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Ringing near Gifford, winter 07-08 (1 Viewer)

C

citrinella

Well-known member
7/10/07 Had a session trimming net runs in preparation for this winter's ringing. Put up a couple of nets at site 1 while we were there. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 2
retrap
Blue tit new 3
retrap
Dunnock new 3
retrap
Robin new 1
retrap
Song Thrush new 2
retrap
Wren new 2
retrap
Yellowhammer new 6
retrap
TOTAL new 19
retrap 0

At this site we saw / heard
Buzzard
Pink feet
19 Golden Plover
Grey wagtail
Pied wagtail
Meadow pipit
Skylark 7+
Greenfinch / linnet mix flock 30-40
Reed bunting
Possible crossbill
c.150 yellowhammer - a big surprise

Other sites
Redwing & 3 Grey partridge

Linnet site : kestrel, several skylark, reed bunting & 100+ linnet
Noisy tawnies in my garden.

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Mike.
 
13/10/07 Ringer in chief is away on holiday. Had a session at old wild bird cover site at site 1. Many thanks to all concerned.

Dunnock new 5
retrap 1
Wren new 1
retrap

TOTAL new 6
retrap 1

The ringing was unexciting, but it was a fantastic morning for birds that didn't want to be caught. We saw / heard
Buzzard
6 Pink feet
15 Grey partridge
5 Golden Plover
120-150 Peewit
Skylark 32 & 60. Large numbers in groups moving around us, certainly over 100 in total. We did wonder if they might be migrating but then realized they were swinging back behind us. Lots of interaction like territorial and courtship behaviour.
Blackbird
Mistle thrush
Stonechat mf+2 juv
Greenfinch, several small groups
Chaffinch
Linnet 50-100 (later count gave c.80)
Siskin
Yellowhammer (several present later)
Reed bunting (later m+3 f/juv)

Other sightings over the weekend
Pied wagtail, 6 grey partridge at my house, 2 buzzard nearby.

Linnet site : kestrel, several skylark, 79+ linnet.

REturning home late at night, a tawny was sitting on the white line where visibility was not good. Dodged it, then went back and chased it off the road - it stayed put until I opened the door right beside it.

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Mike.

P.S. also a report of a sizeable flock of peewit at Peaston
 
21/10/07 Ringer in chief still away on holiday. Had an experimental session at a new wild bird cover site at site 1. If it was calm, this site might work. Many thanks to all concerned.

Greenfinch new 1
retrap
Reed bunting new 1
retrap

TOTAL new 2
retrap 0

Also seen / heard
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
4&6 Grey partridge
Golden Plover
Peewit
Woodcock
Skylark
Blackbird
7 Fieldfare and scattered smaller groups
Robin
Dunnock
Chaffinch
Linnet
Yellowhammer

Other sightings on Saturday around the farm
Kestrel
300+ peewit. I suspect there were two flocks and I only counted one. On emerging wheat, min-tilled after rape. Seems that min-tilled fields are attractive to them at this time of year
Greater spotted woodpecker mf in my garden
20+ Fieldfare
80+ linnet

Saturday east of Morham
30-50 Tree sparrow

Saturday at Traprain Law
Stonechat mf
Robin
c.5 Yellowhammer

Sunday at site 3
Jay
Chaffinch
Robin

Regularly over the previous few days at Colstoun
c.300 starling on wires overlooking a henpen midden which is being spread

Monday night a tawny owl sitting on the white line almost exactly where I saw one last week. This one was easier to shift. I wonder if it is using the line to highlight voles crossing the road ?

Tuesday 23rd around the farm
Buzzard several
300+ peewit
31 Golden plover
Curlew
Skylark
50-60 Starling
Blackbirds plentiful
17 Fieldfare and many smaller groups
Redwing
Mistle thrush
8+ Long tailed tit
2 Pied wagtail
Stonechat
Robin
Dunnock
Wren
2 Bullfinch
20 linnet and many smaller flocks
Siskin
Many mixed finch / bunting flocks
4 Reed bunting
Yellowhammer scattered

and a report that there are Golden Plover at Peaston too.

In general, very few birds at the feeding stations, obviously no need yet. Plenty at wild bird cover.

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Mike.
 
citrinella said:
21/10/07 Ringer in chief still away on holiday. Had an experimental session at a new wild bird cover site at site 1. If it was calm, this site might work.
Click to expand...

