Ringer's Diary

Yesterday

2012-02-07T01:25:00.001-08:00

Down at the St Johns feeder site yesterday with Kev a nice calm morning with 69 new birds ringed.

Siskins being bird of the day with 21 being ringed

Dunnock 3
Robin 2
Blackbird 4 (+2)
Goldcrest 1
Coal Tit 2 (+6)
Blue Tit 10 (+11)
Great Tit 11 (+2)
House Sparrow 3
Chaffinch 10 (+2)
Goldfinch 2
Siskin 21 (+1)

We then left around 1pm and headed for Peel to see the immature Iceland Gull that had just turned up.

see more at www.grayimages.co.uk

Reedbed

2012-02-02T05:51:00.000-08:00

A few visits back to the small reedbed site the last few days have been quite nice

30 birds caught

Dunnock 1

Robin 1

Blue Tit 13 with 4 retraps from 2011

Gt Tits 4 retraps 3 from 2011

Reed Bunting 4

Also 11new Linnets Ringed at the Point of Ayre with 1 retrap from November 2011

and the Blackcap in my garden has been ringed and is on the feeders as i type.

Another Black Redstart

2012-01-29T07:21:00.000-08:00

Photos Cole Liggins

Nice morning out and about decided to go and see if the Black Redstart was still showing at Ramsey Harbour

Brian and his Son Cole turned up so we started to look for the Redstart. It was by the Mezeron lorry trailers to start with, so i left Brian to take a load of shots after an hour i decided to put my new Moudry spring trap down with a load of meal worms in a small tub. 10 mins later another Black Redstart ringed.

Went home for a cup of tea and Brian noticed a Blackcap on my feeders nice end to the day

Busy few days

2012-01-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

Out and about with Kev the last few days catching Mallards, Mute Swans, Moorhens, and Herring Gull.

Great few days looking at a few new sites and starting to ring again at the reedbed site.

2 Reed Bunting ringed there today with a few Blue Tits.

Moorhen

Reed Bunting

Juv Mute Swans being ringed

Waders get underway for 2012

2012-01-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

Met up with Kev this evening for our first dazzle of the year. Very quite only 4 birds seen and few more heard

1 Sanderling Ringed.

its a start and another species for the year list another species is Moorhen with 3 Ringed this week.

Twite Movement

2012-01-18T00:54:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago i got an email from Ken Hindmarch from the 01229 group of ringers about one of our Isle of Man Twite.

The bird with colour rings WHITE over BLUE ORANGE on its left leg was seen on the 27 October 2011 and 3 times in November 2011 at Askam- in-Furness near the Pier.

This bird was ringed at The Point of Ayre site along with another 50 in the winter of 2010/2011 and is the first record of one of our colour ringed Twite being seen off island..... or it was untill Kev got a Control back from the BTO last night

Twite L807928 was colour ringed on the 19 March 2011 at the Point Of Ayre and controlled at Machrihanish Bird Obs on the 02 September 2011

Duration of 167 Days Distance 145KM

Another cracking day

2012-01-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

Met Kev at 9AM at Mr and Mrs Colvin's garden near Close Sartfield.

3 Hours later we had caught 104 birds of which
60 were new birds

Mainly Blue Tits and Gt Tits with Coal Tits Chaffinch Blackbirds Goldfinch Robins

a Female Sparrowhawk came close to being ringed but just missed.

After packing up we had an hour before we had to get off so we decided to visit the site where

a Chiffchaff had been showing for the last 4 days and coursing some ID debate

www.grayimages.co.uk

Click for Kev's Blog and full story

a great couple of days wind is back tomorrow

150 bird day

2012-01-16T11:37:00.000-08:00

Great morning at Christine's garden in St johns with Kev today. 122 New birds ringed with 28 retraps.

Kev will give me full details later. We didn't set up until 0930 to give the birds a chance to feed.

from then on it was none stop.

Blue Tits Great Tits Coal tits Long tailed Tits Chaffinch Siskin Goldfinch House Sparrow Robin Dunnock

Blackbirds and Treecreeper

Thanks to Christine for the toast and tea and the banter.

Here are todays totals –

New Birds Retraps Totals

Dunnock 4 0 4

Robin 5 0 5

Blackbird 9 0 9

Long-tailed Tit 7 0 7

Coal Tit 10 10 20

Blue Tit 36 9 45

Great Tit 12 5 17

Treecreeper 1 0 1

House Sparrow 8 1 9

Chaffinch 23 3 26

Goldfinch 3 0 3

Siskin 4 0 4

Total: 122 28 150

Out and about on Sunday to windy for any ringing so took camera out

2A93 ringed in Ramsey Harbour November 18 2011 Seen yesterday Ramsey Harbour

2A95 ringed in Ramsey Harbour on 6 January 2012 seen Ramsey Harbour yesterday

Nice surprise

2012-01-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

I went up to the Point of Ayre this morning to place some food down no birds seen and the wind was quite strong so went back to Ramsey where it was nice and calm. After 3 hours of waiting for birds to land

Starlings, Linnets and Rock Pipits nothing was going on. I had two colour ringed Rock Pipits that come in to the area every 10 minutes to grab a dried meal worm and i let them feed so they might attract something else in. Something caught my eye on the trailers parked up to the right. A Black Redstart was sat watching the Rock Pipits, i thought about getting my spring traps out and catching it. didn't have to it flew straight on to the dried meal worms, nice one.

I phoned Ted and he came for a look the bird was last seen sat on the wall near all the fisherman's

nets at about 3:45

A new year

2012-01-10T12:05:00.000-08:00

A new year starts and the Linnets keep coming. Another 24 new birds ringed at Ramsey Harbour this week with2 Starlings and a Black Headed Gull Colour ring as part of Kane Brides North West study on them.

