Monday 18 February 2019

January 2019 - Norway & Gibraltar recoveries received

204 new birds of 20 species got the year off to a good start for the hardy teams that ventured out.

Unsurprisingly, Blue and Great Tit topped the list with 85 and 30 each, but Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tit tied for third on 14.

Nice species to get on the list were 3 Meadow Pipit, a Fieldfare, Cetti’s Warbler, Blackcap and Lesser Redpoll. Details of a number of recoveries were received from the BTO. Notably, the Redwing from December 2018 ringed in 908km away in Rogaland, Norway in the autumn of 2017 and a Blackcap, ringed by the group at Minet last August and recaptured 1,754km away in Gibraltar last August.

Wednesday 6 February 2019

Norwegian Redwing - December 2018

Ringing sessions were hampered by unsettled weather but most sites managed at least one outing although catches were often low.

The total of over 193 new birds of 20 species brought some surprises with Redwing ringed at most sites and their total of 33 put them in second place after Blue Tit on 39.

Other good December species were a Meadow Pipit at Woolley Firs, a Blackcap at Iver Heath and 3 Chiffchaff, at Bedfont and Wraysbury. Finches and buntings were hard to come by with only 7 ringed in the period.

There were controls of Cetti’s Warbler at Stanwellmoor and a Norwegian Redwing which are awaiting ringing details.

Cetti's Warbler & Chiffchaff movements - November 2018

A quiet month with only 138 birds of 16 species ringed, 131 being at Woolley Firs targeting Blue Tits for the BTO post-juvenile moult survey.

Needless to say, Blue Tits were the top species at 64 but there were also 5 Collared Doves at Tythebarns and 5 Redwing and a Mistle Thrush at Woolley Firs. Mistle Thrush is actually our rarest thrush at Group sites, the last being at Tythebarns in April 2015.

A control of a Wraysbury-ringed Cetti’s Warbler in 2018 was the first long-distance movement of a group-ringed bird, recapture at Titchfield Haven, Hampshire; and a Chiffchaff made a rapid journey to the Portsmouth from Wraysbury taking just 5 days in September/October of 2018.