Showing posts with label Ivel RG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ivel RG. Show all posts
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
On the move
Another quick ringing session after the rain this morning produced the following:
1 late Garden Warbler (fat), 1 scrawny Reed Warbler (not fat), 5 new chubby Blackcaps (3 fat, 2 still trying), a retrap juv. female from last week (trying to put on weight) & an adult male completing its moult which it started in the middle of July! - and hence 'no fat' , having put all its energy into growing new feathers so far. All were birds of the year except this.
Only other birds of note were a Marsh Tit, 2 flocks of Long-tails, and at least 3 Chiffs feeding up on the Elderberries. There were 4 Gadwall on the main lake and DK had some/a (?) Wigeon. Suspect the Gadwall were moved by whatever spooked the Ruddy Shelduck off Fingers as well.
1 late Garden Warbler (fat), 1 scrawny Reed Warbler (not fat), 5 new chubby Blackcaps (3 fat, 2 still trying), a retrap juv. female from last week (trying to put on weight) & an adult male completing its moult which it started in the middle of July! - and hence 'no fat' , having put all its energy into growing new feathers so far. All were birds of the year except this.
Only other birds of note were a Marsh Tit, 2 flocks of Long-tails, and at least 3 Chiffs feeding up on the Elderberries. There were 4 Gadwall on the main lake and DK had some/a (?) Wigeon. Suspect the Gadwall were moved by whatever spooked the Ruddy Shelduck off Fingers as well.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Sat 28th Aug
Main Lake and area - 15 Shoveler, 1 Wigeon, 15 C.Swift, c.20 House Martin, 8 Cormorant
Fingers - 2 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, Kingfisher
Long Hedge - ringing totals were: Chiffchaff 2, Blackcap 6, C.Whitethroat 3, Blackbird 3, Song Thrush 4, Robin 1, Dunnock 4, Chaffinch 1, Goldfinch 1.
Birds seen whilst ringing - Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, ~8 Goldfinch, juv Gt. Spot.Woodpecker, Greenfinch, party of Long-tailed and other Tits. No sign of last weekend's Spotted Flycatcher(s).
Total number of individual birds caught during the CES (Constant Effort) period (May-August) was 370, made up of 115 adults and 195 juveniles plus an extra 60 pulli ringed in local nest boxes that have not been recaptured to date. So far, 56 Blackcaps have been ringed this year (with 5 recaptures from previous years - 1 female & 4 males) but the season has not ended. We hope to be catching them for another 6 weeks yet.
Fingers - 2 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, Kingfisher
Long Hedge - ringing totals were: Chiffchaff 2, Blackcap 6, C.Whitethroat 3, Blackbird 3, Song Thrush 4, Robin 1, Dunnock 4, Chaffinch 1, Goldfinch 1.
Birds seen whilst ringing - Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, ~8 Goldfinch, juv Gt. Spot.Woodpecker, Greenfinch, party of Long-tailed and other Tits. No sign of last weekend's Spotted Flycatcher(s).
Total number of individual birds caught during the CES (Constant Effort) period (May-August) was 370, made up of 115 adults and 195 juveniles plus an extra 60 pulli ringed in local nest boxes that have not been recaptured to date. So far, 56 Blackcaps have been ringed this year (with 5 recaptures from previous years - 1 female & 4 males) but the season has not ended. We hope to be catching them for another 6 weeks yet.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
More ringing results
On the 8th, we returned hoping to do better than last week. We suceeded - just.
Wren 1, a recent fledgling
Robin 3, a mixed bag of youngsters
Blackbird 2 (2)
Song Thrush 1, a recent fledgling
Whitethroat 5, including an adult completing its wing moult, a sign that it will soon depart for Africa
Garden Warbler 3, scruffy youngsters getting 'dressed' for the off
Blackcap 3, included a new adult male
Chiffchaff 2
Willow Warbler 1, number 4!
Long-tailed Bushtit 1, a stray youngster
Blue Tit 3 (2)
Great Tit 1 (1)
Chaffinch 1, a fine male
Goldfinch 2, possibly a pair
Bullfinch 1, a breeding last-year's female.
Well, that was 35, but we had to exploit two sub-sites to reach it.
Back for another go next weekend, if the weather permits.
