Ringing near Gifford, winter 21-22 (1 Viewer)

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 2, lower site, 23.10.21

First visit of our 2021-22 winter programme.

Blackbird new 2
retrap 1
Blue tit new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 4
retrap
Dunnock new 1
retrap
Great tit new
retrap 1
Nuthatch new 2
retrap
Robin new 1
retrap 1
Song Thrush new 1
retrap
TOTAL new 12
retrap 3

From now on we shall list all other bird species we notice.

Also seen/heard :
Pink-footed geese
Mallard
Sparrowhawk
Pheasant
Woodpigeon
Tawny owl
Great spotted woodpecker
Wren
Long-tailed tit
Treecreeper
Starling
Carrion crow
Rook
Jackdaw
Jay
Bullfinch
Siskin
Linnet

Normally when we visit this site we see hundreds of jackdaws leaving a nearby roost at daybreak. We saw only a handful today.

Following the recent cold snap I was a little surprised to find a 7 spot ladybird on a wooden gate.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 2, 2.11.21, upper site.

Blackbird new 3
retrap
Blue tit new 1
retrap
Coal tit new 1
retrap
Dunnock new 6
retrap
Goldcrest new 1
retrap
House sparrow new 2
retrap 1
Long tailed tit new 3
retrap
Redwing new 1
retrap
Robin new 2
retrap 1
Tree sparrow new 8
retrap
Wren new 2
retrap
TOTAL new 30
retrap 2



Also seen/heard :
Pink footed geese
Mallard
Buzzard
Pheasant
Grey partridge
Tawny owl
Woodpigeon
Nuthatch
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Jay
Magpie
Skylark
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Yellowhammer

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at secondary feed station, Site 1, 3.11.21

Blue tit new 9
retrap
Chaffinch new 15
retrap
Dunnock new 4
retrap
Goldcrest new 1
retrap
Goldfinch new 3
retrap
Great tit new 13
retrap 1
Redwing new 2
retrap
Robin new 3
retrap
Tree sparrow new 26
retrap
Wren new 3
retrap
Yellowhammer new 3
retrap
TOTALS new 82
retrap 1


Also seen/heard :
Whooper swan 11
Greylag geese
Pink footed geese
Buzzard
Herring gull
Pheasant
Tawny owl
Skylark
Pied wagtail
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Blackbird

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 1, 8.11.21.

Blackbird new 3
retrap 1
Blue tit new 6
retrap 1
Chaffinch new 6
retrap 1
Dunnock new 3
retrap
Greenfinch new 1
retrap
Redwing new 1
retrap
Robin new 2
retrap 2
Tree sparrow new 14
retrap 1
Wren new 3
retrap
Yellowhammer new 1
retrap
TOTAL new 40
retrap 6


Also seen/heard :
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Pheasant
Grey partridge
Golden plover
Herring gull
Barn owl
Woodpigeon
Skylark
Mistle thrush
Fieldfare (24 and more)
Great tit
Long-tailed tit
Jackdaw
Carrion crow
Jay
Goldfinch

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 2, lower site, 23.10.21

Blackbird new 4
retrap 1
Blue tit new 3
retrap
Dunnock new 5
retrap 2
Great tit new 3
retrap
Nuthatch new 1
retrap
Robin new
retrap 1
Treecreeper new 1
retrap
Tree sparrow new 2
retrap 1
Wren new 3
retrap
Yellowhammer new
retrap 1
TOTAL new 22
retrap 6


Also seen/heard :
Buzzard
Mallard
Herring gull
Pheasant
Woodpigeon
Tawny owl
Great spotted woodpecker
Fieldfare 28
Long-tailed tit
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Jay
Magpie
Chaffinch

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 17.11.21

Linnet new 25
retrap 1

Also seen/heard
Buzzard
Pheasant
Herring gull
Woodpigeon
Skylark
Carrion crow
Fieldfare
Jackdaw
Jay
Goldfinch
Reed bunting
Yellowhammer

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 2, 21.11.21, upper site.

