Nice surprise!

Our general mist netting session on Saturday 7th September produced a nice surprise for the Group. Among the warblers and other species caught a Common Snipe was netted, the first wader for the Group this autumn. Nice photograph below.

Copyright Kate Cheetham

Active weekends

The last two weekends have been active periods for the Group starting on Fridays and covering the Saturdays and one Sunday. The latter session was at the East Devon District Council's Wet and Wild Weekend, a public event at which various wildlife events took place. Despite bad weather during the last weekend 18 birds were caught and processed. The total for both weekends came to 98 captures. 

The total comprised of good numbers of migrants, including Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats, even a Kingfisher. Certainly species one would expect to catch at a wetland site at this time of the year. The Group's next long weekend will start on 6th September. It is also planning some wader catches during September and October. Watch this space for the results of those hopeful catches.

A few photos of recent activities.

A relaxed juvenile Whitethroat (photo Mike Tyler)

A hive of activity! (Photo Adrian Bailey)

What is this? A family outing! (Photo Adrian Bayley)

Another poser (Photo Adrian Bayley)

2013 Ringing Programme Uploaded

For details of all the planned ringing activity by the Axe Estuary Ringing Group for the rest of 2013 see HERE or click on the '2013 Programme' tab above this post. As always, our outings are subject to weather conditions!

BTO South West Ringers' Conference

Any ringers who may be following our activities please note in your diaries Saturday, 5th April 2014 when the Group will be hosting the BTO South West Ringers' Conference. It will take place in Seaton Town Hall, Devon and delegates will be offered the opportunity for a guided visit to the Axe Estuary Wetlands.

Please watch this space for further details

Good catch and first pulli

A good catch this morning of 37 birds, including the Group's first nestlings of the year. The nest in a box attached to the side of the classroom was being watched via a video link to the Field Studies Base. Despite concerns in the early days that the pair kept disappearing for several hours are now raising six healthy Blue Tit nestlings.

The tally for today's catch was:

Great Tit 6; Robin 2; Greenfinch 3; Long-tailed Tit 9; Dunnock 2; Wren 2; Blue Tit 7; Blackbird 4; Song Thrush 1; and Chaffinch 1.

Good catch near Crop Field again!

Despite the jaunt across rough ground to carry poles, nets, etc the reed bed and adjoining hedgerows close to the Crop Field rarely let down those who have the energy and enthusiasm to catch some interesting birds. Yesterday, 21st May was no exception, with 25 of the total birds caught during the morning were close to the Crop Field. An area rarely visited by the public thereby being relatively quiet.

The morning's total catch was 35 birds as follows: Song Thrush 1; Reed Warbler 10; Blue Tit 1; Dunnock 3; House Sparrow 3; Greenfinch 3; Blackbird 8; Great tit 1; Swallow 1; Wren 2; Reed Bunting 1; and Robin 1.

Weekend session

Our first two day session for the year started on the afternoon of Friday 10th May, with the erection of nets and finished on Saturday evening after processing thirty birds. Not so many as one would have liked, but despite the showers and windy conditions a reasonable number nevertheless. The tally was: Song Thrush 1; Blue Tit 2; Greenfinch 5; Reed Warbler 3; Chaffinch 1; Sedge Warbler 1; Wren 2; Dunnock 3; Goldfinch 2; Blackbird 7; Great Tit 2; and Reed Bunting 1.

Of the total of Blackbirds four were pulli in a nest close to the Reserves, but still in the area of the Group's operations. A nice surprise was the single Sedge Warbler which was a control ringed in Spain bearing a ring engraved Arazadi San Sebastien.

The Saturday morning started with people on a dawn chorus, led by Steve Waite, visited the Field Studies base at the end of their walk. Even during the day other members of the public were given the opportunity to watch birds being ringed. It was not just adults that were fascinated by seeing birds in the hand, but also were the children.

These two children are certainly enjoying the opportunity to release a Reed Bunting