Wren 1, a recent fledgling
Robin 3, a mixed bag of youngsters
Blackbird 2 (2)
Song Thrush 1, a recent fledgling
Whitethroat 5, including an adult completing its wing moult, a sign that it will soon depart for Africa
Garden Warbler 3, scruffy youngsters getting 'dressed' for the off
Blackcap 3, included a new adult male
Chiffchaff 2
Willow Warbler 1, number 4!
Long-tailed Bushtit 1, a stray youngster
Blue Tit 3 (2)
Great Tit 1 (1)
Chaffinch 1, a fine male
Goldfinch 2, possibly a pair
Bullfinch 1, a breeding last-year's female.
Well, that was 35, but we had to exploit two sub-sites to reach it.
Back for another go next weekend, if the weather permits.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Latest ringing results
We went on the Sunday, the first day of the month and the new period.
A tad on the slow side this morning, although conditions were about right - light breeze and plenty of cloud cover. However, this is the time of year when most of the birds are beginning to moult and the juveniles disperse to pastures new.
So here are the totals for new birds (and retraps):
Great Tit (3)
Chiffchaff 3 (1, a moulting adult female)
Willow Warbler 1, only our 3rd bird of the year
Blackcap 2 (1, an adult moulting male from 2007)
C. Whitethroat 2 (1)
Reed Warbler 1
TREECREEPER 1, a fresh juvenile, our 1st of the year
Wren 2
Blackbird 1, an adult male!!
Robin 1, getting its red breast, (1)
Dunnock 2
Chaffinch (1)
Goldfinch 1, our 1st juvenile of the year.
Overhead we watched c.14 C.Swifts, the terns toing and froing from the Willington or further east. EG had a Little Egbert while EN spotted a Sparrowhawk. The woodpeckers were a little quiescent, giving a funny squeeky sound and the most half-hearted of drummings.
On the ground we had a Hedgehog and a Weasel, both out in broad daylight. The 'piggy' looked healthy and the mustelid was harassing the rabbits with good effect.
A tad on the slow side this morning, although conditions were about right - light breeze and plenty of cloud cover. However, this is the time of year when most of the birds are beginning to moult and the juveniles disperse to pastures new.
So here are the totals for new birds (and retraps):
Great Tit (3)
Chiffchaff 3 (1, a moulting adult female)
Willow Warbler 1, only our 3rd bird of the year
Blackcap 2 (1, an adult moulting male from 2007)
C. Whitethroat 2 (1)
Reed Warbler 1
TREECREEPER 1, a fresh juvenile, our 1st of the year
Wren 2
Blackbird 1, an adult male!!
Robin 1, getting its red breast, (1)
Dunnock 2
Chaffinch (1)
Goldfinch 1, our 1st juvenile of the year.
Overhead we watched c.14 C.Swifts, the terns toing and froing from the Willington or further east. EG had a Little Egbert while EN spotted a Sparrowhawk. The woodpeckers were a little quiescent, giving a funny squeeky sound and the most half-hearted of drummings.
On the ground we had a Hedgehog and a Weasel, both out in broad daylight. The 'piggy' looked healthy and the mustelid was harassing the rabbits with good effect.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
New Tits
We have now completed checking the 28 tit boxes, all of which were occupied; there was an even split of 14 broods of Blue Tit and 14 of Great Tit.
We were able to ring 25 broods all told, 13 Blue and 12 Great. That's 115 Blue Tits and 73 Great Tits. One brood of Blue Tits had fledged and 2 broods of Great Tit went unringed (making 204 known young).
The average brood size for Blue Tits was 9.1 (range 5 - 11) and for Great Tits 6.6 (range 3 - 10).
The Blue Tits were, as a whole, one week ahead of their larger cousins this year. It is more normal for the larger tit to breed ahead of the smaller Blue Tit, but we suspect that the Blues are set in their ways (according to day-length), while the Great Tits move their laying date (according to the spring season's temperature). However, this spring is generally considered to have started 4 weeks later than in recent years.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
This and that
For full details of today's ringing in the rough go to here
Although the swans have set up their individual territories, one on the main lake, the other on Fingers, they have not managed to chase off every juvenile.
The ringers have been out this week ringing along the Embankment, where alot of the younger swans have moved to (birders call it "a club").
