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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Ringing near Gifford, Winter 2017-18 (1 Viewer)

citrinella

Well-known member
First session of the new "winter" season. We have had a flock of 130-150 birds in the vicinity of the rape bait. These are almost entirely goldfinch with a maximum of 3 linnet seen. Initially these fed on wild flowers - knapweed, thistles and especially cornflower which has been super-abundant in the neighbouring wild bird cover, sown last autumn. We had 227mm of rain in June, mostly in two 36 hour periods and large parts of Scotland were affected so it is possible that linnet have had a disastrous breeding season. However, we have never had so many goldfinch :)

Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 25.10.17

Goldfinch new 36

Also seen/heard
Greylag geese
Mallard
Golden plover (almost ever-present just now, up to 150)
Tawny owl
Skylark
Meadow pipit
Pied wagtail

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Mist netting at Site 1, 30.10.17.

Blackbird new 5
retrap 1
Blue tit new 7
retrap 3
Bullfinch new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 8
retrap 1
Dunnock new 4
retrap 1
Goldcrest new 1
retrap 1
Great tit new 2
retrap
Redwing new 4
retrap
Robin new 4
retrap 1
Song Thrush new 1
retrap
Sparrowhawk new 1
retrap
Tree sparrow new 3
retrap
Wren new 6
retrap
Yellowhammer new
retrap 1
TOTAL new 47
retrap 9



Also seen/heard :
Greylag geese
Mallard
Buzzard
Golden Plover
Peewit
Tawny owl
Jay
Skylark
Reed bunting


Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 2.11.17

Goldfinch new 60
retrap 5
Linnet new 2
retrap 2

None of the linnet were aged as 1st year birds in contrast to almost all the goldfinch being aged as first year birds.

Also seen/heard
Mallard
Buzzard
Kestrel
Skylark
Meadow pipit
Chaffinch
Yellowhammer

We have a flock ~200 mainly linnet feeding in wheat that follows rape after non-inversion tillage about 1km away.

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Last edited:
Mist netting at Site 2, 5.11.17.

Blackbird new 8
retrap
Blue tit new 7
retrap
Chaffinch new 2
retrap
Dunnock new 9
retrap 1
Great tit new 4
retrap
Nuthatch new 2
retrap
Redwing new 1
retrap
Robin new 2
retrap 1
Tree sparrow new 7
retrap 1
Wren new 3
retrap 1
TOTAL new 45
retrap 4


Also seen/heard :
Heron
Whooper swan (9)
Greylag geese
Pink footed geese
Tawny owl
Magpie
Fieldfare
Song thrush
Siskin
Reed bunting

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 9.11.17

Goldfinch new 28
retrap 24
Linnet new 11
retrap 1


Also seen/heard
Greylag geese
Buzzard
Skylark
Meadow pipit
Yellowhammer

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Mist netting at Site 1, 19.11.17.

Blackbird new 6
retrap
Blue tit new 1
retrap 3
Bullfinch new
retrap 1
Chaffinch new 5
retrap
Dunnock new 5
retrap
Redwing new 7
retrap
Robin new 2
retrap 4
Tree sparrow new 3
retrap 2
Wren new
retrap 1
Yellowhammer new 1
retrap
TOTAL new 30
retrap 11


Also seen/heard :
Greylag geese (~50)
Mallard
Buzzard
Golden Plover
Tawny owl
Skylark
Fieldfare (8)
Goldcrest
Linnet

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 24.11.17

Set up last week, but could not catch. 130+ birds present, almost all linnets but never settled to feed, never safe to catch.

Goldfinch new 30
retrap 24
Linnet new 40
retrap 7


Also seen/heard
Greylag geese
Buzzard
Greater spotted woodpecker
Skylark
Reed bunting
Yellowhammer 20+

The yellowhammer were feeding in wild bird cover around my hide. They also appeared to be collecting grit including on the perimeter of the catching area, but not quite in the safe catching area.

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Mist netting at Site 2, 1.12.17.
The last report for Site 2 was from our North sub-site. This one is from our southern sub-site.

