Broadwater GP - 5 January 2016

The first session of the year and CL, DKL, MRB, BC and Margaret were out to set nets before first light. There were 23 captures with quite a few retraps. Treecreeper EBN301 was first ringed on 18th December 2011.

 Treecreeper EBN301 at least five years.

There were lots of Redwing and Blackbirds roosting on site and five Redwings were captured over the morning.

 MRB processes the last Redwing of the day.

Totals: 10 (13)

Dunnock - 0 (1)
Redwing - 5
Blackbird - 1 (2)
Robin - 2 (1)
Goldcrest - 0 (4)
Blue Tit - 1 (3)
Great Tit - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 0 (1)
Treecreeper - 0 (1)

Bedfont CP - 4 January 2016

The morning was spent with EP and RLR. The first round gave us a new Cetti's Warbler and Reed Bunting from the reed bed, the only birds from those nets all morning. The new feeders have been increasing captures with a lot of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Blue and Great Tits becoming fairly  regular on the ringing recapture sheet.

 Two male Great Spotted Woodpeckers - both with retained feathers.

After packing up we tried to catch some Mute Swans but failed, only succeeding in reading BTO ring W36007, not a group ring so we will wait to find out where it's come from.Other observations included Water Rail, Bittern, Woodcock (seen by CL only) and drake Smew.

Totals: 17  (17)

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 (4)
Robin- 1
Cetti's Warbler - 1
Blue Tit - 4 (9)
Great Tit - 6 (4)
Goldfinch - 2
Chaffinch - 1
Reed Bunting - 1

Wraysbury GP - 1 January 2016

A brief window of opportunity before the wind became too strong.CL, DKL & EP,  four nets and a little less that four hours. A total of 24 birds were caught with a high proportion of retraps, many being Dunnock.

Totals: 10 (14)

Wren - 1

Blackbird - 0 (1)

Song Thrush - 1

Dunnock - 2 (7)

Blue Tit - 3 (1)

Long-tailed Tit - 0 (4)
Chiffchaff - 1

Goldcrest - 2 (1)

Broadwater GP - 29 December 2015

The last site visit of 2015 joined by MRB, Margaret and James. There were only 14 birds, but when ringing a surprise is always possible and today it was that the last bird of the year was a Blackcap. Overwintering Chiffchaff are much more regularly caught than Blackcap.

3M Blackcap

There were a few Blackbirds and a couple of Redwing. We also managed singles of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll from the few small flocks that were seen passing overhead from mid to late morning.

 3M Siskin showing obvious contrast between new and retained greater coverts.

3F Lesser Redpoll

Wren EJJ903, a known adult, showed distinct contrast within the greater coverts and did not have a particularly strongly barring. However it was not very gingery in colouration and did had 12 spots on P4. A guide published on the Ottenby Obseravatory website is very useful but this bird definitely had a step and contrast within the greater coverts (confirmed by second ringer).

     http://www.ringersdigiguide.ottenby.se/troglodytes-troglodytes/autumn/

 EJJ903, adult Wren ringed as a juvenile 20/07/2014.

Totals: 10 (4)

Wren - 0 (1)

Blackbird - 3

Redwing - 2

Blackcap - 1

Chiffchaff - 1 (1)

Goldcrest - 1 (1)

Great Tit - 0 (1)

Siskin - 1

Lesser Redpoll- 1

Stanwell GP - 28 December 2015

There has been a real shortage of decent ringing weather this festive period and we were in dire need of fresh air so, in spite of the strong gusts in the forecast, we headed to Stanwell for our third visit of the month.

Bird of the day was undoubtedly a female Firecrest.

3F Firecrest

Just two Redwing were attracted as they departed from their roost.

Age 3 Redwing

Two Cetti's Warbler males were also captured, a new male and D860121, last recaptured on August 2nd and initially ringed at Bedfont CP in July 2014.

 Male Cetti's Warbler Z761916

Of several Reed Buntings seen, only one was captured.

 3M Reed Bunting

Sightings included a Little Egret, 2 Fieldfare, 8 Skylark, a Buzzard and 27 Lapwing.

Totals:  14 (12)

Wren - 2

Robin - 1
Blackbird - 1 (1)

Redwing - 2
Song Thrush - 1
Cetti's Warbler - 1 (1)

Goldcrest - 2 (2)
Firecrest - 1

Blue Tit - 1

Long-tailed Tit - 1 (8)
Reed Bunting - 1

River Thames, Windsor - 22 December 2015

The morning was spent collecting ring numbers on Mute Swans at Windsor. There were only five or six with darvics and most of those had been seen before so we were reliant on binoculars and photography to record numbers on metal rings. The numbers can only be recorded when the birds haul out of he water, an action that scratches the metal and can make rings difficult to read.

Many birds carry two rings, one BTO and the other from swan upping http://www.royalswan.co.uk/sources/indexPop.htm
 

From this visit we recorded around ten new swan numbers and a Canada Goose.

Broadwater GP - 18 December 2015

A rather slow morning, even the feeders weren't drawing the birds - we struggled up to twenty or so with a lot of recaptures, but it was so slow that we packed up early and were off site before midday.

 3F Chaffinch

 Age 4 Redwing

4M Great Tit

This winter, same as last year,  there are few birds around our ringing site. We suspect a lot of birds may be spending time at the other end of the lake along the River Colne. In the past we have believed that it's warmer for the birds there - but temperature is obviously not a problem for the birds currently -perhaps a try on the banks of the Colne is in order.

Totals: 12 (9)

Robin - 0 (1)

Redwing - 2

Chiffchaff - 2 (1)

Goldcrest - 1 (2)

Blue Tit - 0 (3)

Great Tit - 4 

Long-tailed Tit - 0 (1)

Treecreeper - 0 (1)

Chaffinch - 2

Siskin - 1