Blackbird new 11
retrap 1
Blue tit new 3
retrap
Dunnock new 3
retrap
Great tit new 1
retrap
House sparrow new 1
retrap
Reed bunting new 2
retrap
Robin new
retrap 1
Tree sparrow new 3
retrap 2
Yellowhammer new 9
retrap 4
TOTAL new 33
retrap 8


Also seen/heard :
Pink footed geese
Buzzard
Pheasant
Grey partridge 8
Herring gull
Tawny owl
Woodpigeon
Wren
Mistle thrush
Fieldfare
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Bullfinch
Siskin
Linnet


Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 1, 22.11.21.

Blackbird new 3
retrap 1
Blue tit new 5
retrap 2
Bullfinch new 1
retrap
Chaffinch new 5
retrap
Coal tit new 1
retrap
Dunnock new 2
retrap 6
Goldcrest new 3
retrap
Goldfinch new 4
retrap 1
Lesser Redpoll new 1
retrap 1
Long tailed tit new 6
retrap
Robin new 2
retrap 6
Tree sparrow new 10
retrap
Wren new 1
retrap
Yellowhammer new 9
retrap 4
TOTAL new 53
retrap 21

Also seen/heard :
Pink-footed geese c.80
Pheasant
Golden plover 30+
Herring gull
Tawny owl
Woodpigeon
Skylark
Jackdaw
Carrion crow
Rook

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[delia todd]

Thanks Mike.

It's great to see you've such a decent population of Yellowhammers. I really struggle to find them round here now.

 

[citrinella]

Thanks Mike.

It's great to see you've such a decent population of Yellowhammers. I really struggle to find them round here now.

Hi Delia,

Numbers dipped from historic highs but they seem to have recovered here in the last few years, and Site 2 about 5 km away is following. It is hard not to conclude that several aspects of our wildlife are recovering following (some years after) the ban on neonicitinoid insecticides. We are also adding more wildflowers and trying to improve their management but invertebrate life within the existing wildflower areas very obviously crashed and equally clearly is recovering. We are sure that invertebrates should be a major focus of conservation efforts. We were dismayed this summer to find a nice sunny stretch of ditch bank with 9 wasp nests; 2 bee nests; and 8 nests which could have been bee or small rodent, all dug out by badgers without a single active nest remaining. Something also caused major problems for nesting peewit and black-headed gulls causing complete failure - and badgers are the prime suspect. Conservation efforts don't always have the desired result.

Mike.

 

[delia todd]

Thanks for that Mike.

Something also caused major problems for nesting peewit and black-headed gulls causing complete failure - and badgers are the prime suspect. Conservation efforts don't always have the desired result.

If your suspicions are true, that's really hard news to hear, isn't it. After all, who doesn't get a thrill from seeing a badger!!? I've only seen one, on Cape Wrath would you believe and that was in broad daylight.

 

[citrinella]

Thanks for that Mike.


If your suspicions are true, that's really hard news to hear, isn't it. After all, who doesn't get a thrill from seeing a badger!!? I've only seen one, on Cape Wrath would you believe and that was in broad daylight.

It is hard, nature often is - for many feeds there is a cost. Badger numbers have rocketed here - as evident from the number of roadkill :-( This begs the question - what are their natural predators - is their number only controlled naturally by food supply and TB ?

Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at secondary feed station, Site 1, 29.11.21

Blackbird new 4
retrap
Blue tit new 1
retrap 2
Chaffinch new 13
retrap 3
Dunnock new 3
retrap 3
Great tit new 1
retrap
Reed bunting new 2
retrap
Robin new 1
retrap 3
Tree sparrow new 20
retrap 4
Wren new 1
retrap
Yellowhammer new 7
retrap 6
TOTALS new 53
retrap 21



Also seen/heard :
Greylag geese
Buzzard
Herring gull
Pheasant
Tawny owl
Skylark
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Goldfinch
Siskin

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 1, 7.12.21.

