Colyford Common - 26/6/12

Today was the first session for a while at the top end of Colyford Common, in the reedbed and the crop field. It was a bit of a job transporting the kit up to the north end as there was no vehicle available for this session.

Ringing at the north end of Colyford Common - June '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Weather; somewhat misty in the valley which cleared to give low cloud. This combined with little wind meant for pretty ideal mist netting conditions.

Without the luxury of the Field Studies Centre, it was back to basics for the team - no tables or chairs!

On the grass - Colyford Common June '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

The long slog was certainly worthwhile, with 76 birds of 14 species caught, and only 10 retraps:

4 Blue Tit (1 retrap)
4 Blackcap
3 Sedge Warbler
14 Reed Warbler (3 retraps)
2 Wren (1 retrap)
6 Blackbird (1 retrap)
4 Song Thrush (2 retrap)
1 Robin
2 Dunnock (1 retrap)
11 House Sparrow
19 Greenfinch (1 retrap)
4 Goldfinch
1 Linnet
1 Reed Bunting

Several of these birds were (as expected) 3J's.

3J Reed Bunting - Colyford Common June '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Of the adults caught, this Linnet was surely the smartest.

Male Linnet - Colyford Common June '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

But this Blue Tit was arguably the most interesting (from a ringer's perspective!) showing a feathering over brood patch and in active wing moult.

Blue Tit - Colyford Common June '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

The team were unlucky to not catch a Sparrowhawk; a big female was in the net but escaped when the (would have been!) extractor was just a few paces away. You'll have to wear your running shoes next time Mike.

Shelduck KC; from Seaton to Seaton

Shelduck KC was ringed as a second year (aged 5) female on 29/1/12 at Seaton Marshes (click HERE for that ringing session's blog post). When it was ringed, little did we know it would give us one of our best Shelduck recoveries to date.

Shelduck KC - Stafford Marsh Jan '12 (c) Mike Tyler

On 18/6/12, Toby Collett the Assistant Warden at RSPB Saltholme, Cleveland, reported Shelduck KC on the Tees Marshes near Seaton Carew. That's a distance between ringing and re-sighting of approx 450km. Zoom out the map below to see a line drawn between the two sites.

View Shelduck KC in a larger map

Many thanks to Toby for taking the time to contact the group with this excellent re-sighting.

Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh - 12/6/12

Another ringing session based at the Fields Study Centre on Stafford Marsh. This location is ideal for interacting with the public.

The session leader showing how it's done - Stafford Marsh June '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

32 birds of 10 birds were caught and processed;

2 Blue Tit
10 Great Tit (3 retraps)
2 Chiffchaff
3 Blackcap
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Wren (1 retrap)
2 Blackbird (retraps)
4 Robin
1 Dunnock (retrap)
1 Goldfinch

As expected for a ringing session at this time of year, several of the bird caught were aged 3J (recently fledged young). To be precise, 67% of the bird caught in this session were 3J's.

Wren, Blue Tit and Great Tit (all aged 3J) - Stafford Marsh June '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

There were plenty of other young birds visible in the vicinity too...

Mallard and Shelduck families - Black Hole Marsh June '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh - 26/5/12

The team were keen this morning - or some of them anyway - with a 04:30 start! This proved worthwhile as a decent catch made.

Weather; cloudy start but clearing to give a fine sunny day, though not as warm as recent days.

In all, 34 birds of 10 species were processed:

1 Chiffchaff
19 Reed Warbler (6 retraps, 1 control)
2 Great Tit
3 Blackbird (1 retrap)
2 Dunnock (retraps)
1 Wren
1 Robin
3 Greenfinch
1 Chaffinch
1 Goldfinch

The control Reed Warbler was wearing a French ring, but it is one the Group has caught before, back in 2010.

French ringed Reed Warbler - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

The two Great Tits ringed were recently fledged young birds.

3J Great Tits - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

The weekend session, along with the nice weather meant plenty of passers by stopped to see the ringing activities.