Today I was back up to the Point of Ayre site have not been feeding there over the Xmas holidays as the site was shut and the gale force winds was just blowing the Nyger everywhere. I went up on Sunday and placed a little down . On Monday visited again put a load down which I had just bought and was pleased to see 30 Linnets. Decided to set up and waited 2 hours and had nothing so I packed up and covered the ground in seed.

I set up at 0800 today and straight away had 18 Twite and 1 Linnet land.

11 New Twite ringed with this years colours

Right Leg=BTO Metal Left Leg =White above Red Blue

White=Isle of Man

Red/Blue = Jan/June 2012

6 of the retraps were from Nov/Dec last year 2011

The picture below is of the first Twite we have re tapped from winter

2010/2011 We ringed 54 Twite during that winter period and I thought we would get a

few birds returning for this winter. 56 new Twite have been colour ringed so far this season.

Just checking records and this bird was first caught on 10 January 2011 and was

re trapped today 10 January 2012. Exactly a year ago you couldn't make it up.

I noticed on the Barrow in Furness ringers site http://www.01229group.blogspot.com/

they controlled an Isle of Man Twite back in November

i am trying to get in touch with them to get some details, this again is the first

re sighting of one of our birds off island.

I waited another 2 hours and caught another 3 Linnets and packed up and went to Ramsey

Very quite there today with only a few Linnets and none coming to food.

A few Rock Pipits with colour rings on were kicking about so got camera out

and took a few shots. Then saw one which interested me

Blue White on right leg and Carmine yellow on left leg

This bird was first ringed at Port Mooar on 03/08/2010 as a young bird before we started

colour ringing them, it was re caught on 16/02/2011 at Ramsay and colour rings added

it was caught again today to get my eye in on ageing criteria knowing that this bird is now an adult bird

other birds about

Ringed Ramsey Harbour 16 September 2011

Ringed 25 November 2011 Ramsey Harbour

A record year for Manx Ringing Group

2011-12-31T06:36:00.000-08:00

Well that's it for 2011, my first full year on the Isle of Man and what a year.

Manx ringing Group have ringed 5044 new birds in 2011

with 74 Species ringed

and 2 species with sightings of rings

(Whooper Swan and Brent Geese)
a full report will be out soon but for now

Top Ten Species 2011

1. Linnet 676 new birds ringed

2. Goldfinch 641

3. Blue Tits 589

4. Gt Tits 507

5. Chaffinch 279

6. House Sparrow 264

7. Sand Martin 216

8. Coal Tit 165

9. Herring Gull 143

10. Meadow Pipit 141

Species ringed this year

Fulmar
Manx Shearwater
Storm Petrel
Cormorant
Mute Swan
Canada Goose
Mallard
Eider
Sparrowhawk
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Knot
Sanderling
Dunlin
Whimbrel
Curlew
Turnstone
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Kittiwake
Arctic Tern
Little Tern
Guillemot
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
Pied/White Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
Black Redstart
Stonechat
Wheatear
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Redwing
Grasshopper Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Treecreeper
Magpie
Chough
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Hooded Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Chaffinch
Brambling
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Linnet
Twite
Lesser Redpoll
Reed Bunting

A great year with our first Cormorant Colour Ringing project getting underway

and some good re sightings of our birds as they leave the nest and start to move.

some went as far north as Aberdeen some went South to Hampshire??

Also our Large Gull colour ring project turned up some great re sightings

we only ringed 11 Lesser Black backed Gulls this year and 4 have already been spotted down

in Spain and Portugal.

Some great ringing memories for me were ringing Whimbrel and Little Tern

and a week we spent on the isle of Flatey in Iceland with Kane and Chris ringing

Puffin, Red necked Phalarope Arctic Terns so on

Thanks to all the landowners, farmers and home owners who have allowed us to ring on their properties throughout the year.

Special thanks go to Ronan and Hazel Crellin, Sue and Steve Colvin, Christine and Barry, Manx Wildlife Trust, Island Aggregates, Manx National Heritage, Dept. of Infrastructure (Waste management), DEFA Forrestry division

A big thanks to Kev Scott for all the laughs and good times we have spent this year here's to many more

also to Chris Sharpe and Kaye and Mark Fitzpatrick and Dave Sharpe

A big thanks to Kane Bride who visited us this year and Chris Bridge for a great week in Iceland and for

such enthusiasm they bring to the ringing scheme.

and to my old mate Andy Jowett who visited twice this year and never fails to crack me up
Also thanks to Pete Hatfield Brian Liggins and John Donnelly for there sighting and info over
the last year

Hopefully if this wind ever stops we will be able to "get a net up!!!!" in 2012

To everyone I hope you have a happy 2012

Siskin to Douglas

2011-12-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks Brian has noticed a ringed Siskin coming to his feeders in Douglas

he has tried to get the ring combination and today we think we have it

The last two numbers were 53 and the first 3 were 983 we have just seen another picture and it contains

a 7 now as well

Siskin L983753 was ringed at the St Johns feeder site on 28/09/2011

nice one

good old digital Photography

all photos Brian Liggins

Starlings

2011-12-27T08:26:00.000-08:00

After the Xmas festivities and the gale force winds AGAIN. A little visit to Ramsey Harbour this aft.

I have been placing dried meal worms at the whoosh net site for Rock Pipits and Wagtail. As soon as i set up this aft 9 Starlings landed and started to gobble up the worms.

10 Starlings ringed and 1 Pied Wagtail this aft.

The Starling is in my opinion a very underestimated Bird

the feathers and plumage are spectacular.

Starling

Festive Crane in Ramsey Harbour

Another great morning

2011-12-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

Me and Kev met up at the St Johns feeder site at 9 this morning.

Another great morning with over 80 new birds ringed.

Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Gt Tits, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch

Siskin, Robins, Blackbirds, Dunnock, and House Sparrow.