Not all the Canada pairs have managed to carve out a territory on the main island (Fingers is similarly limited) as implied by this pair caught by the "banana seat".
The 'spit' is looking good - and I might even contemplate a "dawn raid" sometime next week. Any takers?
Although the swans have set up their individual territories, one on the main lake, the other on Fingers, they have not managed to chase off every juvenile.
The ringers have been out this week ringing along the Embankment, where alot of the younger swans have moved to (birders call it "a club").
Not all the Canada pairs have managed to carve out a territory on the main island (Fingers is similarly limited) as implied by this pair caught by the "banana seat".
The 'spit' is looking good - and I might even contemplate a "dawn raid" sometime next week. Any takers?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Smoke without fire
Today, Tuesday, the wardens and the ringers tried to light a fire. Three times there were flames, three times there were crackles, three times there was smoke. But, alas, no bonfire. Every thing was very wet - and that was before the afternoon sleet and rain began for yet another day.
The object of today's task was to reduce some more of the Hawthorn scrub in the 'Rough' to assist in catching the birds during the study period this summer. This 'constant effort' study has been going on along the same net rides for 20 years. If the vegetation is too high, the birds will not be caught, If the vegetation becomes too 'overgrown', the numbers and types of birds will alter.
The object of the whole exercise is to try and maintain 'standardisation' as near as is possible. This is achieved by 'rotational cutting'. This allows four differing heights and density of habitat to be available to the birds each year, maintaining the 'status quo' - more or less.
The object of today's task was to reduce some more of the Hawthorn scrub in the 'Rough' to assist in catching the birds during the study period this summer. This 'constant effort' study has been going on along the same net rides for 20 years. If the vegetation is too high, the birds will not be caught, If the vegetation becomes too 'overgrown', the numbers and types of birds will alter.
The object of the whole exercise is to try and maintain 'standardisation' as near as is possible. This is achieved by 'rotational cutting'. This allows four differing heights and density of habitat to be available to the birds each year, maintaining the 'status quo' - more or less.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
After the rain ... 9th Dec
A productive ringing session this morning yielded 30 birds of 10 species. For a full description and some photographs, go to the Ivel RG blog here.
The list was made up as follows:
Gt. Spot. 1, Wren 1, Dunnock 3, Robin 2, Blackbird 2, Redwing 2, Blackcap 1, Blue Tit 9, Gt. Tit 8, Bullfinch 1.
This was our first chance to get out ringing for some while. Over the last six weeks, I have recorded 164 mm (over 6 inches) of rainfall (near the "Dead Centre" of Bedford).
The list was made up as follows:
Gt. Spot. 1, Wren 1, Dunnock 3, Robin 2, Blackbird 2, Redwing 2, Blackcap 1, Blue Tit 9, Gt. Tit 8, Bullfinch 1.
This was our first chance to get out ringing for some while. Over the last six weeks, I have recorded 164 mm (over 6 inches) of rainfall (near the "Dead Centre" of Bedford).
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Ringing on Sat 7th
A very cold start at 3C; with a low sun, it's ages before it peeps over the trees and provides a little warmth.
The catch: Sparrowhawk 1, Wren 2, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 4, Redwing 4, Chiffchaff 1, LTT 1, Blue Tit 4, Gt. Tit 7, Bullfinch 2; =27 birds.
The Chiff was adult and carrying lots of fat, i.e. very healthy. It was singing in the FL willows before we caught it / it caught itself. The 4 Redwings took us through the previous annual record to 18 birds this autumn. All the 4 (new) Blackbirds were in 'continental' plumage, but probably only from the Low Countries or the German plain according to their size.
Other birds picked up included a singing Linnet south, a Brambling blogging and a Kestrel seen off by 7 Sky Larks.
Full details on the Ivel RG blog site (see Links)
The catch: Sparrowhawk 1, Wren 2, Dunnock 1, Blackbird 4, Redwing 4, Chiffchaff 1, LTT 1, Blue Tit 4, Gt. Tit 7, Bullfinch 2; =27 birds.
The Chiff was adult and carrying lots of fat, i.e. very healthy. It was singing in the FL willows before we caught it / it caught itself. The 4 Redwings took us through the previous annual record to 18 birds this autumn. All the 4 (new) Blackbirds were in 'continental' plumage, but probably only from the Low Countries or the German plain according to their size.