When there is wind, as it appears there was, do you switch to single panel nets and thus avoid catching so much of it that a multipanel net becomes visible due to continuous movement?

Also, you might consider posting your miscellaneous observations under the "My Birding Day" forum, which would seem more appropriate for these. I for one would appreciate not having to slog through yards of stuff to find any ringing titbits. ;)
 
John Morgan said:
When there is wind, as it appears there was, do you switch to single panel nets and thus avoid catching so much of it that a multipanel net becomes visible due to continuous movement?
Click to expand...
Sometimes, depending on circumstances.

John Morgan said:
Also, you might consider posting your miscellaneous observations under the "My Birding Day" forum, which would seem more appropriate for these. I for one would appreciate not having to slog through yards of stuff to find any ringing titbits. ;)
Click to expand...
Yes, I have considered this. I'm sorry but I must minimize the time taken so cannot do this. The ringing stuff is always before the observational stuff, so you don't need to read the rest.

Thanks John, Mike.
 
27/10/07 Ringing at site 2.

Blackbird new 4
retrap
Blue tit new 2
retrap 1
Chaffinch new 1
retrap
Coal tit new 1
retrap
Great tit new 1
retrap
Redwing new 1
retrap
Reed bunting new 1
retrap
Tree sparrow new 3
retrap
Yellowhammer new 2
retrap
TOTAL new 16
retrap 1


Also seen / heard
Buzzard
Kestrel
Tawny owl
Jays
Skylark
Meadow pipit
Fieldfare
House sparrow
Robin
Dunnock
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Siskin
Reed bunting

Other sightings on Saturday around the farm
Buzzard
m Greater spotted woodpecker in my garden
Fieldfare 226, 100+, many small groups
Skylark
scattered finches e.g. clump hawthorn containing 10 chaffinch, few
greenfinch, few goldfinch; 8 linnet

And at site 3
2 buzzard
Jay
Blackbird (many)
Fieldfare
Mistle thrush
Song thrush
Robin
Chaffinch
Yellowhammer

Sunday
Many small group of fieldfare
bullfinch
scattered finches, mainly chaffinch, 6+ goldfinch on thistles
at site 3
blackies galore
redwing
2 jay
2 buzzard
3 long tailed tit

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Mike.
 
John Morgan said:
........Also you might consider posting your miscellaneous observations under the "My Birding Day" forum, which would seem more appropriate for these. I for one would appreciate not having to slog through yards of stuff to find any ringing titbits. ;)
Click to expand...

A bit harsh! Surely what's around the ringing site is relevant.
I like your format Mike & I appreciate you taking the time & effort to report.
 
Steve G said:
A bit harsh! Surely what's around the ringing site is relevant.
I like your format Mike & I appreciate you taking the time & effort to report.
Click to expand...

So long as Mike does what he says and puts any ringing notes first then I can live with that. But the observations might also have appeal to others who do not subscribe to the ringing forum.
 
4/11/07 Ringing at site 3. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 8
retrap 1
Blue tit new 2
retrap
Chaffinch new 2
retrap
Dunnock new 3
retrap
Goldfinch new 1
retrap
Great tit new 1
retrap
House sparrow new 8
retrap
Long tailed tit new 7
retrap
Robin new 3
retrap 1
Tree sparrow new 1
retrap
Wren new 2
retrap
TOTALS new 38
retrap 2


Also seen / heard
Whooper swans
Swan - unconfirmed mute
45 Pink feet
1 Grey lag
Buzzard 3+
Sparrowhawk
Tawny owl
Barn owl
Green woodpecker
Greater spotted woodpecker
Starling
Jays - continual traffic to and from oaks with acorns
Skylark
Mistle thrush
Fieldfare
Redwing
Bullfinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
Siskin
3 Redpoll
Yellowhammer
Reed bunting

and a stoat

For atlas purposes trying not to forget corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits as follows :

Herring gull
Pheasant
Woodpigeon
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Rook

Other sightings around the farm over the weekend
Buzzard (and one roadkill at Brounshill)
Fieldfare few small groups up to c.30
Few chaffinch on the lawn
Long tailed tits, loads of blackbird at the feeding station

Mike.
 
10/11/07 Ringing at site 1. Varying degrees of rain did not help :-( Many thanks to all concerned.