The last 3 mornings have been great with over 250 new birds being ringed at our feeder sites.

We started to ring at The Sartfield site and the St Johns site back in July this year

and we had planned to ring at them once a month.

The wind has stopped us doing that these last few months but with over 800 new birds ringed since we started we will try and keep this up.

Thanks to Christine and Barry for the umpteen cups of Tea and the good company today

and for letting Manx Ringing Group ring in their garden.

Male Siskin ringed today

Ringing Book

Also two Mallards ringed at St Johns Arboretum this aft

Two good mornings

2011-12-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday i was out at the Sulby garden Feeder site with Chris and Kaye.

63 new birds ringed

17 Blue Tits

21 Gt Tits

5 House Sparrow

11 Chaffinch

2 Robins

1 Long Tailed tit

1 Greenfinch

5 Coal Tits

Retraps

22 Blue Tits

12 Gt Tits

2 Robins

4 Coal Tits

this morning me Kev and Ffyn met at the Colvins Garden Site

102 New Birds ringed

46 Blue tits

14 Goldfinch

28 Gt Tits

1 Robin

Chaffinch{ waiting for numbers}

1 Sparrowhawk

Coal Tits{waiting for numbers}

another great morning a big thank you to Mr and Mrs Crellin and Mr and Mrs Colvin

for letting us set up and ring in their gardens.

Kev getting to grips with Juv male Sparrowhawk

Up to the Point of Ayre this aft to check on the whoosh site, as i pulled up 10 Linnets seen feeding.

The site has been very quite for the last 3 weeks maybe because of the gale force winds or the Merlin and Sparrowhawk that constantly patrol the area for food

14 Linnets Ringed and 1 Twite this aft

Twite

local Rock Pipit movement

2011-12-12T11:33:00.000-08:00

Just recived a photo of Brian Liggins of one of our colour ringed Rock Pipits seen at Rue Point this weekend.

This Bird was ringed in Ramsey on the 20 September this year and is the first one of our colour ringed birds to be seen at the north of the island. If it had flown along the coast it is a distance of 11 miles. Also the habitat is some what different from the coves and rocky bays around Ramsey and Maughold where it was ringed.

The northern part of the island is flat sand and dunes. Nice record cheers Brian.

Out and about in Peel

2011-12-09T02:46:00.000-08:00

I decided to go to Peel to day to see what the gale force winds had

blown in. Me and Niki watched the sea crash in at Fenella beach and took a walk around the castle. 6 Purple Sandpipers were sheltering from the wind right next to the archway by the cafe.

After a brisk walk we walk back to the car where a load of Gulls were sat.

A Greater Black backed Gull took my eye as i saw a Blue ring on its leg.

Got the camera out and took a few shot.

GBBG 1JN

I think this bird was ringed on Ireland's Eye, Howth Ireland by Chris Honan

and am waiting for conformation.

Distance of around 80 Miles and in these force 10 westerly winds probably got here in 10 minutes.

Rock Pipit Fun

2011-12-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

8 Rock Pipits Caught today at Port Mooar

3 New birds 5 retraps 1 bird caught 3 times in half an hour in same spring trap

with same meal worm

Ramsey Harbour

2011-12-03T10:19:00.000-08:00

Last two afternoons spent at Ramsey Harbour where i have set a whoosh net, hopefully for Rock Pipits

Wagtails Linnets and Gulls.

34 Linnets Ringed

2 Pied Wagtails

1 Rock pipit

1 Meadow Pipit

1 Black Headed Gull Colour Ringed

Nice Day

2011-11-23T10:57:00.000-08:00

After yesterdays dismal ringing with 3 sites visited in 8 hours and 1 Linnet Ringed

today proved to be a lot better. I went down to Port Mooar and was met by over 50 Rock Pipits on the seaweed. I set up a few spring traps and caught 6 birds in an Hour. 4 new and 2 retraps. Also was able to read another 5 ringed birds.

First ringed 04 November 2010

Ringed today

First Ringed July 28 2011

I left Port Mooar and headed home for a coffee. I decided to go to Ramsey harbour and try for Rock Pipits there. I got there at 1pm set 3 traps and put on Rock Pipit call as i walked back to the car a bird flew past me and landed by the first spring trap i got my camera on it and rattled 2 shots off. A Black Redstart was sat on the side of the spring trap, 10 seconds later it was in.

Cracking bird still showing well at 3:30

When i got home i got a email off Kev to say another of our LBBG had been sighted this time in

Quarteira Harbour, Portugal on the 16^th November 2011 by Gordon Avery

X89:M was ringed at The Gravel Pits on 1 July this year as a Chick {Pulli}

only 11 LBBG Gulls colour ringed by us this year and 3 have been seen in Spain and 1 in Portugal

just shows how well these colour rings work and a big thank you to all the guys who go out and look for them as well

Nice end to a great day

X89:M SHOWING RING ON LEFT

Last week update

2011-11-21T12:19:00.000-08:00

A quite week last week with birds ringed being

2 Greenfinch

11 Goldfinch

28 Linnet

2 Blue Tits

1 Chaffinch

1 Robin

2 Blackbirds

4 Herring Gulls

2 Black Headed Gulls

Retraps LAST WEEK

Coal Tit (7) 1 bird first ringed 28/08/2009

Blue Tit (5)

Gt Tit (2)

Chaffinch (2)

Linnet (2) 1 bird was in the first catch i did back on 24/08/2010

I was out with Chris and Kay on Saturday morning another 58 new birds ringed at the Sulby feeder site

retraps =( )

8 Coal Tit (3)

8 Greenfinch

22 Blue Tits (10)

4 Chaffinch

10 Gt Tits (5)

3 House Sparrow

2 Robin

1 Dunnock (1)

1 Blackbird

Checking Rock Pipits

2011-11-13T10:01:00.000-08:00

Went down to Port Mooar this aft to check on a few Rock Pipits the sea and wind has left the beach covered in seaweed. And when i arrived at least 20 Rock Pipits running around all over it. Majority of the birds were un ringed. I had a few colour ringed birds Mauve/Red was seen ringed in August this year and

Carmine /Red ringed in Ramsey in February this year. I also got on a bird with just a metal BTO ring on. Was this one of the birds we did before we started colour ringing, a few shots with the camera and i got the Number

2589316, was ringed at Port Mooar on 13 August 2010. I have ordered some more meal worms and will go down next week and try for some more.

