Ringers Diary

More Boxes

2008-05-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

Up and off over to Pool for 7 AM to meet up with Andy and Clive {The Climber}. 3 Long-eared Owl nests Checked. All 3 had young, only in one of the nests were the chicks old enough to ring. Tawny's all seem to have smaller broods this year with 2 chicks being the maximum. Also more Kestrels and Barn Owls found. And another Mandarin Duck in a Tawny Box.

A Long and rewarding day.

Steady away

2008-05-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

A Steady week with a few Warblers and Waders. 5 Common Sandpiper ringed this week and a few Whitethroats plus Dipper, Blackcap, Willow Warblers. Tomorrow of to check the rest of Owls so should be a busy day.

Owls about that

2008-05-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

A couple of days out with Andy checking Owl Boxes. 4 Breeding Pairs of Barn Owl in our boxes so far, including Dark Breasted today .

Also Tawny's and Kestrel.

An end to another busy week with other species including Goosander, Mandarin

Wheatear, Linnet, Treesparrow, Blackcap, chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch and

2 Male Pied Flycatcher . One of which was a Control, ringed on 8.6.2007, at Priddock Wood, Derbyshire, SK2086. Distance of 35km.

Wheatears and Warblers

2008-05-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

A steady couple of days with a visit to Whiteholme and Elland Gravel Pits. I set up for Wheatear at Whiteholme as there have been 4 about the same area for the last week. The Birds were more interested in having a bath then the free meal worms on offer. After about 2 hours one came in had a quick bath turned round and took the worm.

Yesterday set two nets up at Elland Gravel Pits, a nice still morning .

Blackcap and Willow Warblers were ringed.

Whiteholme reservoir

2008-04-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

Went up to Whiteholme this morning , to check on Twite it was to wet to set up nets so i did a spot of watching, i had up to 15 at one stage on the feeding station . Also 11 Dunlin on the shore with 1 Sanderling. As i went back the rain stopped and i thought i would try for Common Sandpiper so i set up some spring traps. And with in the hour i had ringed one. As always they seem so small in the hand compared to when i have taken photos of them.

A Busy Start

2008-04-25T07:27:00.001-07:00

A busy start to the Nest Box season with Pete and Andy out checking nearly all the boxes in the wharfedale area, and it looks like its going to be a good year with Tawny boxes nearly all in use. Also the Goosander Pete let me ring 2 years ago has returned to her Tree some 20 ft up and is on 13 eggs. check out link from 2 years ago.

http://training-to-ring-birds.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html

We have Kestrels in Tawny Owl boxes and Tawny Owl in Kestrel Boxes??

Also more Linnets ringed at Ringstone edge reservoir today bringing the total so far to 73 new birds and 1 control.

Barn Owls

2008-04-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

Pete and Andy were out checking Boxes last night and had a male Barn Owl in one of them which was ringed as a chick by the south Notts RG in 2007. it was ringed SE of Nottingham .

Distance of 157km .Fantastic.

Twite

2008-04-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

Ringstone edge yesterday. a good morning with two more Twite ringed and another 10 Linnets plus Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Gt Tits.

other birds about,

Willow Warbler

Redshank

Golden Plover

Lapwing

Curlew

Grey Herons

LBB Gull

Deer Hill Today saw the return of the Suffolk Twite that Andy and i controlled last August back again, another winter survived.

16 Twite with 7 new birds ringed , 1 Suffolk control and 8 retraps from august last year.

ooh and a LINNET.

Week ends with a bonus

2008-04-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

A very mixed week with hours spent at Deer Hill on Wednesday with only 3 Twite seen and none on feeding station. Friday i spent at Elland Gravel Pits with 3 more Chiffchaff ringed and that was it no sign of Whitethroats or Garden Warblers yet. Saturday didnt bother as wind was so bad decided to go see the White-fronted Goose at Lumbutts. Today went to ringstone edge to get me a few more Linnets before they all move on to breeding grounds. And would you believe it a flock of 20+ Twite turned up with them . A good end to a slow week with 10 Twite 6 new birds and 4 controls 3 from Deer Hill 1 from Lighthazzels{whiteholme}. Also Greenfinches Goldfinches and more Linnets . 46 Linnets Ringed so Far at Ringstone edge reservoir and 1 Control.