Other birds picked up included a singing Linnet south, a Brambling blogging and a Kestrel seen off by 7 Sky Larks.
Full details on the Ivel RG blog site (see Links)
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
En passant
A little bit of migration going on above our heads today as we were ringing in the Rough.
26+ Sky Larks west from 9am for about an hour; largest group =5. Redwings in small groups coming low, largest 9, and about 50-60 in total; the 3 birds we caught were all "out of fat" and neding a "square meal". Fieldfare - one group of 16 birds in the Fingers. Mipits indifferent at just 4 birds noticed going south. Best movement was a strong, tight group of Wood Pigeons, 125 in all, heading due south at a steady pace against a clear sky.
Also a couple of Siskin heard, a group of 3 Redpoll, some 6 'continental-type' Blackbirds in the Rough, with many more scattered throughout the park, just 2 caught, one of which was a definite "continental", again needing a good breakfast.
We are still catching new Gt. Tits; today it was 9 new and 7 retraps; 7 of the 16 were 'adult' birds, i.e. post-breeders.
26+ Sky Larks west from 9am for about an hour; largest group =5. Redwings in small groups coming low, largest 9, and about 50-60 in total; the 3 birds we caught were all "out of fat" and neding a "square meal". Fieldfare - one group of 16 birds in the Fingers. Mipits indifferent at just 4 birds noticed going south. Best movement was a strong, tight group of Wood Pigeons, 125 in all, heading due south at a steady pace against a clear sky.
Also a couple of Siskin heard, a group of 3 Redpoll, some 6 'continental-type' Blackbirds in the Rough, with many more scattered throughout the park, just 2 caught, one of which was a definite "continental", again needing a good breakfast.
We are still catching new Gt. Tits; today it was 9 new and 7 retraps; 7 of the 16 were 'adult' birds, i.e. post-breeders.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
400 Club
For interests sake, a little bit of useless information.
There are only 13 species that have reached the '400 mark' of newly ringed birds in the park over the last twenty years. Recently, Chiffchaff became the 12th and Dunnock soon thereafter the 13th. To date we have ringed well over 11,000 birds and 400 represents just 3.5%
The members of the Club are (with their current standings): Sand Martin (616), Wren (512), Dunnock (407), Blackbird (609), Reed Warbler (644), Garden Warbler (485), BLACKCAP (1283, = 1 in 9), Chiffchaff (430), Willow Warbler (450), L/T Tit (484), Blue Tit (1094), Gt. Tit (803) & Greenfinch (542).
The next (14th) member should be Robin, currently in the lead with 361, closely followed by C. Whitethroat on 344.
There are only 13 species that have reached the '400 mark' of newly ringed birds in the park over the last twenty years. Recently, Chiffchaff became the 12th and Dunnock soon thereafter the 13th. To date we have ringed well over 11,000 birds and 400 represents just 3.5%
The members of the Club are (with their current standings): Sand Martin (616), Wren (512), Dunnock (407), Blackbird (609), Reed Warbler (644), Garden Warbler (485), BLACKCAP (1283, = 1 in 9), Chiffchaff (430), Willow Warbler (450), L/T Tit (484), Blue Tit (1094), Gt. Tit (803) & Greenfinch (542).
The next (14th) member should be Robin, currently in the lead with 361, closely followed by C. Whitethroat on 344.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Redwings to go
Friday afternoon and Saturday morning spent ringing in the 'Rough'.
See ringing blog and click Ivel RG .
See ringing blog and click Ivel RG .
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Ringing 13th/14th
Combined totals are: Sprawk 1, Wren 3, Dunnock 5, Robin 1, Blackbird 1, LTT 5, Blue Tit 9, Gt. Tit 19, Treecreeper1, Greenfinch 7, Goldfinch 4, Bullfinch 2.
Vis-mig (14th): 7 Fieldfare W, 9 Siskin, 15 Goldfinch, 8 high-flying Blackbird, 6 Sky Lark SW, a few Redwings blogging about (?20).
