A fluffy bundle!

The Group recently ringed two Tawny owlets and this one decided after it had fledged to pose for the camera.

Just fledged Tawny Owl (Photo Doug Rudge)

Good weather and good birds!

Last weekend the weather did not allow netting to take place due to heavy showers and high winds. To compensate it was decided to have a session today and we were blessed with good dry weather and little wind. The conditions were ideal.

The Group caught 36 birds which is considered a good catch in an areas where we are restricted. In addition 7 Great Tits and 10 Blue Tits nestlings were also ringed so the our summer season is now well under way. Interesting there were two Blackcap retraps of a male and female with consecutive ring numbers originally caught in the same net on two separate sessions in April and May 2012. The question is, have they been a pair for at least three years?

South-west ringers' Conference a sell-out

Yesterday over 90 delegates, speakers and stallholders attended the SW Ringers' Conference held in the Town Hall, Seaton.. Apparently it was a great success with delegates enjoying excellent speakers and good food.

Karen and Denise manning the registration desk (Copyright Catharine Willerton)

Mike Tyler Leader and Chairman of the Axe Estuary Ringing Group welcomed delegates to the Conference followed by the official opening by the Chairman of the East Devon District Council, Councillor Graham Godbeer.

Official opening by the Chairman of East Devon District Council (Copyright Keith Grant)

Presentations were made by Mike Hounsome about the Shelduck Project on the Axe Estuary; Pete Potts on the Operation Godwit - the first 21 years; Manx Shearwaters on Lundy by Tony Taylor; Monitoring of Pied Flycatchers by Malcolm Burgess; Matt Prior talking about Tree Sparrows in Wiltshire; and Mark Grantham telling us about the hatching of the West Cornwall Ringing Group and the various species ringed and habitats covered.

Enjoying a delicious lunch (Copyright Catharine Willerton)

There was a wide selection of displays from traders and organisations.

Simone manning the NHBS stand (Copyright Catharine Willerton)

Ringers' had an opportunity to raise questions with the BTO with Jacquie Clark answering points raised and updating the Conference on news from Headquarters.

Later in the day Doug Rudge and his team hosted a tour of the Axe Estuary Wetlands concluding with a BBQ. So pleasant end to a successful day, despite the weather.

Doug leading the tour of the Wetlands prior to the BBQ (Copyright Catharine Willerton)

The Group would like to thank the delegates, sponsors, traders and many organisations that made the event a success.

St David's Day lucky catch

When we thought that the chance to catch large numbers of duck had forsaken us this winter we were in luck last Saturday morning. The first catch for 2014 resulted in 34 Shelduck netted of 43 present. The Group members were delighted, as indicated by the photograph, but also for a colourful bird caught in the reeds behind the group.

Whilst processing the Shelduck a visitor spotted a male Bearded Tit fly into the reeds. A mist net team was dispatched without delay and the bird was soon trapped. Prior to being netted it gave everyone present some splendid views. Although reported occasionally on the Wetlands this was the first catch for the Group and a very nice one too.

A happy team (Photo Mike Tyler)

A very attractive and unusual catch (Photo Mike Tyler)

New Year ringing at last underway

Since Christmas the weather had not been kind to the Group to allow it to get stuck into cannon netting duck or mist netting. February permitted a few evenings to catch Reed Buntings at roost in the young reed bed close to our ringing base and this weekend enabled us to take part in the Winter Festival arranged by East Devon District Council. Only a few birds were caught, but these did in include a Cetti's Warbler a species that has been seen and heard less in recent years on the Estuary.

The Festival enabled the Group to arrange a public ringing demonstration that proved a success with several children enjoying the chance to see birds close-up.

Cetti's Warbler carefully held by Ann prior to release (Photo Mike Tyler)

A keen young man releasing a female Blackbird clasping Derek's finger on release! (Photo Adrian Bayley)

Our Leader showing a Wren to a group of  children (Photo Adrian Bayley)

End of year activities

The weather permitted two sessions during December, the first on 17th, with a night-time catch of waders. Normally small catches are made and this evening was not different, catching three Curlew, five Oystercatchers and one Bar-tailed Godwit. The latter was a bonus and a first for the Group. Small numbers of this Godwit are recorded on the Estuary.

Hoping our last cannon-net catch yesterday would be good, but alas only one Moorhen and two Shelduck were caught. Although 90+ duck were on the lagoon the ice close to the catching area appeared to make the duck suspicious something was wrong. The few birds did not spoil the public demonstration of bird ringing. Members of the public, especially the children were very attentive.

Eye comparison of three Oystercatchers showing in the foreground the brown eye of a juvenile (Copyright Fraser Rush)

The bonus wader - Bar-tailed Godwit (Copyright Fraser Rush)

Comparing two juvenile Shelduck to ascertain which are male and female (Copyright Adrian Bayley)

Neil showing attentive children and adults the finer points of a Moorhen plumage (Copyright Adrian Bayley)

Ducks scared of Christmas

With 20 volunteers from all adjoining counties to Devon assembled at daybreak with the view of having a reasonable catch of duck. Alas up to 60 Shelduck, Wigeon, Mallard and a few Black-tailed Godwits chose to linger away from our net. Were they afraid of being caught may have exposed them to becoming a festive dinner! Anyway they got the better of us. The team were very good spirited even after waiting patiently for three hours without success. It turned into a friendly social get together.

Carefully storing the cannon-net which stayed dry for a change (Photo Adrian Bayley)

Are you sure that Heron was carrying a fish that big! (Photo Adrian Bayley)