Sculthorpe Moor - 31st May 2022

 This was to have been a full mist netting session, but due to the forecast of heavy showers during much of the morning we plumped for a window of opportunity to look for our colour marked Lapwing chicks and hopefully capture and ring the Little Ringed Plovers.

As it turned out we were able to ring all four Little Ringed Plovers that have grown a bit since we first saw them last week.

One of four Little Ringed Plovers ringed today. The necessary endorsement for targeting this schedule one species is held.

Further to that, we resighted two of the previously marked North Norfolk Lapwing project chicks and also managed to capture and ring another rather well grown chick, well past the 'hunker down and freeze' stage.

00 was seen and confirmed as still doing well, as was 01

The final chick of the day was one of two Redshank chicks observed. This is the first confirmed breeding of Redshank at the relatively new Sculthorpe scrape.

Redshank chick

All necessary permissions for the colour ringing project and targeting of precocial wader chicks granted by and conducted for the British Trust for Ornithology.

Total: 6 (2)

Little Ringed Plover - 4
Lapwing - 1 (2)
Redshank - 1

Sculthorpe Moor & farm in west Norfolk - 25th May 2022

 This was our second sortie for Lapwing chicks having found that the ones seen on our last attempt were too small to take the coded ring. There was no such problem today as assisted by ERB we located and captured 3 of at least 4 Lapwing young. Each was large enough to get their individually identifiable ring combination.

We also checked three Little Ringed Plover chicks that were just a little too small for metal rings. Perhaps we'll be able to find them in a week or so.

In the afternoon the farm fields were fairly productive with a total of six Lapwing chicks ringed, two of which got coded rings for the Lapwing project.

Totals: 9

Lapwing - 9 (5 colour ringed)

Deepdale Farm - 23rd May 2022

We captured 18 birds today. Not too much of note although the Yellowhammers were very nice. Catch also included some juvenile Dunnocks and re-trapped Goldcrest, Robin and Chiffchaff from previous sessions.

Male Yellowhammer, age code 5

Male Whitethroat

One bird that was not ringed was a Red-legged Partridge that managed to find the net, and was successfully held. Quite an achievement for a superfine net (supplied by Merlin) to hold such a weighty bird. 

Red-legged Partridge

Although it was not possible to ring the partridge, this being a species that is bred and released on a large scale on many estates (but not from this farm) for shooting. We were able to give it a check over for flat-flies as we participate in a project to monitor these parasitic flies and it may have been possible to collect a specimen for the Hippoboscidae work. The following link is to an article with some images and interesting details about these insects. 

https://entomologytoday.org/2015/05/18/hippoboscidae-flies-live-birth/

The partridge, however, did not have any such parasites and was then released un-ringed.

Total: 14 (3)

Wren - 2
Robin - 0 (1)
Dunnock - 5
Whitethroat - 2
Blackcap - 2
Chiffchaff - 1 (1)
Goldcrest - 0 (1)
Yellowhammer - 2

Wild Ken Hill - 22nd May 2022

This morning's catch included some young birds hatched this breeding season. At present it's still too early for young from the summer migrants as they would have started later than the resident birds, spending time setting up territories while the birds already here would have started nest building and laying eggs sooner.

                                   Juvenile Robin that has not yet started its post-juvenile moult.

                                        Juvenile Song Thrush, still with gape in evidence and 

                                                      juvenile thorns on median coverts.

 

                                   

We caught a Jay and this bird received, in addition to the usual metal ring, an individually coded white plastic darvic ring, as part of a study undertaken by the University of East Anglia. The darvic ring will allow the bird to be individually identified without being caught. This type of study aims to increase records of individuals to find out more about their movements than would be possible from a bird with only a metal ring.

While on site there was a report of Caspian Tern along the coast. Unfortunately we missed that. However, the report did result in more skyward gazing than usual and the unusual sight of a Fulmar flying SW across the marsh pasture.

Total: 15 (8) 

Wren - 1
Robin - 3
Song Thrush - 1
Cetti's Warbler - 1
Grasshopper Warbler - 0 (1)
Reed Warbler - 2
Sedge Warbler - 1 (2)
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Whitethroat - 2
Blackcap - 1
Chiffchaff - 1 (2)
Blue Tit - 0 (2)
Chaffinch - 0 (1)
Jay - 1

Sculthorpe Moor - 20th May 2022

 We completed our initial monitoring session at Sculthorpe Moor today. With one eye on the sky as rain was forecast towards the end of the morning, we covered a small area within the 47 hectares of the beavers' enclosure, using the existing trackway between the streams and ditches, the highest point within their pen that should remain dry as the animals engineer their environment. The two animals arrived a few weeks ago and I (Denise) was lucky enough to glimpse one of the animals as we set up shortly after 6am.

The catch was low with only 13 birds, but there was a good mix of species that provided opportunity for explanation of  what data is collected and how that is done for the reserve staff who will be assisting our work from time to time . The aim is for our sessions to provide information on how the beavers' activities benefit their environment and the other species present. 

The following article on the effects of beaver within an ecosystem was published earlier this month.

