Lamsdell Bird Ringing and Wildlife Blog: Wraysbury GP ringing session

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Wraysbury GP ringing session - 1 October 2011

A team of nine, equipped for the unseasonally warm weather, went in the hope that birds would continue to frequent the site as they had done on the previous Tuesday. The start was slow as a low hanging mist under a clear sky, albeit very atmospheric to view, delayed early morning foraging. However the day soon warmed up, and for a brief while catching improved. During this time a flock of circa 60 Linnet were seen a short distance from the ringing station but a hastily erected net caught only a small number of the rebate species.
The leading species was Blackcap with Goldfinch and Meadow Pipit running a close joint second. Surprisingly, the Nightingale, caught on the 24th was again trapped, now carrying a fat score of 1, an increase on the week before but still rather low if the bird is to survive migration. By 11.00am the site was extremely quiet and the team elected for an early finish.

Ringers in the mist

Totals:

Great Spotted Woodpecker - (1)
Meadow Pipit - 11
Wren - 1
Robin - 0 (1)
Dunnock - 7 (5)
Nightingale - 0 (1)
Blackbird - 2
Blackcap - 13
Chiffchaff - 4
Great Tit - 2 (1)
Jay - 0 (1)
Linnet - 9
Chaffinch - 2
Goldfinch - 11
Greenfinch - 3
Reed Bunting - 1

About us

Chris and Denise Lamsdell

We have both been birders for about 40 years based in South Bucks near the West London reservoir complexes.

Since September 2021 we have been based in North Norfolk. We have done our bit of twitching in the past, but with other priorities this has become a much reduced activity with a preference for seeing new birds where ever our travels take us.

We both have been ringing since 2005. Our local group was the Runnymede RG while based in Buckinghamshire. Since moving to Norfolk we have started a new group called The Iceni Bird Monitoring Group, aimed at increasing public engagement through colour ringing projects on Black-headed Gull, Turnstone and Lapwing. We ring at several sites including Sculthorpe Moor, Sandringham Estate, Deepdale Farm and also monitor bird populations for the Norfolk Rivers Trust. We do ringing at home and support with foreign projects when opportunities allow. Chris also has an interest in Butterflies and Dragonflies and contains his limited photographic skill to them.