Another good ringing morning

This morning the Group caught 63 birds among which included: 11 Blackcaps; 12 Chiffchaffs; 7 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Kingfishers; 2 Meadow Pipits; 1 Kestrel; 1 Treecreeper; and 1 Grey Wagtail. Several members of the public were present and enjoyed watching the birds up close and being ringed. The children were so thrilled by seeing a selection of 17 different birds.

That is not nice to treat Ian's finger as if it was a fish (Photo Mike Tyler)

The young male Kingfisher now behaving much better (Photo Mike Tyler)

A second year male Kestrel (Photo Mike Tyler)

First autumn wader catch

Autumn always gives the Group the opportunity to try and catch waders using mist nets at high tide and normally after dark. Can be tricky, but with an experienced team the sessions are always challenging, but enjoyable. Last evening was no exception.

Our catches are normally small, but the session was certainly better than expected. Apart from a non wader species, a Shelduck, fourteen waders were caught and processed. These included:

one Common Snipe; five Dunlin; two Curlew; five Redshamk and one Whimbrel. The latter was a new species for the Group. A pleasing varied catch.

Common Snipe

Our new wader - the Whimbrel

Curlew and Whimbrel comparison
(Photographs Mike Tyler)

Nice September catch

The second catch for September resulted in 50 birds caught of 14 species a nice varied catch. The usual autumn migrants were contained in the total, but 18 juvenile Greenfinches could not resist the local feeders, nor the interest of ringers.

Migrants on the move

After an early start today 34 birds were caught, mainly migrants, including Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Sedge and Reed Warblers. Unfortunately rain and windy conditions brought a promising catch to an abrupt halt by 10.00am.

Hopefully further sessions this autumn will prove more successful, including special wader catching sessions.

August catch

After two earlier aborted sessions the two mornings over the weekend of 16th - 17th August allowed 91 birds to be caught and processed. Even the second session was closed early due to rain. As expected most birds were juveniles including: three Whitethroats; 12 Sedge Warblers; and eight Reed Warblers. Hopefully more interesting sessions will take place before the conclusion of autumn migration.

Group on Display

Even with a short gap in the ringing programme the Group has not stood idle. On 12th July it appeared at the Kilmington Village Fayre and last weekend at the Natural Seaton Festival. Many local conservation bodies were represented at this Festival which took place adjoining the new Tesco Stores and Tramway Terminus. Both events enabled the Group to show the public why we ringed birds and its importance in nature conservation.

Many thanks to the organisers of both events and Group volunteers.

Group display at the Natural Seaton Festival (Photo Adrian Bayley)

Latest update

Today the Group took part in the Axe Vale and District Conservation Society's Open Day held on the Axe Estuary Wetlands. We specifically put on a public demonstration of bird ringing for several dozen Society members and the public present. During the morning 64 birds were caught including two new Kingfishers, bringing the total caught at two sessions to 13, excluding retraps. Other species ringed included Reed, Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.

Reed Warbler -Photo Mike Tyler

Male Blackcap - Photo Mike Tyler