 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.873307/full

Marsh Tit

Total: 13

Wren - 4
Robin - 3
Blackbird - 1
Blackcap - 2
Marsh Tit - 1
Great Tit - 1
Treecreeper - 1

Snettisham Coastal Park - 19th May 2022

 A first session at the coastal park situated between Wild Ken Hill and the beach. There is public access to the coastal park that belongs to the Ken Hill estate.  We had expected it to be good for birds and the total of 62 proved that our instinct was correct. Our one reservation regarding being able to monitor this site with regard to the amount of footfall was, unfortunately, also borne out. The area is criss-crossed by many paths, some being what remains of ringing rides from bird monitoring efforts a few years back. Although we stayed well away from the marked footpath, main walkway through the site and clearly marked all nets, and only one ride was marked as closed 'Access temporarily closed for bird monitoring', a successful morning was marred by one dog walker who disregarded the sign and walked passed the 'Access closed' sign tearing two 18m nets, with their foot ware, made it a bit of an expensive morning for us. 

Up until that point it had been a very successful session with a lot of interest shown by the general public with several people remarking that there always used to be bird ringing in the park and they were glad that the monitoring work was starting up again. Despite all the positive comments and thanks for the work being undertaken, the actions of those very few individuals who will not comply with a simple request in order for occasional wildlife monitoring to take place, may as result bring the possibility of continued monitoring into question, if there are reoccurrences, and always puts a damper on the morning.

Reed Warbler

Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

The presence of this birds, does though raise ones spirits somewhat, listening to them purring during the morning, with some display flights and a bit of wooing on  the ground.

There were no re-traps from previous years, potentially not unsurprising as ringing stooped about 3 -4 years ago here.

Totals: 62

Wren - 1
Robin - 1
Dunnock - 5
Blackbird - 1
Cetti's Warbler- 2
Reed Warbler - 1
SedgeWarbler - 11
Lesser Whitethroat - 3
Whitethroat - 7
Blackcap - 7
Chiffchaff - 5
Long-tailed Tit - 15
Blue Tit - 1
Goldfinch - 2

Farm in West Norfolk - 11th May 2022

At a farm in West Norfolk today saw the first of our three section nest boxes put up at the open barn. There are Tree Sparrows around, but the existing nest boxes, well out of reach and in need of a little maintenance, do not seem to be in use currently. We suspect that the hedgerows are the current favoured nesting spot and although we do not expect birds to use the new boxes this breeding season, they will be available in years to come. Hopefully, the vertical and horizontal ternion boxes that Peter has made, will tempt them to adopt these sturdy new nesting sites communally.

The first triple section box is up! 

It was not possible to fix into the girder. Additional wire

will be used to further secure the unit.

Moving on to the closed in barn, it was not possible to check boxes on the side housing cattle, although no birds were seen to use these boxes during our check. In the barn, boxes have been fixed to the wooden upper section with the entrance through open slats. Of the checked boxes only two showed evidence of previous use. The only occupied box housed Great Tits with very recently hatched young.

 

Wild Ken Hill - 8th May 2022

We had a beautiful day for our session at the Marsh pasture with plenty of early morning birdsong. We managed a catch of 30 birds that included a few very interesting firsts for the year. 

We caught our first Garden Warbler and also had the first young of 2022. The Long-tailed Tits were quite freshly fledged and to ensure that the whole troupe remained together, they were ringed at the net and released straight away, hence no cute photos. 

The other very interesting bird had already been ringed, but not at Wild Ken Hill. It was a control, meaning the bird has travelled from another ringing site. Now, we had a control Cetti's Warbler on 14th April that had been ringed near Broughton, Stoke Ferry, Norfolk 34km away. That bird had been ringed on 20th August 2021 and has now moved to Wild Ken Hill, is breeding and we were very pleased with the movement. Cetti's Warblers have only really started to become well established in the UK over the past 10 years or so.

Today's control, a Sedge Warbler, has been marked with a ring bearing details for the Belgian ringing scheme, another first for us at Wild Ken Hill! We do not yet have details and that may take a while, but we can say that it would have been bred in the UK and ringed in Belgium (probably - as scheme rings can occasionally be used in other countries) while on migration. Once we have the date that it was ringed, we'll know whether it was travelling to or from the Sahara at the time.

Belgian ringed Sedge Warbler. This bird was coded age 4, meaning we can only say it was hatched before the year of our capture. This is because the young and adult birds both do a complete moult on arriving at their winter quarters and the plumage has no clues as to age on return to the UK. The previous capture may provide more precise data on the year this bird was hatched.

Ring issued by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, 16979731

Garden Warbler

Lesser Whitethroat with 'pollen horn', caused by foraging in flowers.

This may have developed either entirely on reaching the UK or during the the migration from East Africa through Europe.

Spot the Cuckoo and the decoy.

As usual, there were plenty of birds that we didn't catch, and that included three Cuckoos. We did try using a plastic decoy, but to no avail.