Showing the punters - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

And the sun ensured it was a pleasant session for the ringers too.

Returning to base - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Though there were enough birds to keep them busy (or keep them looking busy anyway!).

Fields Studies Centre - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh - 11-13/5/12

The first ringing weekend of the year, when sessions are held on three consecutive days, starting Friday afternoon, continuing throughout Saturday and coming to an end midday Sunday.

Colyford Common and Black Hole Marsh - May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Over the three days 67 birds of 17 species were caught and processed. Please note though these are the combined totals of the three days, and some birds are included that were retrapped on different days.

1 Kingfisher (retrap)
5 Blue Tit (3 retap)
2 Great Tit (retraps)
2 Swallow (1 retrap)
1 Chiffchaff
7 Blackcap (3 retrap, 1 control)
1 Sedge Warbler
7 Reed Warbler (3 retraps)
5 Wren (4 retraps)
8 Blackbird (5 retrap)
3 Song Thrush (retraps)
3 Robin (2 retrap)
8 Dunnock (6 retrap)
1 Pied Wagtail
6 Greenfinch (1 retrap)
6 Goldfinch
1 Bullfinch

The Blackcap control was a bird that was originally ringed at Beachy Head, East Sussex, on 16th September 2010. We controlled it first on 16th April 2011, and it's back again this spring!

The control Blackcap - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

The first Reed Warbler ringed of 2012 - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Many of the group members were present at some point over the weekend.

Peter measuring the wing of the Swallow - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Even the boss made an appearance!...

Mr T updating the net rounds board - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

And lastly, some nifty camera and editing work from the man responsible for 80% of photos on this blog...

Kestrel composite - Stafford Marsh May '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh - 14/4/12

Today's session was a public demonstration session. Many turned up to watch the Axe Estuary Ringing Group in action - and to enjoy Doug's cooking! Yes, it wasn't just birds on the menu this morning - there were bacon and veggie butties too!

Fields Studies Base - Stafford Marsh Apr '12 (c) Peter Bennett

Weather: a cold but dry start, with a slight n e breeze. A mixture of sunny spells and periods of cloud cover throughout the morning.

Much to the enjoyment of the observers, 19 birds of 10 species were processed;

2 Blackbird (retraps)
2 Dunnock (retraps)
2 Wren (retraps)
1 Blackcap
1 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warbler
2 Great Tit (retraps)
2 Blue Tit (retraps)
4 Greenfinch (1 retrap)
1 Goldfinch

Willow Warbler - Stafford Marsh Apr '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Showing the audience - Stafford Marsh Apr '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

And it wasn't just birds in the hand. Adrian found this Grass Snake - much to the excitement of many of the children present.

Grass Snake - Stafford Marsh Apr '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh - 10/4/12

Another mist netting session for the AERG that coincided with unhelpful weather conditons for this patime. It was looking to be one of the poorest ever sessions for the group. Well that was until this blogger left!

Field Studdies Base - Stafford Marsh Apr '12 (c) Steve Waite

Weather: Sunshine and few clouds, with a breezy s w wind until late morning, when cloud rolled over and a few rain showers broke out - prompting the end of the session.

The mist net set by the bird feeders on Stafford Marsh 'saved' this session. On sunny days, mist nets are so obvious to the human eye...so they presumably are to birds' eyes too!

A sunlit mist net - Colyford Common Apr '12 (c) Steve Waite

Up until 10:00, the team had only caught one bird, but by the session's end at midday, 12 birds of 4 species were processed;

1 Blackbird (retrap)
1 Dunnock (retrap)
1 Chiffchaff
9 Greenfinch

Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh - 27/3/12

The summer-like weather continues, which makes for a lovely day out - just not if you're a bird ringer!

Weather: beautiful blue skies and unbroken sunshine, with a slight SE wind.

A bit of a breeze with bright sunshine is about as bad as it gets for mist netting. Sunlight reflects off mist nets which makes them a lot more visible to birds, but add to this the slight movement caused by even a gentle breeze, and they look about as obvious as a brick wall!

