Baconsthorpe Castle Wild Camp - 28th October 2013

Today we hoped to catch mainly thrushes as the site has a wealth of berry bushes ripe for the plucking. There were a lot of Redwings and Blackbirds on arrival, but many departed and the ones that remained to feed tended to stay in the higher trees. We had flocks passing overhead and several groups dropped in when the fog closed in. The total for the day was 39 birds, Redwing leading with 14 and Goldcrest second with 8 new.

A female Blackcap was an unexpected bonus.

Thanks to DMD for assisting. Appropriate licence held for all ringing activities.

3FBlackcap

Redwing showing particularly warm colouration to median tips

Female Bullfinch aged 3

Total: 35 (4)

Redwing - 14
Blackbird- 3
Wren - 4
Robin - 3 (2)
Dunnock - 1
Blackcap - 1
Goldcrest - 8 (1)
Blue Tit - 0 (1)
Bullfinch - 1

Deepdale Farm - 27th October 2023

 As the spell of calmer weather continues, we again set nets on the marsh fields at Deepdale, this being our best site for autumn migrant arrivals. Over the morning we ringed a very narrow range of species, Meadow Pipits including a control, Reed Buntings with some clearly newly arrived as fat and muscle scores were both zero.

We also ringed the first Rock Pipit that the group has ringed, being the second new species of the week. We had done our first Skylarks this week too.

Rock Pipit

Control Meadow Pipit AZZ1649 adult showing full complement

 of mature median and greater coverts.

Reed Bunting adult type 2nd tertial

Reed Bunting juvenile type 2nd tertial

We had not quite finished packing up when we got a call from Estelle at the farm office. She had just picked up a Shag. It had been walking down the farm road, heading north towards the sea. It may have been one of the three seen riding around on the topper on Wednesday. A search of the area later on Wednesday and on Thursday had found nothing and as the three had flown into a hedge they were thought to have been able to take flight. This may have been one of them or even have been a fourth bird. 

We kept the bird in a box to rest while the tide came up, then released it at Wells-next-the sea. It was quite fit and immediately began to drink and feed once in the water.

Juvenile Shag

Ringed and ready for release.

The bird was strong and did not need to go to a rescue centre. 

Totals: 38 (1)

Shag - 1

Rock Pipit - 1
Meadow Pipit - 22 (1 control)
Reed Bunting - 14

Deepdale Farm - 25th October 2023

 Another day with a forecast for low wind (although it was windier than ideal at times) and only a matter of time before the field gets ploughed once dry enough so we took another try for Meadow Pipits. The ground was rather wetter than before leaving shallow pools in places that the pipits had a definite preference for, and added to that there were fewer pipits around but more Skylarks. When the sea fret came in the birds became less active and more difficult to catch. Despite the challenges we managed 48 captures including four Skylark.

Skylark aged 2 since all birds undertake a complete moult in the summer

Meadow Pipit

Thanks to PWL and DKH for joining us.

Totals:  44 (4)

Meadow Pipit - 24
Skylark - 4
Song Thrush - 1
Robin - 1 (1)
Goldcrest - 4 (3)
Goldfinch - 5
Reed Bunting - 5

While it was misty the farmer topping one of the nearby fields had some unusual company. This appears to be part of a wider phenomenon with reports of singles in a Lincs garden and another trying to enter a house in Nottinghamshire, with 4 Shags in a park in Sheffield.

Deepdale Farm - 23rd October 2023

 We have been waiting for a day with low enough wind to try the marsh fields for Meadow Pipits, and today finally was the day. It was a little windy when we arrived at 7am but the wind dropped to a pleasant breeze as the morning progressed. We got a 5 net combination up, three nets in an open cornered triangle with two behind in what we term a 'back stop' configuration. Then there was also a double two panel next to an uncut scrubby area and finally a 9m through a hedge, just in case of migrating Goldcrests or thrushes.

The plan worked quite well and by the end of the morning we had processed 77 birds.

Mipit config with walk in trap for good measure

Juvenile Meadow Pipit

Reed Bunting

Goldcrest 3M

Adult Meadow Pipit showing shallow toothed median coverts.

Even if there had been fewer birds, the dawn sky, followed later by Pink-feet departing their roost was a great way to start the day.

Looking east before sunrise

Totals: 73 (4)

Meadow Pipit - 40
Wren - 1
Dunnock - 4
Chiffchaff - 1
Goldcrest - 14 (1)
Blue Tit - 4
Great Tit - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 1 (3)
Goldfinch - 3
Reed Bunting - 5

Mannington Hall Open day (ringing Demonstration) - 22nd October 2023

 

On a beautiful autumn day CL & DKL joined ERB for the bird ringing demonstration at Mannington Hall's autumn open day. Joined by two Iceni trainees and two more trainees from other groups there were plenty of birds for trainees to extract and process, and for visitors to see. Highlights were Redwing, Siskin and Reed Bunting. 

https://twitter.com/manningtonhall/status/1716115281263628565

Total - 26 (35)

Mute Swan - 1
Redwing - 2
Wren - 1
Dunnock - 0 (1)
Goldcrest - 1
Blue Tit - 14 (24)
Coal Tit - 1 (2)
Great Tit - 3 (5)
Marsh Tit - 0 (2)
Long-tailed Tit - 0 (1)
Siskin - 1
Reed Bunting - 2

Heacham Sewage Works, Anglian Water - 16th October 2023

 Completed our first successful session at the works today, although actually the third visit. First attempt was for hirundines and although conditions looked perfect when we left home it was completely wrong by the time we arrived at Heacham. Second attempt was for gulls but we didn't get any in the nets on that day either.

Today looked perfect with low wind speeds from the east. Thousands of Redwing were passing over during our first couple of hours there. Many dropped into the tall trees for a brief rest before moving on. Of these we managed to catch 16.

Redwing, age 3

We had a three net configuration up trying for pipits. There were very few around and the only one that came in to the audio-lure was captured, so catching would be possible if more birds were about.

Juvenile Meadow Pipit

The Chaffinch and Robins may even have been migrants with just the Blue Tit and Wren definite resident birds.

Adult male Chaffinch

Juvenile Robin

We also recorded two colour ringed Black-headed gulls, belonging to Paul Roper's and Jez Blackburn's projects.

Black-headed Gull 2SKS

Total: 25

Meadow Pipit - 1
Wren - 1
Robin - 4
Blackbird - 1
Redwing - 16
Blue Tit - 1
Chaffinch - 1

Baconsthorpe Castle Wild camp - 12th October 2023

 We had hopes of connecting with winter thrushes, this being such a lovely site, full of berry bearing bushes, surrounded by fields with hedgerows connecting the patchwork of fields to the site, but we caught none. There were a few Goldcrest about and some finches that we haven't been catching there.

4F Bullfinch

Dunnocks were leading species of a of our rather modest catch, including a bird with some form of infection affecting the eyes and beak.

Juvenile Dunnock with infection producing appearance of an ocular ring. Yellow colouration also present at base of lower mandible.

Total: 16(4)

Wren - 2 (1)
Robin - 1 (1)
Dunnock - 4 (1)
Goldcrest - 3 (1)
Chaffinch - 3
Bullfinch -  2
Lesser Redpoll - 1