Continuing with recent ringing news this post covers the first of three sessions in the last week of August during which we made a last gasp try for some sand martins in front of the sand martin bank, visited Borrow Pit for the first time in quite some time in slightly dubious weather, and then finished off with another session at the Discovery Hut.
26th August
We decided to catch in the area around the Discovery Hut to see whether the recent run of good numbers of reed and sedge warblers would continue and to make a last try for some sand martins in front of the wall for the year. We set similar nets to the previous session to see what effect four days would have on the warbler numbers. Interestingly the numbers of reed and sedge warblers were substantially reduced, with a total of 13 reed and 6 sedge warblers caught. They were replaced by large numbers of chiffchaff and a good sprinkling of other species. We attracted quite a crowd as we were ringing outside the Discovery Hut and the weather was kind.
We did manage 6 retrap sand martins. 5 of the 6 had consecutive ring numbers, with the 6 only 3 birds after the last of the 5 consecutive numbers, so it was no surprise that they were ringed on the same day, the 10th August. The first 4 birds numerically were from the same brood of 4, while the other two birds were from 2 different broods. We believe that the juveniles only stay around the bank for a few days after fledging and we plan to look at the data to see what it shows us when time allows.
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| Perhaps the last sand martin of the summer... |
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| ...showing the characteristic pale fringes on the feathers indicating a first year bird. |
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| Probably the highlight of the day... |
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| This first year chaffinch shows one unmounted greater covert, more grey than the blacker moulted ones.. |
Blackbird 1
Blackcap 2
Blue Tit 4 2
Cetti's warbler 1 2
Chaffinch 1
Chiffchaff 25 7
Dunnock 1
Goldcrest 3
Great Tit 2
Kingfisher 1 2
Reed Warbler 8 5
Sand Martin 6
Sedge Warbler 5 1
Treecreeper 1
Willow Warbler 2
