Little Tern update

Back in June we caught a little Tern ring Number NV95538

we now have the info back on it

This Little Tern was ringed as a chick back in 1998 in a colony at 

Gt Yarmouth Norfolk .

13 years ago

now nesting in the isle of Man

{ANOTHER NORFOLK COME-OVER}

another great record 

Linnets Stonechat and GANNET!!!!!

This Morning i went up to check woosh site as i had placed seed down two days ago. 8 linnets feeding when i got there so i set up. No big flocks coming in yet but small family parties dropping in.

10 Linnets Ringed

1 juv Stonechat

As i was ringing the Stonechat, Eddy from the gravel Pits turned up and told me he had a Swallow in the car that had flown into the crusher. 

I took it out the box and it was dazed, no sign of damage to wings. I left it in the box so it could rest.

He then said I've got a Gannet sat on the main track as well

A Gannet! 

Yes its sat on the main track in the way of all the vehicles, can you come and have a look.

When i got there the bird looked fine i picked it up and it was full of fight. There was a small amount of damage to the carpel joint but it was flapping its wing ok .

I decided to take it down to one of the big lakes and see how it went on. 

As soon as it got on the water it was bathing and flapping and paddling around .

I watched it for ten minutes and it seemed ok. 

I didn't Put a ring on it

The Swallow was taken out the box an hour later  it was flapping its wings like mad so i ringed it and off it flew quite happy.

Gannet

Gannet on Lake

Stonechat

Rock Pipits season starts again

Waiting in all morning for the heating oil to be delivered. This afternoon went down to Port Moar to check on the Rock Pipit situation only 5 Pipits about all unringed and the beach was very clean not much seaweed about. I place two spring traps out and caught 2 juv Rock Pipits which i colour ringed. 

This evening another 3 Herring Gulls wooshed in the garden

Also yesterday we had 7 retraps at the new feeder site 

1 of the Blue tit retraps was ringed as a 3J in July 2006 at the wildlife park 

by our very own Kev Scott. 

Nice one

Rock Pipit

Back down to earth

Last few days been out checking the Gull Colonies at the gravel pits and the tip 2 new Herring Gull Chicks ringed and colour ringed. And a bird we had just metal ringed as we ran out of Darvics last visit  we recaught and added a colour ring, all the Gulls are now flying and will soon be moving off.

Also another 20 Sand Martins caught 19 new birds and 1 re trap from last year.

Today the first 3 hours were spent at Close Sartfield

Only 6 Birds ringed

Song Thrush
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Blue Tit
Gt Tit
Treecreeper

Mark is back over on holiday and came out with me today we had a walk down the lane from Close Sartfield. There is a garden there with a fantastic feeding station so we knocked on the door and asked
 if we could ring. The owners a Mr Mrs Colvin said yes. 1 40FT net and 2 hours later we had caught 81 birds

7 re traps the rest new

Mainly Tits, Blue, Gt and Coal with a good number off Chaffinch
Siskin
Goldfinch
Tree Sparrow
and
Blackbird

Hopefully we will ring here once a month from now on

Ringing on the island of Flatey

A short video of the visit to Iceland a great time was had by all, Me and Kev returned on Friday, Kane and Chris are staying on. They leave the island tomorrow where they go north to start catching the Whooper Swans for WWT

i received a text from kane today saying the weeks totals were as follows

663 Kittiwake

180 Shag

71 Black Guillemot Chicks

61 Red necked Phalarope

55 Arctic Terns

27 Puffins

24 Fulmar

21 Snipe

16 Snow Bunting

12 Mallard

11 Eider

9 Ringed Plover

9 Redwing

6 Meadow Pipits

5 Redshank

4 Oystercatcher

1 Whitewagtail

1 Grey Phalarope Chick

4 Go to Iceland

Just a quick post to say i have just got back from a fantastic week on the island of Flatey. 

Flatey is the largest island of the western island, a cluster of about forty large and small islands and islets located in Breiðafjörður on the northwestern part of Iceland.

Me and Kev had been invited out by Kane and Chris who have been going for the last few years

A great week with Aevar Petersen and his family and Sverrir Thorstensen 

Here are a few photos and video of what we got up to 

More to Follow....................

Sand Martin first ringed in Cheshire

Last night i blogged about a Sand Martin i had controlled 

Today i got great reply from David Norman of the Merseyside ringing group

Sand Martin X308602 was ringed by me as a 3J roosting at Oxmoor Local Nature Reserve, near Runcorn, Cheshire (SJ5584), on 30 July 2009.

There was quite a substantial roost in phragmites alongside a narrow brook, and I caught 462 Sand Martins and 68 Swallows in three sessions 24, 25 and 30 July.

Thanks David for such as fast reply this Sand Martin was sexed as a female and is now nesting at the Point of Ayre in the isle of Man distance 99 Miles away from where it was first ringed

Controlled Sandmartin

Another 25 Sandmartins caught tonight 23 new birds 

1 retrap from 18/08/2010

1 control  ring number X308602

Photo

Just a photo of one of the Lesser Black-backed Gull we have colour ringed

This bird was ringed back on May 18 this year by Kane 

and was seen again this Monday 11 July 

Tonight

Me and Kev decided to go up the gravel pits to try for some more Gull Chicks, on the way  i got a call of a mate to say he had just found a Sparrowhawk nest, well accessible with some biggish chicks in. I told Kev who was on way and we all met up.

2 Female chicks

and 

1 Male chick ringed

a great find and ready to ring as well.

We then set off up to the Gull Colony,  14 more Gull chicks ringed, over 70 large Gull Chicks now ringed here in last few weeks

Herring Gull chicks waiting to be ringed

Tuesday till now

A mixed few days with another 80 odd birds ringed

12 More Swallow chicks

13 more Herring Gull chicks

3 Adults ringed in garden as well

1 Lesser Black-backed Gull chick

1 Oystercatcher Chick

38 Sandmartins

Sandmartins

4 Blackbirds

2 Siskin

5 House sparrow

1 Dunnock

1Chaffinch

1Robin

1 Blue Tit

1 Coal Tit

and 

1 re trap Meadow Pipit from last year 

L579614 ringed at the Point of Ayre 01/09/2010 re caught yesterday 600 metres from where first caught 

This Morning was at the sulby site with Chris and Kay

 91 New Birds ringed

 mainly 

Blue Tits and Gt Tits

with a few 

 Coal Tits 

Blackbirds

Chaffinch

House Sparrow

and a

Family party of Blackcaps

and 

Greenfinch

off out this eve with Kev, Chris and Kay to finish of ringing at the Cormorant Colony

TODAY

Today 2 more Herring Gull chicks ringed  plus two Oystercatcher chicks as well.

Last few days i have been out and about on my new purchase

Today of Maughold Head we fed the Gulls and out of 30 which came in to the boat 2 were ringed

T5TT ringed in my garden 4 June 2010 First re sighting

T9TU ringed in my garden 12 June 2010 First re sighting

Also 3 Puffins off Maughold Head

Another week goes by

A busy week with the small Swallow project being a great success with 83 pulli ringed and more nest with eggs to ring in a few weeks. Also busy in the garden with Goldfinch, Siskin and House Sparrow.

The last few days me and Kev have been concentrating on the small, large Gull Colony up at the Point Of Ayre. Last two afternoons we have Colour ringed over 45 Large Gull chicks 

32 Herring Gulls at tip and 2 in Kevs Garden

with 9 Lesser Black backed Gulls

and 2 Gt Black backed Gulls

LBB GULLS

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

GBB Gull Chick