At a loose end after a heavy cold, so went bird-catching! Just in the middle of the day from 10 'til 2.
13 new + 6 re-traps: Wren (1) [female, 2007 or earlier], Dunnock (2), Robin (1) [Long Hedge juvvie], Blackbird 1 [fresh youngster, male], Blackcap 2, LTT 1, Blue Tit 4 (1), Gt.Tit 4, Treecreeper (1), Bullfinch 1 [juv male].
Other interesting bits: a young(ish) Hedgehog, Little Egret, fem Sparrowhawk, gulls taking flying ants over NM, and a (female) Goldcrest that came to see what was making all the noise as I took a Blue Tit out (it was less than 6' away). Another pile of feathers, this time a Woodpigeon.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Sunday, September 06, 2009
A winter's tale
Now that the CES programme is concluded for another year. we have set about starting up the feeding station again. Feeders and nuts bought ... and the first now in place. Just need to wait for results, wait until the birds have found it and then put up a seed feeder.
The first feeder - once the birds have found it, in goes the second.
After that, the net will go up.
Of course, this involved cutting out the appropriate net lane, since the veg has grown tremendously over the last 10 months, when it was cleared of trees and bushes 100% by BTCV & ourselves.
Throughout September, we will endeavour to trap as many of the remaining and transient warblers as possible, before turning our attention to the tits, finches and thrushes, core winter rations.
The first feeder - once the birds have found it, in goes the second.After that, the net will go up.
Throughout September, we will endeavour to trap as many of the remaining and transient warblers as possible, before turning our attention to the tits, finches and thrushes, core winter rations.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Saturday 5th September 2009
A beautiful start to the day and fairly quiet early on. A party of ~30 House Martins were busy feeding over the south west corner of the Rough. 2 young Reed Warblers were being fed by one of the parents on the north side of the main lake as I headed down to Fingers. There seemed to be less Reed Warblers first thing but, having been around Fingers, there were a few more in the main lake reed bed on my second pass. A Chiff's about again with a few singing. A party of 3 Greylags were seen over Kingsmead heading south.
Didn't bother with the Canoe Slalom as it was in use but the South West Corner of the main lake was the place to be this morning. First I spotted a Water Rail in the last fishing swim before the Willows, then I watched a Treecreeper in the Willows for a few minutes. At this point the calm of the morning was broken by an influx of Canada Geese. I had just been thinking there weren't many about but by the time I had gotten back round the north side I counted 134. Back in the South West corner there were 23 Coots and a couple of Kingfishers.
Couldn't pick out any Gadwall on Fingers this morning. Pond Skaters appear to have had a good year with thousands of them on East Fingers the last couple of weeks.
Didn't bother with the Canoe Slalom as it was in use but the South West Corner of the main lake was the place to be this morning. First I spotted a Water Rail in the last fishing swim before the Willows, then I watched a Treecreeper in the Willows for a few minutes. At this point the calm of the morning was broken by an influx of Canada Geese. I had just been thinking there weren't many about but by the time I had gotten back round the north side I counted 134. Back in the South West corner there were 23 Coots and a couple of Kingfishers.
Couldn't pick out any Gadwall on Fingers this morning. Pond Skaters appear to have had a good year with thousands of them on East Fingers the last couple of weeks.
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