Axe Vale Wildlife Day

Last Sunday the Axe Vale Wildlife Day took place at Seaton Wetlands and the Group were invited by the Chairman of the Axe Vale and District Conservation Soviety's Chairman, Doug Rudge, to participate in the Reed Base. We were invited last year, but only used our display boards. This year we tried to attract the attention of the public by, not just upgrading the display boards, but with two display cabinets of bird skulls . A nature table was also prepared. These certainly drew the attention, not only of the children, but adults as well.

Display boards

Private bird skull collection

The nature table

Photographs Mike Tyler

weather permits a good catch

With the disappointment of having to cancel the last couple of sessions we were able to get a catch in before the end of June. This took place yesterday with a good morning's catch of 95 birds of 19 species. The majority were juveniles as expected at this time of the year and including several summer migrants of Swallow, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler and Blackcap. The first juvenile Kingfisher of the year was caught, as well as, several finches and a juvenile Cetti's Warbler, suggesting it bred on the site. 

Good start to spring

Today the Group met to mist net on the Wetlands and caught 51 passerines and ringed 14 pulli of two species. The total did not include any surprises in the 16 species processed. A few juvenile birds were present and this will now increase over the following weeks.

Warblers arrived

The session yesterday was noted for the arrival of resident warblers, some with brood patches. The reed beds becoming filled with noisy Reed Warblers. Altogether 39 birds were caught of 13 species including, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler. A reasonable start to the breeding season.

Female Blackcap  (Photo Mike Tyler)

Public demonstration

The Group held a public demonstration of bird ringing today and had 23 people attend during the morning. They enjoyed watching the processing of 33 birds of 13 species, including several migrants, as well as the usual expected species.

Colourful catch

Today the Group acted as hosts to the Reaseheath University College, Cheshire when 16 students and their tutors visited the Wetlands and spent the morning helping with the Group's ringing activities. This was part of the students field studies towards gaining an environment degree.

The species caught included, a Goldfinch, male and female Bullfinch and the highlight of the morning a male Redstart. These certainly made the morning colourful as opposed to the "little brown jobs" although those are still important in our research. A total of 30 birds were caught and processed of 15 species, including migrant Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.

Photographs by Mark Wills of the male Redstart 

Second year Male Bullfinch bearing a tick under its bill (Photo Mike Tyler) 

No migrants today

Our mist netting session today did not result in any expected migrants, although two Cetti's Warblers were retrapped, one a female. So will they breed this year on the Wetlands? The weather conditions today were ideal, cloud, dry and little wind. Forty birds were caught of 14 species as follows: Wren 4; Greenfinch 2; Goldfinch 8; Robin 6; Song Thrush 1; Bullfinch 2; Long-tailed Tit (1); Reed Bunting 3; Blackbird 1; Chaffinch 6; Cetti's Warbler 2; Great Tit 1; Dunnock 1; Blue Tit 2. Finches at garden bird tables appear to have increased in recent days similar to what was experienced today.