2589316

Ring showing 316

Ring showing 25

Another Brambling

2011-11-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

Up at the Point of Ayre today. Good few birds about but very flighty. Only one catch in 3 hours

with 7 birds

3 New Linnets 1 retrap from 21/01/2011

1 Retrap Twite from Wednesday

1 Goldfinch

and another female Brambling

Photo Brian Liggins

a flock of 25 Twite seen, The Twite on the right is showing the colours for last winter

Left leg White above Blue/Orange

this is the first sighting so far of birds ringed last winter returning

Brambling at Point of Ayre

2011-11-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

Plenty of birds about today, Linnets, Goldfinch and a flock of 12 Twite seen. None down on seed.

Maybe again because of the Raptor presents.

Merlin and Sparrow Hawk photo Brian Liggins

Hen Harrier over Photo Brian Liggins

After about an Hour of nothing coming into to the seed a few Chaffinch landed on the wires and then shot off, i have had a few hanging around for a bit up here because of the seed and have ringed around 4/5 .

Brian came up for a look and we were chatting when a bird landed right next to the car on the post

all i could see was a head. Its that chaffinch again but can i here a

wheezy Twite i said i looked round behind me and couldn't see any Twite. Then looked back at the bird and it called again Christ its a Brambling Brian cried out. He got out the car and took a few shots. The bird jumped down on the the floor and then flew on to the seed pull Brian shouting and we had it in the whoosh net.

Photo Brian Liggins

Female Brambling

The first one seen of the season and Ringed

No wind

2011-11-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

Whats this, a beautiful calm sunny crisp day, the first day with no wind for about 2 months. I decided to go to Port Lewaigue and try for some Thrushes. Two nets put up and the first 2 birds out the net were Redwing. A new species for the year.

A nice few hours with 23 birds caught

4 Redwing

3 Blackbirds

5 Long Tailed Tits

2 Blue Tits 1 a retrap from 26/04/2010

1 Gt Tit retrap

4 Goldcrest

1 Wren

1 Goldfinch

1 Dunnock

and a

1 Chiffchaff

Lesser Black backed Gull to Cadiz

2011-11-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

I got an email of Dave Sowter to say that one of our LBBG had been seen by Rafa Garcia at Levante Beach, El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, SPAIN on the 26 October 2011

distance of 1234Miles

T7TW was ringed at the Point of Ayre on the 10 May this year

Photo Rafa Garcia

http://avesporlabahia.blogspot.com

Raptor Watch

2011-11-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

I met up with Kev yesterday, we decided to go to the Whoosh site, what a difference a day makes in four hours we only caught 4 Linnets. A couple of factors

1 only about 25 finches seen all morning
2 The net miss fired Twice
3 The constant patrolling of Raptors

Great views of a female Hen Harrier as she flew right over whoosh net, 2 Peregrines flew low straight over

then a Kestrel hovered for a bit. A Male sparrowhawk patrolled up and down the fence for an hour and the last insult the female Merlin landed and sat 30ft from the net. Managed to take these shots through the fence before she took flight.

October ends

2011-10-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

Well another few hours at the Whoosh site with 14 Birds ringed

9 New Goldfinch

5 new Linnets

Male Sparrowhawk hanging around most of the time and female Merlin racing through

October has been a very windy month here on the isle of Man

which means Mist netting has been out of the question for most of it

Good job we have the Whoosh site which can be operated in windier conditions

422 New birds caught at the Point of Ayre Whoosh site in October

295 Goldfinch

95 Linnets in October

501 in 2011 so far

397 in 2010

13 Twite

12 Meadow Pipits

4 Lesser Redpoll

3 Chaffinch

as the weather get colder i expect the Linnet flock to get bigger

and more Twite should turn up over the next few weeks

Another 100 bird day

2011-10-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

Met up with Kev and his son Fin at The Close Sartfield feeder site.

A busy morning with 106 birds caught, 76 new birds the rest retraps and a Chaffinch control from the Calf of Man Kev thinks.

Gt Tit

Blue Tit

Coal Tit

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Chaffinch

Blackbird

Tree Sparrow

House Sparrow

Then up to the whoosh site, as we pulled up good numbers of birds about

only 19 birds caught

3 Retraps

Goldfinch

Linnets

1 Lesser Redpoll

up to 9 Lesser Redpoll seen

and 19 Twite sat on wires

also

1 Sparrowhawk seen

1 Hen Harrier over .

Lesser Redpoll

Slow start Great end

2011-10-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

4 hours spent at a plantation site for Redpoll today only 2 seen and only 2 birds ringed

Chaffinch and a Goldcrest

Then off to The Point of Ayre

73 new Birds ringed and 1 retrap

36 Goldfinch {still they come}

28 Linnets

and

9 Twite

great to see the Twite back, thought i had heard them 2 days ago

My wife Niki came out with me today and glad she did

took care of the writing.

