Wraysbury GP - 22nd & 26th June 2020

We feel very much behind with the RAS, due to obvious factors, so took the opportunity to get out while the wind was relatively kind. The 26th was particularly hot so we started early and had packed up and finished by 11am. We did at least get another adult Whitethroat for the study. Again it looks as though some of the adults are not remaining with their offspring. Two Treecreeper juveniles bear testament to the changing nature of the site.

Juvenile Treecreeper

Chris' lockdown look

22nd - 48 (9)

Wren - 1

Dunnock - 6

Robin - 1

Blackbird - 1 (1)

Song Thrush - 2

Whitethroat - 11 (3)

Garden Warbler - 1(1)

Blackcap - 13 (1)

Chiffchaff - 5 (1)

Great Tit - 1

Treecreeper - 1

26th - 19 (7)

Dunnock - 1 (1)

Blackbird - 1 

Song Thrush - 1 (1)

Whitethroat - 8 (4)

Gardne Warbler - 1(1)

Blackcap - 6

Treecreeper -1

                 
 

Wraysbury GP - 16th June 2010

Juvenile Whitethroat

The young are really starting to get out and about now. This helped the numbers somewhat, although there were a couple of Whitethroats that looked as though they probably jumped into the net rather than flew, both having wing measurements not fully grown with one not yet having even reached 60mm. Both were returned to the exact place they were captured. The Dunnocks and Robins also seem to have done rather well with a few young Chiffs and Blackcaps too.

Total: 48 (13)

Wren - 1 (1)

Dunnock - 13 (4)

Robin - 4

Blackbird - 1

Whitethroat - 17 (2)

Garden Warbler - 2 (4)

Blackcap - 5

Chiffchaff - 5 (1)

Blue Tit - 0 (1)

Stanwell Moor GP - 14th June 2020

We tried for an early start, but lost a bit of time when an accident involving a police car happened right ahead of us. It was all on the dashcam and although a police car was on scene within minutes (obviously it's different turning up to find your colleagues injured rather than strangers), we took some details from other witnesses who had not been involved while we waited to hand over the evidence.

We went down to the reed-bed and got one net in there, with the others in the scrubby area, only open to us when the plant is closed. There was a pleasing number of Whitethroats, a couple of Whitethroats, a surprise in two Meadow Pipits and some Reed Warblers from the reed-bed.

Totals: 18 (3)

Meadow Pipit - 2

Blackbird - 3

Sedge Warbler - 1 (1)

Reed Warbler - 3 (1)

Whitethroat - 8 (1)

Great Tit - 1

Stanwell GP - 10th June 2020

Rain threatened so we kept it down to  six nets in close proximity to where we base.  There wasn't much moving about but nonetheless a total of 22 wasn't too bad.

5M Linnet

Total: 19 (3)

Robin - 1
Blackbird - 1
Cetti's Warbler - 0 (1)
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Whitethroat - 1
Blackcap - 5
Chiffchaff - 1
Blue Tit - 1 (1)
Great Tit - 2
Bullfinch - 1
Greenfinch - 3 (1)
House Sparrow - 1
Linnet - 1

Wraysbury GP - 9th June 2020

We decided to make the most of a couple of fine days before rain and windy conditions arrived at the end of the week, so spent the first of these days trying to catch Whitethroat for the RAS that we've been running for the past 5 years. A lot of time has been missed, due to the pandemic but we did manage two retraps. There were also young Robins and Dunnocks, a smattering of this year's Blackcaps, even a young Chiffchaff. But, no fledged Whitethroats as yet.

          Whitethroat  AKE6140 5M with CP

           

                                                                           5M Bullfinch 

Total: 35 (8)

Wren - 1
Robin -  8
Dunnock - 3 (4)
Song Thrush - 3
Cetti's Warbler - 0 (1)
Whitethroat - 2 (2)
Garden Warbler -  2 (1)
Blackcap - 9 (1)
Chiffchaff - 2
Blue Tit - 1
Great Tit - 3
Bullfinch - 1

Broadwater GP - 8th June 2020

For the first time in over six months CL & DKL  went to Broadwater to see what's been happening on site. We noted that there are now concrete blocks with a chain and padlock on the access road, problematic for us in the event that it's across and locked any time we arrive as we don't have a key, but today the chain was not across.

The fishing club has been doing a bit of cutting back, but nothing too hefty for us to remove from our rides. There were birds around and a good few places for nets so we put up a couple of nets and although this was not a complete session managed 13 birds.

Totals: 12 (1)

Robin - 2
Blackbird - 3
Garden Warbler - 1
Chiffchaff - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 5
Blue Tit - 0 (1)

Cyprus reprise 2007 - 2019

We never got out to ring on Cyprus this year since there was a quarantine order to self isolate for 14 days after arrival and we were only going out for 15 days prior to the due date for our house sale. The decision not to travel turned out to be the right one as flights were suspended towards the end of March and, had we decided to go, we would have been left with nowhere to stay after the sale went through.

So our last spring effort on the island didn't come off. Here's a selection of some beautiful birds we've ringed over the years.

Black-eared Wheatear - spring 2010

Melanistic Sardinian Warbler - spring 2010 

part of an island study on melanism in the species

Tutrtle Dove - spring 2010

Mountain Chiffchaff - spring 2013 (second record for the island)

Savi's Warbler - spring 2010

European Bee eater - spring 2009

Subalpine Warbler - spring 2013

Crested Lark - spring 2014

Great Spotted Cuckoo - spring 2014 

Wood Warbler - spring 2014

Nightingale - spring 2014

Ruppell's Warbler - spring 2014 

Penduline Tit - November 2014

Hawfinch - November 2014

Common Wheatear - spring 2015

European Hoopoe - spring 2015

Common Redstart - spring 2015

European Kestrel - spring 2016

Crossbill - November 2016

Serin - November 2016

 Woodchat Shrike - November 2017

Laughing Dove - November 2017

Cyprus Warbler - spring 2018

Wood Lark - November 2018

Masked Shrike - spring 2019

Citrine Wagtail - spring 2019

Pallid Swift -  spring 2019

Common Swift - spring 2019

 Golden Oriole - spring 2019

 Corn Bunting - spring 2019

Little Stint - spring 2019

Black-headed Bunting - spring 2019

So, that's a flavour of the species found on Cyprus. We will miss the birds, but not issues with trying to get the permit before 25% of the time has already passed, finding sites that birders don't know, goats, dogs, hunters, and Blunt-nosed vipers! But, we will be back to Cyprus and possibly support Kuksor in the north for our next Cyprus sortie.

Butterlies - May 2020

and some of the butterflies from May....

Green-veined White - Harmondsworth Moor CP

Small Copper - Staines Moor

Holly Blue - Wraysbury GP

Small Heath - Stoke Commomn

Brown Argus - Wraysbury GP

Common Blue - Wraysbury GP

Dingy Skipper - Ivinghoe Beacon

Grizzled Skipper - Ivinghoe Beacon

Duke of Burgandy - Ivingoe Beacon

Green Hairstreak - Ivinghoe Beacon

Brimstone - Ivinghoe Beacon

Small Blue - Pitstone Quarry

Adonis Blue - The Hollies

Small Tortoiseshell

Speckled Wood - Botany Bay

Wood White - Botany Bay

Glanville Fritillary - Hutchinson Bank