Lamsdell Bird Ringing and Wildlife Blog: Stanwell Moor

Saturday, 29 September 2012

Stanwell Moor - 28 September 2012

On a day when we anticipated the wind to get up at around midday we were on site and getting nets up by 6.15am. Three nets were put in the reed bed with two triangles on the meadow for Mipits. The first round from the reeds gave us Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap but the catching went rapidly down hill after that. The exception being the ten 'o'clock round when two retrapped Cetti's Warblers, Y335556 (this years) & L606690 (last years) were waiting for us.

Age 3 Meadow Pipit showing two generations of median coverts

Age 4 Meadow Pipit with shallower tooth on medians and more
defined notch on greater coverts.

We were pleased to see good numbers of Meadow Pipits quite early on and within the first three rounds we got most of the nine pipits that were caught. Two large female Sparrowhawks were also targetting them, very successfully, by driving them towards the soil bank and picking them off quite easily. At least two were seen to be taken in this manner. As the wind grew stronger and the birds were more cautious it became obvious that the nets were no longer effective so we packed up and were off site just before it began to rain.

Totals: 17 (2)

Meadow Pipit - 9
Dunnock - 2
Cettis Warbler - 0 (2)
Reed Warbler - 1
Blackcap - 1
Chiff-chaff - 2
Blue Tit - 1
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.