Colour combination for IOM White over Orange Blue
Left Leg
White = IOM
Orange Blue = ringed JULY/DECEMBER 2011

Redpoll at Point

2011-10-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

All set for a good day at the Point of Ayre just a small breeze as i set up. The first catch was

4 new Goldfinch and 5 re traps

1 Linnet

and

2 Lesser Redpolls

Now the weather here on the isle of Man has been none stop wind for 2 months and we haven't had the chance to get up to the plantations to try for Redpoll yet, so today they came to me :-)

And that was it, 3 hours later not another bird ringed.

There was a report of Snow Bunting near the Lighthouse this morning so i went for a look i

couldn't find it but saw T9TR on the shore.

Ringed at the Point of Ayre gravel pits on July 12 this year

This Week

2011-10-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

An awful week where ringing has been concerned, the wind has been to strong for anything

except Swan catching, me and Kev caught a few Mute swans around the island on Tuesday with a few Mallards. We saw a Kingfisher in Peel inner Harbour on Tuesday so for a few hours on Thursday i went back down to see if i could get a few shots . Kingfisher on the isle of Man are few and far between with the odd one in Ramsey, the one at Peel was easier to find and a bit closer at times. While i was there i got a text ” Sabine’s Gull at Peel” so i flew off to the breakwater to see if i could get a glimpse. What a glimpse as well

see more at www.grayimages.co.uk

A visit to the Whoosh site this morning before the wind got gale force, 14 New Goldfinch ringed and 10 new Linnets. I stopped off at Ramsey and set the Gull trap

1 juv Herring Gull colour ringed as well.

Not bad for such a windy day

Today

2011-10-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

Gale force winds all week, so i took camera out and had a good day.

Catching birds on film for a change

Down at Port Lewaigue i had a ringed Rock Pipit

left below Lime Red

This bird was ringed at Port Moore on July 28 2011

Then a trip to Ramsey Harbour to check on Mute Swans

7 ringed birds in Harbour

Y21 ringed on January 30 2011 in Ramsey Harbour

J23 ringed on 23 March 2011 in Castletown

B21 ringed December 21 Ramsey Harbour

C21 ringed ringed December 21 Ramsey Harbour

A86 ringed 22 October 2010 Ramsey harbour

A87 was re ringed in Ramsey on 22 October 2010 was first ringed as A68 back in 1998

and

D23 ringed January 31 2011 at Billown Mansion born in 2010 here

After that i walked up the river to see if the female Goosander was still showing

as i got to the bend there she was.

see more at www.grayimages.co.uk

I then drove up to the Point of Ayre for a spot of Sea watching. Just the norm a few Gulls Herring Common, Black Headed, Greater Black Backed, Gannets, Cormorant, Shag, Razorbill and Guillemot

on way home spotted

T4XG

and

T8XG

Herring Gulls at Ramsey Pier

Goldfinch still being caught

2011-10-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Another good few hours up at the whoosh net site with 58 birds caught

54 new Goldfinch and 1 re trap from Wednesday

and 3 new Linnets.

179 new Goldfinch ringed at Point Of Ayre this October
228 since August

New from Andy back in Wharfedale Yorkshire
He started to catch Redwing and Redpoll yesterday

Anybody Recognise Ring Number V836383 on a Redpoll

Rnging in Garden

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Gt Tit TK42421 Island Movement

Another day of showers and mist so i decided to give the Point of Ayre a miss today and opened the nets in the garden around midday

First bird in was a Gt Tit with a B ring on so i knew it had been ringed in a nest box some where.

TK42421 was ringed this year by Dave Sharpe as a chick in a box at Close Sarfield reserve 0n 20 May it was then recaught on the 27 September at The Colvin's site near Close Sartfield by me and Kev and

now recaught again at Port e Vullen.

Garden So Far ( ) = retraps

1 Wren
5 Goldfinch
8 Siskin (5)

2 Blue Tits (1)
2 Gt Tits (1)

Feeding Station

2011-10-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

After the rain this morning i shot up to the Point of Ayre and set the Whoosh net, plenty of finches about.

38 birds caught

28 New Goldfinch 2 retraps from last week

8 New Linnets

as well as being a feeding station for the finches, today i had Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Merlin piling into the flocks of finches.

Goldfinch Siskin Movement

2011-10-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

Last few days i have caught a Siskin in my garden which i ringed at the Point of Ayre on the 19/10/2011 i then had a Goldfinch up at the Point of Ayre which i first ringed in my garden on 13/12/2010 and

today i caught another Goldfinch in my Garden which i had ringed at the Point of Ayre on 23/10/2011.

Nets open in the garden this morning, with 22 birds caught.

7 new Goldfinch 2 Retraps

2 new Gt Tits 1 retrap

2 new Siskin 1 retrap

1 new House Sparrow 1 retrap

3 new Blue Tits

1 new Chaffinch

1 retrap Coal Tit

1 Male Sparrow Hawk bounced twice oooohhhhh

Went for a seawatch in afternoon and ended back at Ramsey a couple of Wheatears on Harbour wall

plus

Rock Pipit RBRW LBCO ringed on 16/09/2011

Trip to Peel

2011-10-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

A trip to Peel for a spot of sea watching yesterday turned up two of our colour ringed

Gulls in the harbour

T1UB was ringed on the Calf of Man on 12/07/2011

T6TX was ringed at the Point of Ayre gravel pits on 30/06/2011

I had the nets open in the garden this aft the wind died down a little,
6 Siskin 3 Goldfinch 1 chaffinch and 1 Coal Tit caught.

Cormorants turning up thick and fast

2011-10-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

Cormorant at Maughold Colony

Got a message of Kev today about 4 more confirmed sighting of Manx Cormorants and 2 probable sightings awaiting clarification.

At Seaforth NR, Liverpool Docks.

Z76 was seen there by Pete Kinsella on 04th October.