Blackbird new 3
retrap
Blue tit new 1
retrap 1
Coal tit new 2
retrap
Dunnock new 6
retrap 1
Great tit new 1
retrap
House sparrow new 8
retrap
Long tailed tit new 5
retrap 5
Redwing new 1
retrap
Reed bunting new 2
retrap 1
Robin new 4
retrap
Tree sparrow new 30
retrap 2
Wren new 2
retrap
Yellowhammer new 2
retrap
TOTAL new 67
retrap 10

NO finches, and very few seen or heard.

The long-tailed tit catch is interesting. All the retrapped birds were ringed last winter, so survival has been pretty good, but has breeding been poor ? Spring weather here was OK, and long-tailed tit breed early, so one might expect reasonable breeding success.

Also seen/heard :
Greylag geese
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Tawny owl
Magpie
Skylark
Fieldfare
Chaffinch
Bullfinch

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 3.12.17

Goldfinch new 2
retrap 2
Linnet new 29
retrap 6


Also seen/heard
Greylag geese
Mallard
Buzzard
Skylark
Chaffinch
Reed bunting

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Mist netting at Site 1, 10.12.17.

Blackbird new 17
retrap
Chaffinch new 14
retrap 2
Dunnock new 2
retrap 2
Fieldfare new 2
retrap
Mistle thrush new 1
retrap
Redwing new 3
retrap
Robin new 2
retrap 7
Tree sparrow new 3
retrap
TOTAL new 44
retrap 11



Also seen/heard :
Greylag geese
Pink footed geese (117 and another skein uncounted)
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Golden Plover
Tawny owl
Barn owl
Skylark
catch above was from a flock of at least 25 Fieldfare
Bullfinch
Yellowhammer

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.
 
Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 11.12.17

Linnet new 37
retrap 9


Also seen/heard
Pink footed geese
Buzzard
Tawny owl
Wren
Reed bunting feeding on oats in the wild-bird cover right beside my hide
Yellowhammer

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 16.12.17

Goldfinch new 12
retrap 29
Linnet new 12
retrap 6
Reed bunting new 1
retrap

Also seen/heard
Pinkfooted geese
Mallard
Buzzard
Tawny owl
Skylark


Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Mist netting at Site 2, north sub-site, 23.12.17.

Blackbird new 2
retrap
Blue tit new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 1
retrap
Coal tit new 3
retrap
Dunnock new 10
retrap 8
Great tit new 2
retrap
Long tailed tit new 1
retrap 4
Redwing new 1
retrap
Reed bunting new 5
retrap
Robin new 2
retrap 1
Tree sparrow new 1
retrap 1
Wren new 2
retrap
TOTAL new 31
retrap 14



Also seen/heard :
Heron
Mallard
Buzzard
Tawny owl
Nuthatch
Jay
Bullfinch

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 28.12.17

Goldfinch new 6
retrap 19
Linnet new 30
retrap 16

Also seen/heard
Greylag geese
Grey partridge
Reed bunting

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Mist netting at Site 1, 30.12.17.

Blackbird new 1
retrap 1
Blue tit new 1
retrap
Bullfinch new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 9
retrap
Dunnock new 1
retrap 1
Goldcrest new
retrap 1
Redwing new 2
retrap
Robin new 3
retrap 3
Tree sparrow new 2
retrap
Yellowhammer new 4
retrap 1
TOTAL new 24
retrap 7

One of those times when a large flock, mainly chaffinch, tree sparrow and yellowhammer, waited 100m away until we went away.


Also seen/heard :
Greylag geese
Buzzard
Tawny owl
Skylark 60+
Wren
Fieldfare 20+
Greenfinch

Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
Mist netting at Site 2, 4.1.18.
This was at our upper site.

Blackbird new 1
retrap
Blue tit new 3
retrap
Bullfinch new 2
retrap
Chaffinch new 12
retrap 1
Dunnock new 2
retrap 2
Great tit new 1
retrap 1
Long tailed tit new 1
retrap 2
Redwing new 1
retrap
Reed bunting new 1
retrap
Robin new 2
retrap 3
Tree sparrow new 2
retrap 4
Wren new
retrap 1
Yellowhammer new 5
retrap 1
TOTAL new 33
retrap 15


Also seen/heard :
Sparrowhawk
Tawny owl
Magpie
Greenfinch
Redpoll


Mainly forgetting corvids, gulls, non-natives, pigeons and tits.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.
 
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