Blackbird new 7
retrap 2
Blue tit new
retrap 1
Chaffinch new 3
retrap 3
Dunnock new 1
retrap 4
Goldcrest new
retrap 1
Goldfinch new 1
retrap
Long tailed tit new 7
retrap 5
Redwing new 2
retrap
Robin new
retrap 9
Tree sparrow new 4
retrap 1
Yellowhammer new 2
retrap 3
TOTAL new 27
retrap 29


Also seen/heard :
Greylag geese
Pheasant
Grey partridge
Golden plover
Herring gull
Woodpigeon
Skylark
Wren
Fieldfare
Jackdaw
Carrion crow
Bullfinch

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 2, lower site, 9.12.21

Blackbird new 4
retrap 1
Chaffinch new 1
retrap
Dunnock new 1
retrap 3
Goldcrest new 2
retrap
Great tit new 2
retrap 1
Nuthatch new
retrap 1
Robin new 2
retrap
Tree sparrow new
retrap 1
Yellowhammer new 1
retrap 1
TOTAL new 13
retrap 8

Second visit in a row we have had a pheasant through a net at this site

Also seen/heard :
Pink-footed geese
Herring gull
Pheasant
Woodpigeon
Tawny owl
Great spotted woodpecker
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Jay


Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 17.11.21

Goldfinch new 1
retrap 1
Linnet new 8
retrap 1

Also seen/heard
Pheasant
Herring gull
Woodpigeon
Carrion crow
Reed bunting
Yellowhammer

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 2, 12.12.21, upper site.

Blackbird new 3
retrap
Bullfinch new 1
retrap
Dunnock new 1
retrap 1
Goldcrest new 2
retrap
Great tit new 3
retrap
Redwing new 1
retrap
Reed bunting new
retrap 2
Robin new 1
retrap 1
Tree sparrow new 1
retrap
Wren new 1
retrap
Yellowhammer new 7
retrap 3
TOTAL new 21
retrap 7



Also seen/heard :
Pink footed geese
Mallard
Pheasant
Grey partridge 8
Herring gull
Tawny owl
Woodpigeon
Great-spotted woodpecker
Grey wagtail
Blue tit
Jackdaw
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Siskin


Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Whoosh netting at rape bait station, site 1, 16.12.21

Goldfinch new 1
retrap
Linnet new 10
retrap

Also seen/heard
Mute swan
Pheasant
Grey partridge
Herring gull
Woodpigeon
Skylark
Carrion crow
Reed bunting
Yellowhammer

~50 Peewit on freshly ploughed ground in the next field on 15th.

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at secondary feed station, Site 1, 17.12.21

Blackbird new 1
retrap
Blue tit new 1
retrap 2
Chaffinch new
retrap 1
Dunnock new 1
retrap 5
Great tit new 1
retrap 2
Reed bunting new
retrap 1
Robin new
retrap 2
Tree sparrow new
retrap 1
Wren new 1
retrap
Yellowhammer new 1
retrap
TOTALS new 6
retrap 14

Strangely quiet - and no woodpigeon about at all ?

Also seen/heard :
Greylag geese
Buzzard
Herring gull
Pheasant
Grey partridge
Red-legged partridge
Barn owl
Tawny owl
Feral pigeon
Skylark
Mistle thrush
Carrion crow
Jackdaw
Jay
Goldfinch


Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.

 

[citrinella]

Mist netting at Site 1, 21.12.21.

Blackbird new 4
retrap
Blue tit new 2
retrap 1
Chaffinch new 6
retrap 2
Dunnock new 3
retrap 1
Goldcrest new 1
retrap 2
Goldfinch new 1
retrap
Robin new
retrap 4
Wren new
retrap 1
Yellowhammer new 25
retrap 2
TOTAL new 42
retrap 13


Also seen/heard :
Buzzard
Pheasant
Grey partridge
Golden plover 10
Herring gull
Barn owl
Woodpigeon
Fieldfare c50
Coal tit
Jackdaw
Carrion crow
Tree sparrow

Lots ! of tree sparrow skilfully avoiding nets

Many thanks to all concerned, Mike.