Feeding station :
Blackbird new 2
retrap
Blue tit new 3
retrap 2
Chaffinch new 2
retrap
Dunnock new 1
retrap
Fieldfare new 1
retrap
Goldcrest new 2
retrap
Robin new 3
retrap
Wren new 1
retrap 1
TOTAL new 15
retrap 3

And in the steading:
House sparrow new
retrap 2
Robin new 1
retrap 1
Wren new 1
retrap
TOTAL new 2
retrap 3


Also seen / heard
Pheasants
Tawny owl
Carrion crow
Woodpigeons
Greater spotted woodpecker
96 mixed fieldfare/redwing
Long tailed tit
40-50 chaffinch
Brambling
Greenfinch
15 Yellowhammer
Reed bunting

For atlas purposes trying not to forget corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Near Gifford:
11 Jackdaw
roadkill badger

Wild bird cover Saturday :
c.100 fieldfare
100+ linnet with small numbers of chaffinch and greenfinch and 1 brambling
nearby
13 long-tailed tit
Buzzard
Herring gull (over)

Site 3 Sunday
c.30 tree sparrow
4 house sparrow

Timed Tetrad visit, Sunday:
2 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
11 Herring gull
1 Golden plover
61 Woodpigeon
10 Carrion crow (10 more outside the hour)
1 Jackdaw
2 Jay
2 Greater spotted woodpecker
2 Skylark
15 Fieldfare + 3 singles
15 Blackbird
1 Mistle thrush
2 Song thrush
1 Redwing
3 Wren
2 Dunnock
7 Robin
2 Stonechat
13 House sparrow
5 Long-tailed tit
12 Blue tits
2 Coal tit
7 Great tit
3 Bullfinch
28 Chaffinch
1 Goldfinch
6 Greenfinch
2 Siskin
50 linnet (24 more outside the hour)
3 Yellowhammer
1 Reed bunting

Depressing, very poor numbers of skylark and yellowhammer. Not unexpected from recent observations following very wet weather during breeding season.

Neighbouring tetrad (to the East)
30 Greylag geese
1 little grebe
10 Mute swan
10 Mallard
8 Coots
1 Moorhen
1 Buzzard
1 Greater spotted woodpecker
6 Woodpigeon
1 Blackbird
1 Robin
4 Blue tit
4 Coal tit
2 Long-tailed tit

And at the Western General Hospital
9/11 - Pied and grey wagtail
30/10 & 1/11 - Peregrine

Mike.
 
25/11/07 Ringing at site 3. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 9
retrap 2
Blue tit new 3
retrap
Chaffinch new 1
retrap
Coal tit new 1
retrap
Dunnock new 3
retrap 3
Goldcrest new 1
retrap
House sparrow new 14
retrap 1
Robin new 2
retrap 4
Tree sparrow new 2
retrap
Yellowhammer new 1
retrap
TOTALS new 37
retrap 10

James Kitson was able to give us the low-down on John Morgan's net handling methods.

Also seen / heard
200 pink feet
Herring gull
Pheasants
Buzzard
2+ Tawny owl
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Jay
Woodpigeons
2 Greater spotted woodpecker
50+ fieldfare (200 on 24th)
2 redwing
meadow pipit
2 pied wagtail
Long tailed tit
Brambling
Greenfinch

Ringers saw
Barn owl near Macmerry
Barn owl near Pencaitland

On the 23rd I saw Barn owl at Blindwells

Over the weekend around the farm
150 linnet at one patch of wild bird cover
6 linnet; buzzard at another
c.10 chaffinch; 4 greenfinch; great tit in my garden
20+ house sparrows at cottages
numerous small flocks of fieldfare; 1 mistle thrush

26th
Barn owl near Baro
Barn owl near Colstoun

For atlas purposes trying not to forget corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Mike.
 
2/12/07 Ringing at site 1. Many thanks to all concerned.

Feeding station :
Blackbird new 7
retrap 2
Blue tit new 1
retrap 1
Chaffinch new 13
retrap 5
Dunnock new 5
retrap 2
Fieldfare new 1
retrap
Greenfinch new 8
retrap
House sparrow new 2
retrap
Long tailed tit new 7
retrap 1
Robin new 2
retrap 6
Tree sparrow new 2
retrap
Wren new 1
retrap
Yellowhammer new
retrap 1
TOTAL new 49
retrap 18


Also seen / heard
Buzzard
Tawny owl
Golden plover
Skylark
2 Bullfinch
2 Redpoll
Linnet
Reed bunting

and the ringers saw a barn owl at Colstoun.