ZZN was reported by Steve White on 29th & 30th September.We are awaiting clarification of a further 2 sightings of what is probably one of our birds too - Z3R (reported as 23R) seen on 17th & 30th September

Photo Martin Bennet

A report from Hampshire from Martin Bennet and Bob Chapman. Z7P was photographed by Martin at Ibsley Water, Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve, Ringwood, Hants on 25th September. A distance of 260 miles from Maughold, IOM.

I have driven past Ibsley many times on my way to Fordingbridge a local drinking hole of mine when i was in the Army.

Click on link to see Cormorants being ringed at Maughold Colony

Click on Link to see a map Kev has done with all the sightings of the colour ringed Cormorants so far

This project is proving to be a great success.

Mipits and Rockits

2011-10-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

Up at the woosh site again this morning the wind again was to strong to mist net. 13 Goldfinch ringed

and 12 Meadow Pipits. I went down to Port Mooar at High Tide this aft to try for Rock Pipits.

i counted 12, 5 of which were colour ringed 2 were just BTO metal on right, i hope. We have ringed over 50 birds last year before we started to colour ring them could not get close enought to get a shot of the number.

The birds were not interested in the mp3 or the meal worms and stayed clear for the 2 hours i was there.

Some resightings below

Left below Light Pink Yellow ringed 05/09/2011 Port Mooar

Left below Mauve Red ringed August 11 2011 Port Mooar

Left below Mauve Lime ringed August 1 2011 Port Mooar

Left below Mauve Orange ringed August 6 2011 Port Mooar

Left below Lime Yellow ringed July 28 2011 Port Mooar

T8XG

2011-10-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

Herring Gull T8XG was seen today near the pier at Ramsey first sighting of this Gull since it was ringed in my Garden on the 12 May this year

Up at the Point of Ayre this morning what a difference a week makes not one bird ringed in 4 hours

i called into the tip to hand the key in and the lads there have put up some feeders so i set up for a hour, 5 House Sparrow Ringed.

Yesterday

2011-09-29T02:29:00.000-07:00

A busy morning yesterday with a visit back to Christine's garden in St Johns with Kev.

It was another great morning with 83 birds caught - 77 new and 6 retraps.

The totals were (retraps in brackets):

Dunnock 2

Robin

Coal Tit 24 (+3)

Blue Tit 10 (+2)

Great Tit 11

House Sparrow 5

Chaffinch 13 (+1)

Greenfinch 3

Goldfinch 3

Siskin 4

www.grayimages.co.uk

First net ride we had 8 Coal Tits in the net never seen so many in one net , Coal Tit was the bird of the day after that with 27 being caught

I then met up with Kev for a spot of Dazzling in the evening

2 Turnstone

1 Sanderling

2 Dunlin

Dunlin

Turnstone

Sanderling

Turnstone

Herring Gulls in Dublin

2011-09-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

News off kev about 2 of our Juv Herring Gulls being seen on the roof of the fish market at Howth Harbour, West Pier, Dublin on 24 September by Sean Kingston and Chris Honan.

T8XP i ringed on the 05 July this year at the Gravel Pits at the Point of Ayre.

Gulls waiting to be ringed

In June this year i made up another 50 darvics and they were sent to the Calf of Man to be

used on the Gull colonies there the other Gull seen was one of these.

T5UA was ringed on the Calf on the 27 June

These are the first Colour ringed Herring Gulls to be seen off Island so far

Today

2011-09-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

I met up with Kev this morning at Mr Mrs Colvin's garden near Close Sartfield.

Before the net went up the kettle was on and 4 hours later 112 birds caught.

Mainly Tits with 51 Gt Tits. Also Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Siskin.

Also some birds ringed in the nest by Dave Sharpe this year and early were caught today,

Great Tit 33 + 18 retrap

Goldfinch 22

Blue Tit 13 + 5 retrap

Coal Tit 7 + 2 retrap

Chaffinch 4 + 1 retrap

Greenfinch 5

Robin 1

Siskin 1 retrap

85 new birds + 27 retraps = 112 total

Thanks again The Colvin's for letting us ring in your garden and for the tea.

End of week

2011-09-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

A good end to the week with 60 birds caught at the woosh net site at the Point of Ayre today .

58 New birds and 2 retraps

33 Meadow Pipits

23 Goldfinch

4 Linnets

1 retrap Linnet first caught on 16/09/2011

1 retrap Goldfinch first caught on 21/08/2011

The wind has been to strong all week for mist nets so i persevered with the woosh net and the MP3 for Meadow Pipits.

111 in 4 mornings i am quite pleased with, we use to catch that in a day back in Yorkshire.

Different sites different migration routes, i know when we use to ring at Kex Gill in Yorkshire

the Meadow Pipits were constant all morning, with hundreds flying through

Where as here i am getting only 3 and 4 every half hour or so.

Colour ringed Meadow Pipit Yorkshire 2007 over 500 colour ringed

More Pipits

2011-09-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

With a nice blue sky over the Point of Ayre this morning there was a bit of Meadow Pipit movement

at least 80 birds, shame i couldnt mist net as wind was to strong. I set up the woosh net and met Chris doing his survey of the gravel Pits, he stayed for 15 mins as we caught the first 6 and i decided to let him ring them as he needs the practice ( dont get out the office much these days ) another 18 Meadow Pipits and 1 linnet ringed

On the way home i called into Ramsey to check the harbour for Rock Pipits and Wheatear

4 Wheatears about only one caught in spring trap

and another Rock Pipit Colour Ringed

Wheatear

Last few days

2011-09-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

Meadow Pipit

41 Meadow Pipits caught up at the point of Ayre woosh net Site

with

11 Linnets

8 Goldfinch

1 Chaffinch

1 Siskin

another 3 Rock Pipits colour ringed this time at Ramsey Harbour, 2 Blackcaps caught at Port Lewaigue on Saturday evening and a Robin.

