Colyford Common - 22/10/11

Today saw the first session of the autumn in the crop field at the north end of Colyford Common.

Crop Field - Colyford Common Oct '11 (c) Steve Waite

Weather: Dry, cloud cover varying 30% - 70%, moderate to blustery s w wind, excellent visibility.

The strength of the wind made the mist nets look very obvious, which ensured few birds were caught - even the double shelf north ron didn't work!

The overhead wires also played a part in the lack of birds caught. The Linnets (100+) and Reed Buntings (25) feeding in the crop field often flew up vertically to perch on the wires - going nowhere near the nets!

Linnets - Colyford Common Oct '11 (c) Steve Waite

11 birds of 4 species were caught and ringed;

2 Song Thrush
1 White Wagtail
4 Dunnock
4 Reed Bunting

A photo of the White Wagtail will appear here soon, but for now I'm afraid you will have to make do with one of the four Reed Buntings...

Reed Bunting 3F - Colyford Common Oct '11 (c) Steve Waite

Unfortunately the Jack Snipe flushed whilst setting a net in the wet area behind the platform didn't return and get caught!

With the number of birds processed, as you can imagine the ringers and helpers present today were always kept busy...

Adrian enjoying the sun - Colyford Common Oct '11 (c) Steve Waite

Colour-ringing Schemes

If you see any of our colour-ringed birds, even if it is on the Axe Estuary, please email the full details (date, time, location, species and colour-ring combination or code) to Ian Stanbridge

The Axe Estuary Ringing Group has two active colour-ringing schemes;

Black-tailed Godwit

Since March 2009, 20 Black-tailed Godwits have been caught, ringed and colour-ringed by the Group. Some birds have been caught during night time mist netting sessions on Colyford Marsh, but most are caught during wildfowl cannon netting operations on Seaton Marshes. This project is part of an international study on Black-tailed Godwits. Every Black-tailed Godwit colour-ringed on the Axe Estuary is fitted with six colour rings, with the combination of YELLOW RED YELLOW on the birds right leg being the Axe Estuary's unique colour-ring combination. The colour-rings fitted on the birds left leg are unique to each individual bird. Birds are named by the first letter of each colour ring on their left leg from top to bottom, for example yellow over orange over green would be known as YOG.

Black-tailed Godwit 'GOR' - Axe Estuary Mar '10 (c) Steve Waite

So far, 60% of the Godwits colour-ringed by the Group have been re-sighted in the field. There have been some very exciting sightings too, with several being seen in France, two in Ireland and singles being reported in Scotland, Norfolk, and Iceland! Full details of these re-sightings will be posted at a later date.

Shelduck

Since December 2010 the Group have been colour-ringing Shelducks, 95 have been colour-ringed to date. Shelducks are mostly caught during the winter months through canon netting, but many have also been caught using whoosh nets and in duck traps. A yellow darvic ring with two letters is fitted on the birds left leg, with the standard BTO metal ring placed on the birds right leg.

Shelduck 'FL' - Seaton Marshes Mar '11 (c) Mike Tyler

Once again, if you see any of our colour-ringed birds, even if it is on the Axe Estuary, please email the full details (date, time, location, species and colour-ring combination or code) to Ian Stanbridge