Twite at Ringstone edge

Elland Gravel Pits

2008-04-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

Decided to take a look at EGP this morning, more of a recce to find out where are some good net rides. A lot of work has taken place new paths and such. I set 1 30 ft net just past the river bridge at 7:30 and ringed 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Willow Warbler. By 0930 nothing else had happened so i packed up and headed to Ringstone.

7 More Linnets Ringed and a Control RING NUMBER T525060 .

Also 5 Goldfinch and 2 Greenfinch.

More Linnets

2008-04-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

Up to Ringstone edge for 8:00. There was a flock of 30+ Linnets coming into nyger so i set up . 7 New Linnets ringed plus Goldfinches and a Greenfinch. After i had packed up i set up the camera and took some shots of the linnets still coming into feed.

31 Linnets Ringed so far at ringstone edge.

other birds about, 230 Golden Plover East Field

2 Oystercatchers

8 Mallard

2 Reed Buntings

LRP Heard

A busy Week

2008-04-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

This afternoon saw the end of a busy week with me going to Chorlton water park to ring some more Herons with Steve Christmas . 4 more Herons ringed plus 2 Cananda Geese and a massive Male Mute Swan. Thanks to Steve for inviting me. Also this week has seen over 45 Twite processed in the Pennines and over 20 Linnets and 24 Goldfinch ringed at Ringstone edge reservoir not forgetting 1 male Reed Bunting.

Leathley

2008-04-12T05:47:00.000-07:00

Up early and off to pick Andy up. We set up across the River Washburn hoping for Dipper and Kingfisher, and that's just what we got 1 Dipper 1 Kingfisher.

Twite sites

2008-04-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

The Last two mornings i have spent at our two ringing sites for Twite. Flyflats and Deer Hill. Wednesday morning i set up at Flyflats and had 20 Twite coming into seed . The only problem was the seed they were coming into wasn't where the woosh net was . The wind over the last few weeks has blown the seed all over the shop , they were feeding 10 ft from the net on the smallest bit of seed . I think they have sussed me out. 4 Twite caught 3 new birds 1 retrap.

Deer Hill this morning was a different tale 40 birds caught 24 new birds and retraps from Cant Clough, Lighthazzels, and a control from Walberswick, Suffolk an individually ringed bird with a light green ring over metal on its right leg.

Tree Sarrow info

2008-04-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

The Tree Sparrow i controlled on Sunday was ringed as a nestling at Anglers Country Park , Wakefield, SE3715 on 5.5.2007. A distance of 15 miles in a straight line. Interesting to think that a young bird from Wakefield has joined the small colony at Clifton.

Tree Sparrow Control and Chiff Chaff

2008-04-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

Got to Clifton at 08:00 and set up. Ringed 1 Dunnock and 1 Chaffinch a very slow morning , i watched a Tree Sparrow fly into the net and went to get it out . OOH i thought as i noticed a ring on its right leg, its one of the seven i have done , then i looked again it wasn't one of my rings in fact it was a B ring { you use B size rings on nestlings on Tree Sparrow and A size rings on Fledged birds} So this bird was ringed in the nest some where, cant wait to find out where.

I packed up at 10:30 and headed for Stainland Dean. As i was setting up a Chiffchaff was calling away . A nice sunny morning with Bullfinch , Chaffinch, Gt Tit, Robin, Blue Tit and the first warbler of the year yes a Chiffchaff.

Any ringers who visit this blogg the ring number of the Tree Sparrow was TK41940

Linnets and Herons

2008-04-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

The day started with a trip over to Deer Hill to put some seed down for the Twite . I didn't get there as the snow came down the road from Scammonden to Slaithwaite was treacherous. I turned back and headed for Ringstone as i drove past the feeding area i noticed 6 linnets and 10 Goldfinch on seed. I shot of for a coffee from the post Office at Barkisland which now do pie and peas which means the diets out the window. Set woosh net up at ringstone and got 3 new Linnets and 6 Goldfinch.

I had been invited over to the other side of Manchester by Steve Christmas who i had met at Martin Mere, to do some Grey Heron chicks. 5 o'clock i had to be there so i set of for Deer Hill again about 1:30 and put a load of seed down, there were 8 Twite coming into feed.

