Ringing on 4th Sep 2011

Well today really was the best day so far this year with a double effort day under way and a break in the weather, there was Mick Briggs and Dave Vincent ringing at Aylmer Avenue for a long morning session whilst over at the Observatory, George occasionally helped out visiting ringers Christine Flint and Nigel Judson who are from the "Charnwood Ringing Group" and are visiting for a weeks holiday ringing. They don't have very far to travel each day as they are staying at the Field Station!
  You can check out the Charnwood Ringing Group Blog at - http://charnwoodringers.blogspot.com/

  At the Observatory there were 131 birds processed including 117 New birds and 14 Retraps whilst at Aylmer Avenue there were 190 birds processed including 138 New birds and 52 Retraps. This gave a combined catch total of an impressive 321 birds processed! including 255 New birds and 66 Retraps.

  The catch was made up thus (New/Retrap) - (1/0) Wood Pigeon, (114/1) Swallow, (41/0) House Martin, (1/0) Meadow Pipit, (1/0) Yellow Wagtail, (1/3) Wren, (4/3) Dunnock, (3/1) Robin, (1/0) Wheatear, (0/1) Blackbird, (1/0) Barred Warbler, (9/1) Lesser Whitethroat, (3/3) Whitethroat, (1/0) Garden Warbler, (25/4) Blackcap, (2/1) Chiffchaff, (5/3) Willow Warbler, (7/0) Goldcrest, (0/4) Long Tailed Tit, (0/2) Coal Tit, (4/6) Blue Tit, (0/5) Great Tit, (1/1) Treecreeper, (2/7) Chaffinch, (21/15) Greenfinch, (5/3) Goldfinch, (0/2) Linnet and (2/0) Reed Bunting.

  The Barred warbler was clearly the Star bird of the day, being the first of the year and the first since 28th Sep 2010. It is the earliest since 2006 when there were two caught in August. A nice surprise at the the start of weeks holiday for Christine and Nigel!
  Besides all the other cracking birds processed on the 4th Sep, perhaps the most impressive besides the excellent Swallow and House Martin catch was the surprising number of Blackcaps on site, with 29 different birds caught during the day at two relatively small sites in comparison to the size of the reserve, the number on the reserve as a whole must of numbered in the hundreds!

  Also reported on the 4th September 2011 were -
x1 Firecrest (East Dunes)
x5 Curlew Sandpiper
x19 Bar Tailed Godwit
x65 Golden Plover
x2 Snipe
x1 Guillemot
x1 Red Throated Diver
x7 Gannet (South)
x10 Spoonbill (Yesterday evening, flew out into the Wash)
x1 Red Throated Diver
x1 Tawny Owl
x1 Marsh Harrier
x60+ Siskin
x20 Tree Sparrow
x2 Wheatear
x1 Redstart
x50+ Yellow Wagtail (South)
x2000 Swallow (South)
x500 House Martin (South)
x3 Sand Martin (South)
x400 Meadow Pipit (South)
x10 Goldcrest

Swallows migrating South during the very busy 4th September 2011.
Photo - Mick Briggs

The first Barred Warbler of 2011, ringed on the 4th September 2011.
Photo - Christine Flint

Barred Warbler undertail coverts on the 4th September 2011.
Photo - Christine Flint