Mist netting 29/5/22

Several members attended the last ringing session on 19/5/22. Nets were set around the Discovery Hut from where we were able to observe a group of Swifts investigating the Swift boxes and at least two birds were seen to enter. We processed 29 birds. Several juvenile birds were caught including a Robin and Blackbird. The highlight was perhaps a retrap Reed Warbler ringed here as age code 4 in April 2018, and so born in at least 2017, making it 5+ years old.

Juvenile Robin

Juvenile Blackbird

As the session slowed down we took the opportunity to catch and process one of the Mute Swans from the Sand Martin pond - rather a contrast to the dainty warblers we'd just been handling!.

Ringing a Mute Swan

Weighing a Mute Swan.

	Ringed	Re-trapped
Blackbird	2	2
Blue Tit	1	1
Cetti’s Warbler		2
Dunnock	1	1
Great Tit		1
Mallard	1
Mute Swan	1
Reed Warbler	7	4
Robin	3
Sedge Warbler	1
Wren		1
	17	12

Robin Pearson

Colyford Common

The last two sessions, held on 16/4/22 & 4/5/22, have been at the Colyford Common end of the reserve. At this time of the year, when the breeding season is underway, tape lures aren't used as they may disrupt breeding behaviour & thus numbers tend to be lower. However, both sessions still managed to produce some nice birds. 

On 16/4/22 18 birds were processed, which included 4 Song Thrush nestlings (pulli). Ringing pulli in the nest provides good data as the exact age of the birds is known. 

Song thrush nest with 4 nestlings (pulli)

Meadow Pipit

Male Blackcap

16/4/22	Ringed	Re-trapped
Blackcap	2
Blue Tit	1
Cetti's Warbler	1	3
Great Tit	1	3
Greenfinch	1
Meadow Pipit	1
Reed Bunting	1
Song Thrush	4		Pulli (chicks in nest)
	12	6

One of the re-trapped Cetti's Warblers which was initially ringed on 7/9/21 as a bird that hatched in that year (Code 3), was caught at both sessions. Examining birds of a known age provides a good learning opportunity. Cetti's are difficult to age, but on this bird the alula feathers look faded & worn, a feature to look out for in the future. 

Cetti's Warbler, ringed 7/9/21 

Wing of Cetti's Warbler

The session on 4/5/21 was conducted to the sound of a very persistent Meadow Pipit singing nearby. A noisy family of Stonechats was also flying around the ringing base. We managed to catch one of the youngsters whose wing feathers were still growing.  

Juvenile Stonechat

We caught our first Reed Warbler of the year on the Reserve, and also saw two Wheatears, a first for the year for some of us, and two very young fox cubs. 

4/5/22	Ringed	Re-trapped
Balckbird		1
Blue Tit	2	3
Cetti's Warbler		1
Great Tit		1
Greenfinch	2
Long-tailed Tit	1
Reed Warbler	1
Stonechat	1
	7	6