citrinella
Well-known member
9.10.23 Mist netting at Farm 2, lower site.
This is the start of our 23-24 "winter" mist netting programme. Farm 2 winter runs (as always) from 1st October to about the beginning of April as these sites are not in the BTO Winter CES.
Two things are different at this site this winter. This is the first time for a few years that fresh wild bird cover has been established in the spring. The mix is new too, dominated by chicory leading to a very thick stand that appears to hold lots of seed.
We have also changed the net lay out slightly, dispensing with nets along the front of a beech hedge where we never caught anything - probably because the hedge was simply too thick for birds to enter fast enough that they could not avoid a net.
Blackbird new 2
retrap 3
Blue tit new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 1
retrap
Dunnock new 2
retrap
Great tit new 2
retrap
Robin new 1
retrap 1
Song Thrush new 1
retrap
Wren new 2
retrap
TOTAL new 12
retrap 4
Also seen/heard :
Pink-footed goose skeins c130; c40
Mallard
Stankie (moorhen)
Sparrowhawk
Pheasant
Herring gull
Tawny owl
Woodpigeon
Meadow pipit
Pied wagtail
Mistle thrush 2
Redwing c10
Chiffchaff (singing)
Long-tailed tit
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Jay
Raven
Bullfinch
Goldfinch 100+
The goldfinch were using the chicory, while very jumpy they were flying high into nearby trees, never near the nets.
There were strange dynamics going on between the mistle thrush and the jackdaws. At one point one jackdaw noisily chased a thrush away across the (large) field and back. Not long after 8 jackdaws were chasing one round a paddock and into a tree.
Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
This is the start of our 23-24 "winter" mist netting programme. Farm 2 winter runs (as always) from 1st October to about the beginning of April as these sites are not in the BTO Winter CES.
Two things are different at this site this winter. This is the first time for a few years that fresh wild bird cover has been established in the spring. The mix is new too, dominated by chicory leading to a very thick stand that appears to hold lots of seed.
We have also changed the net lay out slightly, dispensing with nets along the front of a beech hedge where we never caught anything - probably because the hedge was simply too thick for birds to enter fast enough that they could not avoid a net.
Blackbird new 2
retrap 3
Blue tit new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 1
retrap
Dunnock new 2
retrap
Great tit new 2
retrap
Robin new 1
retrap 1
Song Thrush new 1
retrap
Wren new 2
retrap
TOTAL new 12
retrap 4
Also seen/heard :
Pink-footed goose skeins c130; c40
Mallard
Stankie (moorhen)
Sparrowhawk
Pheasant
Herring gull
Tawny owl
Woodpigeon
Meadow pipit
Pied wagtail
Mistle thrush 2
Redwing c10
Chiffchaff (singing)
Long-tailed tit
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Jay
Raven
Bullfinch
Goldfinch 100+
The goldfinch were using the chicory, while very jumpy they were flying high into nearby trees, never near the nets.
There were strange dynamics going on between the mistle thrush and the jackdaws. At one point one jackdaw noisily chased a thrush away across the (large) field and back. Not long after 8 jackdaws were chasing one round a paddock and into a tree.
Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.