I left the snow covered tops of the pennines about 4 ish wearing long johns and vests and wellies and met up with Steve and Kane in glorious sunshine. We walked and crawled through masses of undergrowth to reach the Heron's { long johns a bad idear} which has over a 100 nests. 2 hours later we, i mean Steve had climb up 5 trees and we had ringed 13 Herons a great afternoon thanks to Steve and Kane for all there help and also for inviting me.

Twite at Flyflats

2008-04-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

Twite had been spotted back at the feeding station at Flyflats at the beginning of the week so i got on site for 07:45. Four Birds were coming in to feed as i was setting up.

4 Birds caught

2 New Birds both last years young

and 2 retraps from Flyflats ringed in August last year.

Packed up and at Ringstone for 1:30pm a pair of Stonechat had been hanging around by the paddock for a couple of days so i set up and the female was ringed within 15 minutes.

Linnets back at ringstone

2008-04-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

4 Linnets ringed at Ringstone with 7 Goldfinch today hopefully the wind will die down and the usual spring flock of 30 + Linnets will show up.

first of spring

2008-03-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

A good day 10 Goldfinch ringed up at Ringstone edge this Morning in woosh net. Then home for a coffee and a warm up and a Collard Dove ringed in the garden. I shot of up to Wholestone Moor to look for skylarks and wheatear, found the Skylarks 6 feeding in fields but no luck. Then i bumped into John B and we had a walk around and found a cracking Male Wheatear. The weather set in so we shot off home another coffee and an hour later the wind and snow had gone and the sun was out . Off i went again and this time i set up for the Wheatear and yes after about an hour, 1 Wheatear ringed hopefully the start of many. OOH and i bumped into JB again , who took the photos.

other birds about 240 Golden Plover , 1 sparrow Hawk, 1 Kestrel and one very special Wheatear

Tawny Owl Box Checking

2008-03-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

A busy morning on Thursday with Andy, checking most of the Tawny Boxes we put up in December and January a good couple of results with Birds on eggs. Got the Nissan stuck in a field which was a bit of a laugh thanks to the guy with the big dumper truck who pulled us out

it took 3 jet washes to clean it up. Wish i had took a photo of it now.

Busy couple of days

2008-03-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

Went to Deer Hill on Wednesday morning . I was greeted to 11 Twite on the wires near the feeding station so i set up and waited. 6 Birds caught with 2 retraps from Deer Hill, last caught here in August 07. A Control from Whiteholme reservoir and 3 new birds which is always good.

All the Twite caught so far from whiteholme and Deer Hill in March 08 have all been male birds showing good pink rumps.

Pictures showing different Tail Shapes

Adult Bird nice and rounded Tail feathers

Last years young showing Pointed worn thin feathers

Good afternoon

2008-03-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

One of the first mornings where there hasn't been any wind and i was stuck in waiting for BT to come. Out for 1 pm so i went for a drive round . Tim at the Old Bridge inn Ripponden had given me permission to put a net across the stream and asked his neighbours as well if it was OK. I went down for a recce at 3 o'clock and set up, an hour and a half later a cracking male Dipper had been ringed. Thanks to Tim who has always supported what i do.

Twite at Whiteholme

2008-03-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

Popped up to whiteholme reservoir at 1230 looking for wheatears in the thick fog . After weeks of putting seed down for the Twite and not seeing any in good numbers. Today i had 30+ on the seed so i set up. 11 Twite caught, 5 of which were new birds the other 6 were a mixture. 1 from Deer Hill 1 from Cant Clough 4 from whiteholme.

The five new birds today have all been indevidually colour coded on the right leg with the BTO metal ring .

On the left we are now using White Blue for the year 2008 Jan>June

and Blue White July>Dec.

The sites are going to be bright pink for Deer Hill and Flyflats on Left leg with year ring

Cant Clough and Whiteholme are now going to be Red on Left leg with year ring.

Last Week very quite Due to awful weather a pair off Bullfinches at Stainland Dean ringed .

More Grey Wagtails

2008-03-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

A day over at Wharfedale, Target species today was wagtails and we had a nice pair of Grey Wagtails near Thruscross reservoir.

A good morning out of the wind.