Friday 24 February 2017

Spotting colour rings

The Group are known for its work on certain species and these are subject to  colour ring schemes. The species are Shelduck with black lettering on a yellow background, Black-tailed Godwits with site rings red-yellow-red and Wigeon with black letters on lime green.

Hopefully visitors to the Blog will keep their eyes open and send an e-mail to the address shown on the Blog.

Ringed Wigeon
Ringed Shelduck
                                                                 Ringed Black-tailed Godwit

                                                                     Photographs Mike Tyler

Tuesday 21 February 2017

More ducks!

The programmed mist netting session took place today with 30 birds caught and processed. Nothing of note, but four ducks comprising of two Teal and two Mallard, together with a Moorhen were trapped in the Abberton Traps. Nice surprise following only one Teal last Saturday at the Otter Estuary, despite the use of cannon nets.

Adult Moorhen

Adult male Great Spotted Woodpecker

Adult male Teal
Photographs Doug Rudge

Saturday 18 February 2017

A cunning plan!

When does a cunning plan succeed ?  Well it didn't for the Group today at its monthly winter catch of Wigeon at the Otter Estuary. Careful planning nearly caught 250 Wigeon on two occasions during the morning. Yes, twice the flock were in 20 metres of being caught. The ducks just wandered in the wrong direction grazing as they waddled. Not to be entirely beaten and to ensure something for those who gave up their Saturday morning, we tried to catch two Teal that had been on the edge of the catching area all morning. Well one was caught! See photograph of an attractive adult male.


Adult male Teal given detailed attention (Photo Mike Tyler)

Sunday 12 February 2017

Another winter catch

The group have fewer mist netting sessions in the winter, but last Monday's catch was worth erecting a few nets. Thirty-five birds were caught including Blackbird 3, Robin 4, Blue Tit 3, Reed Bunting 2, Song Thrush 1, Great Tit 4, Dunnock 5, Wren 3, Goldcrest 2, Bullfinch 1, Long-tailed Tit 1, Goldfinch 2, Chaffinch 1, Mallard 1 and Cetti's Warbler 2. The two Cetti's Warblers being the highlight of the morning.

Cetti's Warblers (Photo Doug Rudge)
Doug Rudge cautiously entering the Abberton Trap to extract the Mallard watched by Derek Baggott (Photo Sue Murphy)