Later at the same feed station
3 yellowhammer
20+ chaffinch
several robins and blackbirds
few greenfinch and dunnock

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Around the farm Sunday :
Stonechat
50+ goldfinch
12 grey partridge
swirl of fieldfare over my house for quite a while about lunch time - impossible to estimate number. Accompanied by small groups of finches.

Site 3 Sunday
10+ tree sparrow
20+ house sparrow

On Saturday at Yellowcraigs
Goldeneye
Red-necked grebe
Plenty redshank, oystercatcher, eider (already in pairs ?)
8+ turnstone
Grey heron
Cormorants
200+ Carrion crow
Gull plastered Fidra

Mike.
 
9/12/07 Ringing at site 2. Pity rain stopped play, 150+ birds in wild bird cover. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 6
retrap
Blue tit new 3
retrap
Bullfinch new 2
retrap
Chaffinch new 4
retrap
Coal tit new 2
retrap
Dunnock new 2
retrap
Great tit new 2
retrap 1
Greenfinch new 4
retrap
Jay new 1
retrap
Redwing new 1
retrap
Reed bunting new 19
retrap
Robin new 1
retrap
Tree sparrow new 1
retrap
Wren new 1
retrap
Yellowhammer new 3
retrap 2
TOTAL new 52
retrap 3


Also seen / heard
Buzzard
Tawny owl
Fieldfare
Redpoll

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Around the farm Saturday :
Buzzard
Kestrel
several flocks of fieldfare, 60-100
bullfinch
60+ linnet, few goldfinch in wild bird cover
c.20 chaffinch, few greenfinch, 1/2 yellowhammer, 1 brambling at feed station
35 chaffinch, 4 goldfinch, 3 greenfinch, 1 house sparrow, sparrowhawk around garden/steading

Similar around garden/steading on Sunday plus male greater spotted woodpecker.

Site 3 Saturday
20+ house sparrow
15-20 chaffinch with few greenfinch

Saturday, 2 brambling at Duncanlaw.

Mike.
 
15/12/07 Ringing at site 3. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 5
retrap 5
Blue tit new 9
retrap
Chaffinch new 1
retrap
Coal tit new 4
retrap
Dunnock new 3
retrap 4
Great tit new 5
retrap
House sparrow new 2
retrap 1
Robin new
retrap 6
Tree sparrow new 12
retrap 1
Yellowhammer new 2
retrap 1
TOTALS new 43
retrap 18


Also seen / heard
2+ Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
2+ Tawny owl
Jay
Greater spotted woodpecker
Starling
fieldfare
5 redwing
Pied wagtail
Long tailed tit
Greenfinch
Siskin (lots)
Redpoll (lots)
Reed bunting

And around the farm
Few linnet, 1+ skylark, buzzard, juv kestrel at/near one patch of wild bird cover
c.10 chaffinch; few greenfinch in my garden
30+ chaffinch, 1+ greenfinch, 1+ yellowhammer in the stackyard
100+ fieldfare over my house; 1 mistle thrush behind house

c.40 brambling near Gifford

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Mike.
 
19/12/07 Ringing near site 1. This special session was at a spot where c.40 brambling had been seen feeding at the weekend. Mixed barley / rape had been put down and attracted them. Many thanks to all concerned.

Feeding station :
Brambling new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new
retrap 1
Robin new 2
retrap
TOTALS new 3
retrap 1


Also seen / heard
Buzzard
60-80 finches (linnet ?) at nearby wild bird cover
32 herring gull foraging over winter wheat
Fieldfare - scattered everywhere, total hundreds
Jay
Long tailed tit
max c.6 brambling

At the feeding station :
Tree sparrow
c.15 Chaffinch
Brambling
Greenfinch
Reed bunting
8-10 yellowhammer


Around the farm later :
Buzzard
Kestrel
Golden plover
Peewit
12-15 Skylark
More flocks of fieldfare, 60-200
Greater spotted woodpecker
Flocks of finches - c.50 on one piece of wild bird cover and reed bunting, 5 at another; in stackyard 10+ greenfinch, few goldfinch, yellowhammer, 20-30 chaffinch.

Roadkill Buzzard at Colstoun.

Last weekend 150 Carrion crow in the field behind my house.

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Mike.
 