Another down side to this weather at this time of year is the numbers of migrants that make landfall. When there are light winds and a high pressure, migrating birds (i.e. warblers, thrushes, chats, etc) fly high and straight over the south coast of the UK. Only when there is cloud, ideally coupled with some light rain, do any numbers of migrating birds become grounded.

Still, 9 birds of 5 species were processed;

1 Song Thrush
3 Blackbird (2 retraps)
2 Dunnock (retraps)
2 Wren (retraps)
1 Great Tit (retrap)

A male Blackbird being ringed and measured - Stafford Marsh March '12 (c) Doug Rudge

The session leader totting up the final totals (it didn't take long!) - Stafford Marsh March '12 (c) Doug Rudge

Cannon Netting on Seaton Marshes - 24/03/12

The last cannon net catch of the season. Although many of the wintering wildfowl have left the Axe Valley for their breeding grounds, good numbers of Shelduck remain - a species the Axe Estuary Ringing Group are studying. At least 80 were feeding on the lagoon on Seaton Marshes on the morning of the catch.

Weather: always a murky haze, but above that blue skies and unbroken sunshine. No wind.

Only one species today;

23 Shelduck (19 retraps)

Although a high number of retraps, the new birds prove Shelduck are still arriving on the Axe Estuary (to breed?). Hopefully over time the colour-ringing program will show more about movements of Shelduck.

The Team - Stafford Marsh March '12 (c) Mike Tyler

Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh - 6/3/12

Another session based from the Fields Studies Centre on Stafford Marsh. Although the weather made it very pleasant to be out in, it was far from ideal for mist netting.

Weather: a glorious day with unbroken sunshine, although a NW wind began to pick up from mid morning. Visibility excellent.

21 birds of 10 species were trapped and processed;

1 Mallard
1 Kingfisher
5 Blackbird (2 retrap)
1 Song Thrush
2 Robin (1 retrap)
3 Dunnock (2 retrap)
3 Wren (2 retrap)
1 Great Tit
1 Blue Tit
2 Greenfinch (1 retrap)
1 Bullfinch

The Kingsfisher trapped and ringed was the 53rd ringed by the Group.

'Check out my orange underwings' - Stafford Marsh March '12 (c) Doug Rudge

At one point it got so quiet that some mist net repairing proved a good idea.

How to repair a mist net by Neil and Adrian - Stafford Marsh March '12 (c) Doug Rudge

Cannon Netting on Seaton Marshes - 26/2/12

A smaller than usual team for this cannon net catch, as can be seen from the group photo.

The team - Stafford Marsh Feb '12 (c) Mike Tyler

Weather: foggy start with a cool breeze, but soon cleared to give a warm and sunny, very spring-like day.

After the cannon net catch, once all 61 birds had been safely processed and released, the Abberton Traps on Colyford Common were set and provided the team with another 4 birds.

In total 65 birds of 4 species were processed;

58 Shelduck (43 retraps)
2 Mallard
2 Moorhen (retraps)
3 Black-tailed Godwit

So that's three more colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwits from the Axe Estuary, notice in all three photos the Axe Estuary yellow red yellow colour combination on the bird's right leg. For more details click HERE.

LOW (lime orange white) - Stafford Marsh Feb '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

YOW (yellow orange white) - Stafford Marsh Feb '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

GOW (green orange white) - Stafford Marsh Feb '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

This wasn't the only colour-ringing done in this session. The 15 un-ringed Shelducks needed colour-ringing too.

Shelduck colour-rings - Stafford Marsh Feb '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

With a smaller team, it meant for a change the A ringers had the chance to roll their sleeves up and do some ringing.

Terry ringing a young Shelduck - Stafford Marsh Feb '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Pete measuring a Shelduck's leg - Stafford Marsh Feb '12 (c) Adrian Bayley

Job Done - Stafford Marsh Feb '12 (c) Adrian Bayley