3 Whooper Swans in field just out of Bride this morning on the way to the Point of Ayre

Port Lewaigue

2011-09-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

Set up for 07:30 down at Port Lewaigue a beautiful morning

3 Blackcaps were the first birds out the nets with another 2 later on

after that

2 Willow Warblers

2 Blackbirds

2 Goldcrest

2 Goldfinch

3 Coal Tits

4 Robins

The Wind Calms down

2011-09-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

A nice few hours spent at Port Lewaigue today with 15 new birds being ringed.

No sign of the Spotted Flycatchers and Garden Warbler which were seen on Monday.

Birds ringed

6 Blackcaps

2 Siskin

1 Robin

2 Dunnock

1Wren

1Goldcrest

1 Blue Tit

1 Gt Tit

other birds about

Redpoll

2 Choughs Over

2 Ravens

4 Hooded Crow

3 Curlew

6 Oystercatcher

2 Sandwich Tern

8 Mallard

4 Rock Pipits

Nice to bump into Brian and thanks for the photos

Photo Brian Liggins

Brian also took this shot today at Port lewaigue

This Rock Pipit was ringed at Port mooar on the 8 September 2011

Photo Brian Liggins

Thanks to John as well for this great shot of another Rock Pipit
seen at Port Lewaigue on Monday
again this bird was ringed at Port Mooar on 11 August 2011

Photo John Donnelly

Kev also has some great news about another colour ringed Cormorant of ours

Photo by David Henderson

Click picture to see his blog for details

To windy

2011-09-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Last 3 days of gale force winds has put a stop to any ringing so i have been out sea watching.

Good reports of Skuas past the Calf of Man 17 Great and 10 Arctic and at Peel last night 6 Great 7 Arctic and a Pom.

Also yesterday reports of 5 Spotted Flycatcher at Port Lewaigue , one of my ringing sites.

I went down for a good look and dipped on them had a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaff hiding low in the brambles.

Chiffchaff

Today at the Point of Ayre a nice Red Throated

Diver still showing Summer Plumage was nice

and a Merlin was blown along the coast at about 60mph

Red throated Diver

MOOAR Rock Pipits

2011-09-08T05:52:00.000-07:00

Down at Port Mooar for 2 hours today, 2 more Rock Pipits ringed and a Whooper Swan on the sea.

Rock Pipits

2011-09-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

The gale force winds have had one benefit, that being the rough seas of yesterday have washed up a good load of kelp on the beach at Port Mooar. This morning i popped down for a look and at least 30 Rock Pipits about.

I now have some meal worms and with in 5 Min's had caught 2 new birds.

I stayed 2 hours and caught 8 new birds

other birds about

Female Hen Harrier over

52 Mallards on sea

6 Oystercatcher

18 Curlew

Last Blue White on Right leg

Now using Red White on Right leg

More Ringed bird Photos

2011-09-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

Out and about today. A Mute Swan which has successfully bred up the Gravel Pits we knew was a ringed bird but we could never get close enough to it to see. Today i got a photo.

H21 was ringed as an Adult Male on 21 December 2010 in Ramsey Harbour

now a proud father of 1

On the way back from Point of Ayre just before you get to Bride i noticed a Juv Herring Gull T3TR

Ringed at the gravel Pits this summer, checking with Kev for exact date

ringed 12 July 2011

Rock Pipit Weekend

2011-09-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

Wind and Rain put a stop to any netting this weekend. So i decided to modernise my walk in duck trap to try and catch some Rock Pipits down at Port Mooar. I had no meal worms either so placed

the call on inside the duck trap and sat back in the car and waited.

2 New Rock Pipit colour ringed and i also took my camera and got a few shots of combinations.

Lime Blue Ringed 29 July 2011 Port Mooar

Lime Yellow Ringed 28 July 2011 Port Mooar

Blue Blue Ringed November 23 2010 Port Mooar

Mauve Orange Ringed 6 August Port Mooar

Mauve Red Ringed 11 August 2011 Port Mooar

Mauve Light Pink Ringed 1 August 2011 Port Mooar

Yellow Yellow Ringed November 2 2010 Ramsey seen again on the 06
January at Port Lewaigue now at Port mooar

Yellow Yellow Movement

Light Pink Light Pink Ringed 20 August 2011 Port Mooar

A touch of Autumn

2011-09-02T05:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday there was a nice nip in the air i went to look for any signs of Meadow Pipit movement

only saw 3 and then the wind got up. I went down to Port Lewaigue in the afternoon and set 2 nets out of the wind.

4 Blackcaps

2 chiffchaff

ringed.

Another good evening out with Kev last night

4 Turnstone

3 Sanderling

1 Dunlin

1 Ringed Plover

ringed

August ends well

2011-08-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

A great day today with no wind its been a long time since there was no wind here in the isle of Man

The day started with a garden tick, a Meadow Pipit in the woosh net with a Pied Wagtail.

Then a few Blue Tits , Coal Tits a Gt Tit Chaffinch and House Sparrow while the coffee and toast was on.

Then a trip up to Point of Ayre

5 new Linnets Ringed

9 Swallow

7 Sand Martins

and the day ended as it started with another 5 Meadow Pipits

Sand Martin

Swallow

Meadow Pipit

The Claw {Meadow Pipit Hide Talon}

Last Night

2011-08-31T02:26:00.000-07:00

Nice 2 hours out with Kev last night

4 Sanderling

6 Turnstone

2 Dunlin

1 Ringed Plover

1 Herring Gull

All birds were juveniles and in very good shape, Full of Fat and nice and Chunky.

yesser yesser yesser

2011-08-30T10:35:00.000-07:00

Or Lesser Lesser Lesser!!!!!!