22/12/07 Ringing at site 2. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 2
retrap 2
Blue tit new 6
retrap 3
Bullfinch new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 36
retrap 1
Dunnock new 9
retrap 1
Goldfinch new 2
retrap
Greenfinch new 6
retrap 1
Reed bunting new 30
retrap
Robin new 5
retrap 1
Tree sparrow new 2
retrap
Yellowhammer new 24
retrap 2
TOTAL new 123
retrap 11



Also seen / heard
Pink-footed geese
2 Buzzard
Tawny owl
Grey partridge
Woodcock
Redwing
Skylark
Pied wagtail
Brambling
Redpoll
14 linnets

and 3 roe deer

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Around the farm on the same day :
Fieldfare, 300-400
1 brambling

Mike.
 
30/12/07 Ringing at site 1. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 4
retrap 4
Brambling new 12
retrap
Chaffinch new 16
retrap
Dunnock new 2
retrap 3
Greenfinch new 2
retrap
Long tailed tit new 2
retrap 4
Robin new 3
retrap 7
Sparrowhawk new 1
retrap
Tree sparrow new 5
retrap
Wren new
retrap 1
Yellowhammer new 5
retrap 1
TOTAL new 52
retrap 20


Also seen / heard
Grey partridge
Tawny owl
Golden plover
Skylark
Fieldfare
Redwing
Mistle thrush

and the ringers saw a barn owl over the A1 near Gladsmuir.

In my garden
Buzzard
Greater spotted woodpecker
2 Goldfinch
4 Greenfinch
10-15 Chaffinch

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Mike.
 
6/1/08 Ringing at site 2. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 7
retrap 1
Blue tit new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 8
retrap 1
Dunnock new 3
retrap 3
Goldcrest new 1
retrap
Goldfinch new 1
retrap
Greenfinch new 4
retrap
Long tailed tit new 2
retrap
Reed bunting new 58
retrap 2
Robin new 1
retrap 3
Tree sparrow new 1
retrap 1
Wren new 2
retrap
Yellowhammer new 5
retrap 1
TOTAL new 94
retrap 12


Also seen / heard
Pink-footed geese
2 Grey heron
3 Buzzard
Tawny owl
Grey partridge
Song thrush
Skylark
Pied wagtail
2+ Bullfinch
Siskin

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Around the farm, site 1 :
Kestrel
30+ Fieldfare
At feeding station 100+ mixed finches (mainly chaffinch) and buntings
(yellowhammer) including 2+ brambling
At wild bird cover, 130-150 linnet

Mike.
 
12/1/08 Ringing at site 3. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 23
retrap 13
Blue tit new 3
retrap
Chaffinch new 4
retrap 1
Dunnock new 1
retrap 8
Great tit new 1
retrap
Greenfinch new 1
retrap
Lesser Redpoll new 2
retrap
Robin new 4
retrap 5
Starling new 1
retrap
Tree sparrow new 1
retrap 1
Yellowhammer new 15
retrap 2
TOTALS new 56
retrap 30

The redpoll were caught using a tape lure by a net beside nearby scrub slightly away from the feeding station.

Also seen / heard
Buzzard
Tawny owl
Barn owl
Stock dove
Greater spotted woodpecker
Skylark
2+ House sparrow

The starling caught was part of a flock of 12-14.

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Mike.
 
20/1/08 Ringing at site 2. Many thanks to all concerned.

Blackbird new 2
retrap 4
Blue tit new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 4
retrap
Dunnock new 5
retrap 4
Reed bunting new 29
retrap 1
Robin new 1
retrap
Wren new 2
retrap
Yellowhammer new 3
retrap
TOTAL new 47
retrap 9


Also seen / heard
Grey heron
Tawny owl
2 Grey partridge
Mute swan
Raven
Skylark
Fieldfare
Greenfinch
Siskin
and a white stoat
Ringers saw a Barn owl and a badger (latter on roadkill pheasant) either side of Gifford.

At site 1, feeding station
100+ mixed flock, well spread so counts conservative :)
1 tree sparrow
loads of chaffinch
1 greenfinch
15+ brambling
30+ yellowhammer

At site 3
20-30 finches / bunting / sparrow, light not good
3 bullfinch nearby

Mainly forgetting corvids, game birds, gulls, pigeons and tits.

Sundry from Saturday
c.100 peewit near Aberlady gasworks
c.40 peewit, kestrel opposite Duntarvie Castle on the M9, 2 single buzzard 1 or 2 miles east and 2 together a few miles west.
Buzzard at the ski-slope near Grangemouth along with twitchers hunting a firecrest.
40+ starlings at Maddiston.

And tawny owl sitting on a favoured barn owl post on the road to Haddington this morning.

Mike.
 
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