See also - http://ivelringinggroup.blogspot.com
Vis-mig (14th): 7 Fieldfare W, 9 Siskin, 15 Goldfinch, 8 high-flying Blackbird, 6 Sky Lark SW, a few Redwings blogging about (?20).
See also - http://ivelringinggroup.blogspot.com
Friday, October 09, 2009
Friday 9th Oct
Birds in/over the 'Rough' while ringing in the morning.
3 Golden Plover SE, 3 Mistle Thrush SE, 4 Redwing (blogging), 2 Blackcap, Chiff (abietinus type; caught = female), 5 Mipits S/SE, 5 Song Thrushes all "high-fliers", a Gt. Spot atop the lone Alder 4 Mipits SE, 4 Sky Larks S, a Kestrel hunting, a Buzzard over W then returned E, just one Siskin, and a slow flying flock of 40-50 Wood Pigeons going S. DK also had a Fieldfare. There was a definite increase in finches, especially Chaffinch. The Long-tailed Tit flock was a bit dis-jointed today but individuals hung around most of the morning.
Today's catch - Wren 2, Dunnock 1, Robin 2, Blackbird 1, Chiff 1, LTT 2, Blue Tit 5, Gt. Tit 7, Chaffinch 4, Greenfinch1.
3 Golden Plover SE, 3 Mistle Thrush SE, 4 Redwing (blogging), 2 Blackcap, Chiff (abietinus type; caught = female), 5 Mipits S/SE, 5 Song Thrushes all "high-fliers", a Gt. Spot atop the lone Alder 4 Mipits SE, 4 Sky Larks S, a Kestrel hunting, a Buzzard over W then returned E, just one Siskin, and a slow flying flock of 40-50 Wood Pigeons going S. DK also had a Fieldfare. There was a definite increase in finches, especially Chaffinch. The Long-tailed Tit flock was a bit dis-jointed today but individuals hung around most of the morning.
Today's catch - Wren 2, Dunnock 1, Robin 2, Blackbird 1, Chiff 1, LTT 2, Blue Tit 5, Gt. Tit 7, Chaffinch 4, Greenfinch1.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
September finale
End of month ringing with trainee DTH. Very warm overnight (14C) and total overcast for most of the morning.
38 birds of 12 species - of which 14 were retraps; 14 of the total were also caught at the feeding station, namely 8 of the Gt. Tits and 6 of the Blue Tits. The list comprises: Wren 1 (1), Dunnock 0 (5), Robin 1, Blackbird 0 (1), Song Thrush 1, Blackcap 3 [1 M, 2 F], Chiff 1 [ad M, poss abietinus], Blue Tit 6 (3), Great Tit 7 (3), Treecreeper 1 (1), Chaffinch 2, Goldfinch 1.
The Gt. Spots were quiet today. 6 Goldfinch tried to harry the Kestrel on its second visit of the day. The LTTs were around again but nowhere near the nets. We have now ringed 60 Chiffs here this year. We should not "run out of" new tits for a couple of months yet.
38 birds of 12 species - of which 14 were retraps; 14 of the total were also caught at the feeding station, namely 8 of the Gt. Tits and 6 of the Blue Tits. The list comprises: Wren 1 (1), Dunnock 0 (5), Robin 1, Blackbird 0 (1), Song Thrush 1, Blackcap 3 [1 M, 2 F], Chiff 1 [ad M, poss abietinus], Blue Tit 6 (3), Great Tit 7 (3), Treecreeper 1 (1), Chaffinch 2, Goldfinch 1.
The Gt. Spots were quiet today. 6 Goldfinch tried to harry the Kestrel on its second visit of the day. The LTTs were around again but nowhere near the nets. We have now ringed 60 Chiffs here this year. We should not "run out of" new tits for a couple of months yet.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Slowish day (3)
Day 3; 7am 'til 1pm. Started well, finished well - but a bit slow in the middle!
Birds trapped today (last of 3 consecutive days) were (retraps in brkts):
Wood Pigeon juv 1, Robin 1 (1), Lesser 'throat 1, a fine continental specimen on the move, [pics on IRG blog], Blackcap 3, all males, Chiffchaff 1, Blue Tit 5 (4), Gt. Tit 3 (5), Chaffinch 2, Goldfinch 2 (both adults this time).
