Stanwell Moor - 30 May 2012

This was our last chance to monitor the site until our return from Scotland so we put in an evening session and hoped that fledging would have taken place with more birds ending up in the nets. There were certainly more birds caught. The new 30ft ride turned up two new Reed Warblers, but no Starlings despite the roost having grown considerably in size since out last visit, and birds roosting all around the net. One juvenile Starling was caught in a 60ft on another spit and juvenile Lottis, Gretis, Chiff-chaff, Robin & Song Thrush were also captured.

We were pleased to retrap Reewa 4M, X905740 from 2010, as returners seem less frequent than in previous years.

Chiff-chaff DPA 662 was a control and we await to discover whether is yet another exchange with Queen Mary or from somewhere a little further afield.

Juvenile Robin 

Totals 16 (3):

Robin - 1

Dunnock - 1

Song Thrush - 1

Reed Warbler - 5 (1)

Chiff-chaff  - 1 (1)

Great Tit - 3

Long-tailed Tit - 2 (1)

Starling - 1

Greenfinch - 1

New Forest area - 29 May 2012

Utilising time owed from work I took today off and headed to the New Forest area. What a change to the journey on Saturday, little traffic heading south, all heading north to London, at times moving not being part of the experiance.

First stop was Pignall Enclosure where at least 30+ Pearl-bordered Fritillaries were seen, along with a singing male Redstart and at least four Crossbill flying over.

Pearl-bordered Fritilliary

A quick stop off at Hatchet Moor produced a pair of Dartford Warblers and several pairs of Stonechat with young.

The plan was then to visit Hordle Cliff and Hurst spit. I was unaware that the Hordle Granvilles had died out and I did not pick any up at Hurst either, but I had unwittingly driven past a release colony at Wrecclesham in Surrey where apparently numerous individuals were on the wing.

To finish the day off I had a wander around Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes where I failed to locate the Black-winged Stilt but did pick up 27 Black-tailed Godwits, including an Icelandic cr bird and an adult Mediterranean Gull. A couple of Walls were seen during the walk.

Yoesden Bank - 27 May 2012

Rather foolishly, after the ringing session I headed off to Yoesden Bank near Bledlow Ridge to try and catch up with Adonis Blues. By mid afternoon all the butterflies at the site were rather super charged and certainly the Blues were very active making separation of Adonis or common Blue in fast flight slightly speculative. I did come across one newly emerged Adonis with wings still not fully straightened. Probably more were seen and possibly photographed when I get time to examine the picture fully, but also seen was one new Grizzled Skipper, three Dingy Skippers, a single Small Blue, two Orange Tips and Small Heaths.

Adonis Blue

Broadwater GP - 27 May2012

We decided to venture to Broadwater and find out how the breeding birds were progressing. The morning was already very warm by 6am and the substrate none the softer in the late May sunshine. The site was ringing with bird song, much delivered from way,way up above the height of the nets, but there was the hope that young birds would be foraging and adults feeding young so we gave it a go.

Highlights were pairs of Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Chaffinch, Juvenile Dunnock, Blackbird and Long Tailed Tit and a couple of Jays. The catch was broadly representative of what was seen and heard around the site.

 Jay

Totals 20 (6):

Dunnock - 2
Robin - 2 (3)
Blackbird - 2
Garden Warbler - 2
Blackcap - 1 (1)
Blue Tit - 0 (2)
Great Tit - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 5
Jay - 2
Chaffinch - 2

Noar Hill and Oaken Wood, Surrey - 26 May 2012

The wind today was potentially too strong today for ringing, but with it being a warm bright day we decided to head off in the direction of Surrey, which alas was a direction a few others were also heading in, with the M25 at times dropping to 40/50 and the A3, a bit of a crawl on the five or so miles around Guildford. But, upon turning off the A3 brought the enjoyment of being in an old traditional English rural atmosphere.

We spent almost two hours walking around Noar Hill, were it was exposed to a bit of a strong breeze but we managed to locate up to six Duke of Burgundys, three Dingy Skippers and two green Hairstreaks, along with Orange Tip, Common Blue and Small Heaths.

Dingy Skipper

Duke of Burgundy

 
A visit to Gilbert Whites House tea room, was like a trip back to the 1950s - only for the 50/60s traffic volume and it would be bliss!

We then headed to Oaken Wood  where up to 10 Wood Whites were found along with two Dingy Skippers and two Green Hairstreaks, together with Brimstone and Small Heaths, all the time accompanied by at least three singing Nightingales and Buzzards over head.

Wood White

 Brimstone

Green Hairstreak

Wood White

Stanwell Moor - 23 May 2012

As it was such a nice evening we decided to go back to Stanwell Moor. There were fewer Starlings on the fields and the Hirundines were feeding really high up. It wasn't really surprising that we only managed a total of 3 birds as reedbed birds were very vocal but sitting tight and Starlings did not seem to fancy our newly cut ride for their post breeding roost.The evening did produce a first for Chris - never before has he extracted a rabbit from a mist net. He was not particularly impressed..........and neither was the young rabbit.

Reed Bunting - 5 male

 Southern Marsh Orchid in the ringing ride

Totals 3:

Reed Warbler - 1
Greenfinch - 1
Reed Bunting -1

Stanwell Moor - 22 May 2012

A session out tonight at Stanwell Moor produced only 8 birds, but 2 controls a Reed Warbler V967422 and the other, a Chiff-chaff DTJ 277 was from only from 6km away, Hersham RG at Queen Mary Res. A Song Thursh re-traped that had been missing for 5 years. So depite low catch - not bad. The willow/carr area is aways low catching area during the breeding season, though the post fledging Starling roost is already in use, though not easy to catch as they usual roost in willows over water that has a very unsafe mud substrate.

Chiff - chaff (DTJ277)

Totals 5 (3):

Robin - 1

Dunnock - 3

Song Thrush - 0 (1)

Reed Warbler - 1 (1 - control)

Chiff-chaff - 0 (1 - control)