brownsea Island on the last day of September and saw 20+ Spoonbill, a nice south coast treat! Sandwich terns and Red squirrels also. Apologys for the lack of interesting news!
Monday, 22 August 2011
Icklesham 1-16th August.
A simply remarkable place! Had the best fun I'd had in ages and the 2 and a bit weeks flew by! Admittedly my sleep pattern is still not right after 4-30am alarm every morning for a few weeks and roosts most evenings, left me rather tired by the end of it all!
02/08-
Willow warbler
Gropper
Sedge warbler
Whitethroat
Reed warbler
Wren
Blue tit
20 birds ringed personally out of 60. Main site catching rather more birds.
Roost produced 3 Swallows and 2 Sand Martins. Been better roosts :P.
03/08
Willow warbler
Chiffchaff
Reed warbler
Sedge warbler
Whitethroat
Garden warbler
Blue tit
Lesser whitethroat
46 ringed out of 98. Main site 800+ !
Roost 74 Swallow, 17 Sand Martin. Ringed 11.
04/08
Wet and windy 8 birds, main site producing little also. no roost.
05/08
Morning total of 430+ for main site, Tree Pipit new species for myself.
49 birds ringed personally, 450 caught at Main Site. Fairly quiet morning
08/08
Sedge Warbler
Willow Warlber
Reed Warbler
Gropper
Garden Warlber
Robin
Dunnock
Whitethroat.
56 birds ringed + 41 at roost. 97 ringed! Wow.
09/08
Gropper
Sand Martin
Whitethroat
Lesser White
Garden Warbler
Sedge Warbler
25 of 480+. 31 Sand Martins, 3 Swallows and 3 Yellow Wagtails ringed at Roost. YelWa being a new species. 62 birds ringed.
10/08
Garden Warbler
Whitethroat
Gropper
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Goldcrest
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Lesser Whitethroat
Wren
Chiffchaff
63 bird ringed. 2 Reed Warblers requiring Walinder check for Marsh Warbler, unfortunatley both Reed Warblers. No Roost due to wind.
11/08 - No ringing due to bad weather. Day out in Hastings.
12/08
Reed Warbler
Garden Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
Wren
Gropper
(One Long Tailed Tit from Main site)
75 birds ringed today, 35 Sand Martins from roost.
(13/14)/08
My first experience of Wader ringing at Kings North Power Station near Medway was certainly a highlight of my stay, had a great night producing 5 new species for me!
Ringed Plover
Black tailed Godwit
Greenshank
Redshank
Dunlin
11 birds ringed but what a night!
15/08
I was told Monday mornings were good, maybe I should have taken it more seriously :P
Gropper
Whitethroat
House Sparrow
Reed Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
So thats the common stuff.
Whinchat
Tree Pipit
Redstart (new sp)
Not so common stuff.
Icterine Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Rarity form stuff. Both obviously new species.
WOAH! What a morning! Never did I expect to be able to ring either of those birds in the UK let alone as a T permit. Thanks so much to those who let me have both birds, still smiling a week on!
Not ringed by myself but what an amazing bird to observe in the hand, a violent bird with a bit of a temper, had some interesting wing moult.
Did a little bit of ringing on 16th but bailed early to catch my Grandparents for a lift back to sunny Lincs. I can only keep thanking everyone at Icklesham for letting my stay and helping me get a grasp of there systems. Feeling like a very capable ringer right now! Oh and passed the exams and got a place at Bournemouth Uni. Hopefully some more south coast ringing to come!
02/08-
Willow warbler
Gropper
Sedge warbler
Whitethroat
Reed warbler
Wren
Blue tit
20 birds ringed personally out of 60. Main site catching rather more birds.
Roost produced 3 Swallows and 2 Sand Martins. Been better roosts :P.
03/08
Willow warbler
Chiffchaff
Reed warbler
Sedge warbler
Whitethroat
Garden warbler
Blue tit
Lesser whitethroat
46 ringed out of 98. Main site 800+ !
Roost 74 Swallow, 17 Sand Martin. Ringed 11.
04/08
Wet and windy 8 birds, main site producing little also. no roost.
05/08
Morning total of 430+ for main site, Tree Pipit new species for myself.
Roost a lot more productive with 350+ Sand Martin's and 50+ Swallows.
06/08
59 at Alder Carr (Other site I mainly rung at) and 1100 at Mainsite with a 400 Roost. Very productive day! Nightingale finally ringed!
07/0849 birds ringed personally, 450 caught at Main Site. Fairly quiet morning
08/08
Sedge Warbler
Willow Warlber
Reed Warbler
Gropper
Garden Warlber
Robin
Dunnock
Whitethroat.
56 birds ringed + 41 at roost. 97 ringed! Wow.
09/08
Gropper
Sand Martin
Whitethroat
Lesser White
Garden Warbler
Sedge Warbler
25 of 480+. 31 Sand Martins, 3 Swallows and 3 Yellow Wagtails ringed at Roost. YelWa being a new species. 62 birds ringed.
10/08
Garden Warbler
Whitethroat
Gropper
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Goldcrest
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Lesser Whitethroat
Wren
Chiffchaff
63 bird ringed. 2 Reed Warblers requiring Walinder check for Marsh Warbler, unfortunatley both Reed Warblers. No Roost due to wind.
11/08 - No ringing due to bad weather. Day out in Hastings.
12/08
Reed Warbler
Garden Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
Wren
Gropper
(One Long Tailed Tit from Main site)
75 birds ringed today, 35 Sand Martins from roost.
(13/14)/08
My first experience of Wader ringing at Kings North Power Station near Medway was certainly a highlight of my stay, had a great night producing 5 new species for me!
Ringed Plover
Black tailed Godwit
Greenshank
Redshank
Dunlin
11 birds ringed but what a night!
Something interesting there Hugh? ;-)
I was told Monday mornings were good, maybe I should have taken it more seriously :P
Gropper
Whitethroat
House Sparrow
Reed Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
So thats the common stuff.
Whinchat
Tree Pipit
Redstart (new sp)
Not so common stuff.
Icterine Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Rarity form stuff. Both obviously new species.
WOAH! What a morning! Never did I expect to be able to ring either of those birds in the UK let alone as a T permit. Thanks so much to those who let me have both birds, still smiling a week on!
An Icky from Icky :P
Not so Reedy as Marshy. Can happily say I extracted this knowing it wasn't a Reed. Win!
Did a little bit of ringing on 16th but bailed early to catch my Grandparents for a lift back to sunny Lincs. I can only keep thanking everyone at Icklesham for letting my stay and helping me get a grasp of there systems. Feeling like a very capable ringer right now! Oh and passed the exams and got a place at Bournemouth Uni. Hopefully some more south coast ringing to come!
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