One of the recaptured Blue Tits turned out to have been ringed in June 2002, making it the ringing group's oldest at (not quite) 7 years 3 months!
Light movement of Mipits and Sky Larks south; DK had a Jay. Best tick - 8th record of Nuthatch, this one calling like mad, from nearby where I had the first record for the park back in August 1991 (also while ringing!)
Birds trapped today (last of 3 consecutive days) were (retraps in brkts):
Wood Pigeon juv 1, Robin 1 (1), Lesser 'throat 1, a fine continental specimen on the move, [pics on IRG blog], Blackcap 3, all males, Chiffchaff 1, Blue Tit 5 (4), Gt. Tit 3 (5), Chaffinch 2, Goldfinch 2 (both adults this time).
One of the recaptured Blue Tits turned out to have been ringed in June 2002, making it the ringing group's oldest at (not quite) 7 years 3 months!
Light movement of Mipits and Sky Larks south; DK had a Jay. Best tick - 8th record of Nuthatch, this one calling like mad, from nearby where I had the first record for the park back in August 1991 (also while ringing!)
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Slower day (2)
Same routine - without the feeder net. Just 12 birds; 6 new, 6 "old friends".
The newbies were: 1 Goldcrest, 2 Reed Warblers & 3 Chiffchaffs. The first 3 were 'ladies', the rest males. The recaptured birds were a young Treecreeper, a young Song Thrush, a 1 year old male Blackbird, a 2008 Robin and 2 Gt. Tits, one from '08, the other from 2005.
Other birds about - Blackcap (poss 2), prob flyover Siskin, another Song Thrush & a Mipit. Magpie clan present for a while and 6-7 LTT came through a couple of times, sticking to the tree tops. A strong smell of fox again plus a Muntjac today.
The newbies were: 1 Goldcrest, 2 Reed Warblers & 3 Chiffchaffs. The first 3 were 'ladies', the rest males. The recaptured birds were a young Treecreeper, a young Song Thrush, a 1 year old male Blackbird, a 2008 Robin and 2 Gt. Tits, one from '08, the other from 2005.
Other birds about - Blackcap (poss 2), prob flyover Siskin, another Song Thrush & a Mipit. Magpie clan present for a while and 6-7 LTT came through a couple of times, sticking to the tree tops. A strong smell of fox again plus a Muntjac today.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Slow day (1)
Ringing from 8 'til 1 produced 28 birds, 10 of them re-traps with only 3 adults (a male Bullfinch and 2 Dunnocks). One of the Dunnocks recaptured was in its 6th year.
Wren - nil, Dunnock (3), Robin 1 (1), Blackbird (1), Blackcap 2, Chiff 1, LTT (1), Blue Tit 2, Gt. Tit 5 (3), Goldfinch 7, Bullfinch (1).
The Wren numbers are well down on last year - which was a bumper one for them. We have now caught 81 new Blackcaps so far this year and 55 new Chiffs, the highest ever. If you exclude pulli ringed in boxes, we have also ringed more new Gt. Tits than ever before. On the other hand, 4 Greenfinches is the lowest (at the moment), but they have been suffering again as they did at the beginning of the 'nineties.
As I was coming in, I saw several Song Thrushes and at a quarter to eight, as I was busy putting a net up, I had a calling Y-b Warbler pass over, moving from one bush top to another [4th for county, 2nd here]. The Goldfinch flock today consisted of 17 birds.
Wren - nil, Dunnock (3), Robin 1 (1), Blackbird (1), Blackcap 2, Chiff 1, LTT (1), Blue Tit 2, Gt. Tit 5 (3), Goldfinch 7, Bullfinch (1).
The Wren numbers are well down on last year - which was a bumper one for them. We have now caught 81 new Blackcaps so far this year and 55 new Chiffs, the highest ever. If you exclude pulli ringed in boxes, we have also ringed more new Gt. Tits than ever before. On the other hand, 4 Greenfinches is the lowest (at the moment), but they have been suffering again as they did at the beginning of the 'nineties.
As I was coming in, I saw several Song Thrushes and at a quarter to eight, as I was busy putting a net up, I had a calling Y-b Warbler pass over, moving from one bush top to another [4th for county, 2nd here]. The Goldfinch flock today consisted of 17 birds.
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