Total: 22 (8)

Dunnock - 0 (1)
Robin - 0 (1)

Cetti's Warbler - 0 (1)
Sedge Warbler - 4 (4)
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Garden Warbler - 1
Blackcap - 3
Chiffchaff - 0 (1)
Long-tailed Tit - 9
Blue Tit - 1
Chaffinch - 1
Reed Bunting - 1

Finch House Garden - April 2022

 Not so much to report this month. The net was only used on two days, due to foreign travel at the start of the month, followed by some decent ringing weather when we got out to some of our coastal sites to monitor summer migrants.

Considering we only caught seven birds there can be no complaint that these included Chiffchaff (constantly singing and the March captured Chiffchaff seems to have moved on), Blackcap and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Total:6 (1)

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Dunnock - 0 (1)
Blackbird - 1
Blackcap - 1
Chiffchaff - 1
House Sparrow - 2

Wild Ken Hill - 2nd May 2022

 Today we monitored Siberia plantation, hoping that there would be some re-trapped birds that had been spent the previous summer or summers there. We were not disappointed. Six of the birds caught already had rings, allowing us to add to the individual history of each bird. Notable, was  male Willow Warbler that has clearly settled on his territory for the season, that was present last summer. Other re-traps included Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Wren and Blackbird, which also included a Blackcap not ringed at the site, for which details are awaited from the ringing scheme.

Bird of the day had to be a rather sleepy Tawny Owl, still out at 7am and looking as though it was past his roosting time.

Male Tawny Owl

Total: 16 (6)

Tawny Owl - 1
Wren - 1 (1)
Robin - 3
Dunnock - 2
Blackbird - 0 (1)
Blackcap - 4 (2)
Willow Warbler - 0 (1)
Chiffchaff -  4 (1)
Blue Tit - 1

Darvic rings read in Spain - March/April 2022

Details of some of the darvics we were able to record while in Andalusia, Spain. The Bird ringed shortly after hatching in 1986 is particularly impressive. This bird is the same age as our 36 year old first born!

S|29 hatched in 1986, and that coloured ring used to be orange

Spanish ringed bird details:

S|29  Metal ring : 9 002821 - number of re-sightings, last seen in 2020.
Ringed: 25.06.1986 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 3.4.2022 Salinas de Bonanza, Cádiz, SPAIN 

5|W8  Metal ring : 9 024197 - number of re-sightings, last seen on 27.6.2012, 10 years ago.
Ringed: 10.08.1996 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 3.4.2022 Salinas de Bonanza, Cádiz, SPAIN 

0|BIH  Metal ring : 10 03867 - number of re-sightings, last seen on 25.1.2014, 8 years ago.
Ringed: 23.08.1997 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 4.4.2022 Los Albardones, Cádiz, SPAIN 

0|LCF  Metal ring : 10 08449 - number of re-sightings, last seen in 2021.
Ringed: 15.08.1998 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 3.4.2022 Salinas de Bonanza, Cádiz, SPAIN 

0|VZB  Metal ring : 10 05246 - number of re-sightings, last on 11.2.2010, 12 years ago.
Ringed: 15.07.2000 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 3.4.2022 Salinas de Bonanza, Cádiz, SPAIN

1|CXA  Metal ring : 10 11546 - number of re-sightings, last in 2021.
Ringed: 20.07.2002 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 3.4.2022 Salinas de Bonanza, Cádiz, SPAIN

1|DHT  Metal ring : 10 05246 - number of re-sightings, last in 2021.
Ringed: 20.07.2002 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 4.4.2022 Los Albardones, Cádiz, SPAIN

1|HRL  Metal ring : 10 13391 - number of re-sightings, last on 8.9.2007, 14 years ago.
Ringed: 12.07.2003 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 3.4.2022 Salinas de Bonanza, Cádiz, SPAIN

7|VV  Metal ring : 10 12198 - number of re-sightings, last in 2020.
Ringed: 08.08.2003 (pullus unable to fly) , Lucio Cerrado Garrido - Sevilla, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 3.4.2022 Salinas de Bonanza, Cádiz, SPAIN

2|HVH  Metal ring : P02985 - number of re-sightings, last on 2.3.2016, 8 years ago.
Ringed: 19.07.2014 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 4.4.2022 Los Albardones, Cádiz, SPAIN

2|RTC Metal ring : P07349 - first re-sightings since ringed 4 years ago.
Ringed: 11.08.2018 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 29.3.2022 La Breña y Marismas del Barbate, Cádiz, SPAIN

2|SZS Metal ring : P07920 - first re-sightings since ringed 3 years ago.
Ringed: 17.08.2019 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 29.3.2022 La Breña y Marismas del Barbate, Cádiz, SPAIN

2|VZV Metal ring : P09050 - first re-sightings since ringed 3 years ago.
Ringed: 17.08.2019 (pullus unable to fly) , Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, Malaga, SPAIN
Re-sighting: 3.4.2022 Salinas de Bonanza, Cádiz, SPAIN

French ringed birds (1) details:

JNSH  Metal ring : X6923 - first sighting in 11 years.
Ringed: 27.07.2011 (pullus unable to fly) , Etg. du Fangassier - Bouches-du-Rhône, FRANCE
Re-sighting: 30.3.2022 La Breña y Marismas del Barbate, Cádiz, SPAIN 

1|HRL

1|DHT

1|CXA