Kev rang me to say Antonio Gutierrez one of the top Gull watchers in Spain had emailed him. Z97:M one of the LBB Gull chicks we colour ringed had turned up today at Pantin beach, Valdovino, A Coruna, SPAIN! A distance of 762 Miles and 60 days after
being ringed at the Point of Ayre Gravel Pits on 01/07/2011

Great News, we know LBBG migrate down that way but to get our first sighting and of a juvenile bird as well Fantastic

I do follow Antonio blog and it is well worth a look.

all grown up, today.

Thanks Antonio and keep your eye out for some more coming your way

Bank Holiday weekend windout

2011-08-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Nothing doing this weekend due to strong winds. This afternoon spent 2 hours at Port Mooar

after Rock Pipits one Rock Pipit colour Ringed

and 3 colour ringed birds seen.

Left Leg Mauve over Yellow ringed 06/08/2011 seen today

left leg Blue over Yellow ringed on 23/11/2010 at Port Mooar seen today

Left leg carmine over carmine colour rings added 10/12/2010 originally ringed 03/08/2010

Ringed today and back feeding straight away

out of the car window while waiting for Rock Pipits i picked up 5 juv game birds

running in and out of cover.

I tried my best to turn 5 juv Grey Partridge into 5 Juv Corncrake

Not to be but nice to see

WOOSH SITE A YEAR OLD

2011-08-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

A great couple of mornings this week up at the woosh net site with 104 new Linnets being ringed.

it will be a year ago tomorrow i started the woosh net sites up at the Point of Ayre, the reason for setting up a woosh site was to try and catch the winter flock of Linnets we always saw. Thinking the number to be around maybe 100 to 200.

Another 39 Linnets ringed today bringing the total to

778 New Linnets ringed in a year with only
40 recaptures
and 1 controlled bird to Rossal Point Lancashire

and still they come, as i packed up this aft some unringed birds were still landing on the nyger

The Linnet is a Red Listed Bird
this means

Red list criteria

Globally threatened
Historical population decline in UK during 1800–1995
Severe (at least 50%) decline in UK breeding population over last 25 years, or longer-term period (the entire period used for assessments since the first BoCC review, starting in 1969).
Severe (at least 50%) contraction of UK breeding range over last 25 years, or the longer-term period

Also this week another 64 Sand Martin ringed and 2 House Martins in with them

House Martin

other birds ringed this week

Blackbird
Goldcrest
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Chaffich
Goldfinch
Siskin

Kev got some great news off Raymond Duncan up in Aberdeen this week.
One of our colour ringed Cormorants Z6H had been seen on the Harbour wall there.
A great Movement of some 215 Miles, that's if it flew in a straight line ?

Cormorants in Nest

Saturday 20 August

2011-08-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

I went down to Close Sartfield this morning hoping to ring some Redpoll.

I 40ft net put up near the hide

18 Birds Ringed

1 Treecreeper

3Blue Tits

2 Chiffchaff

4 Willow Warbler

3 Goldcrest

1 Chaffinch

1 Robin

2 Siskin

1 Goldfinch

no Redpoll only 4 seen flying over

Willow Warbler photo Fred Hodgson

Willow Warbler being weighed Photo Fred Hodgson

Willow Warbler Being ringed photo Fred Hodgson

Thanks for photos Fred nice to meet you and your wife

Yesterday afternoon and this afternoon spent at Port Mooar

2 more Rock Pipit Colour Ringed

Yesterday

2011-08-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

I was out with Kev yesterday morning at the feeder site in the curraghs.

75 birds caught with 12 retraps.

Great Tit 18 (+7)
Blue Tit 10 (+4)
Chaffinch 12
Siskin 8
Tree Sparrow 6 (+1)
Greenfinch 3
Coal Tit 2
House Sparrow 2
Robin 2

A great site and many Thanks to Sue .

My great mate
Andy Jowett has been back to Visit for 4 days with his family, so we have been busy entertaining, birding, boating
rock pooling, eating and lots of drinking and generally Laughing .

Last night we got the call off Kev to say the weather down South { of island }
was cock on for trying for Storm Petrel

We met up at 10pm got 1 60ft net up and 30 minutes later we had caught 1 of these fantastic little birds

another was soon caught, then the wind got up and that was it .

Rock Pipits and Sand Martins

2011-08-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday i spent 4 hours at the woosh site trying for some more Linnets not one bird landed. I packed up and headed home. On the way i stopped off to check a small Sand Martin colony i hadn't looked in on this year. 2 hours later 33 new Sand Martin ringed.

This morning i met up with Kev down at Niarbyl to have a go for Rock Pipits, a great morning

with 10 new Rockits all individually colour ringed. It started to get busy{with people} so we packed up and headed down to castletown on the way we stopped for a greasy bacon sandwich.

Only one Rockit caught at castletown and yes i fumbled it out of the spring trap and off it went

i blamed the grease on my hands and of course Kev for buying me the sandwich.

Rock Pipit

This Week

2011-08-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

Another 50 new Linnets caught on two visits to the woosh site this week the weather has been bad with wind and rain so the mist netting has been limited

I was out with Kev at the MSPCA this week where we ringed 22 Juv Herring Gulls

that had been brought in and were now ready for release.

Also Rooks, Jackdaws, Mallards and a Eider Duck.

The rest of the week ringing in my garden in between showers and down at Port Mooar

where 3 more Rock Pipits have been colour ringed.

Garden

6 new Blue Tits 3 retraps 1 of them ringed as a chick in my nest box on the 18 June this year and still hanging around

16 more House Sparrow, 96 ringed in the garden this year they seem to be every where, looks like they have had a good breeding season. They kicked the House Martins out of the nest on my house and the young are calling away as i type.

5 Chaffinch

2 Dunnock

1 Coal Tit

1 Rook

and a new Species for the year ten minutes ago

a juvenile Collard Dove.

Species for the year so far 69

Herring Gulls at the MSPCA

Last night and today

2011-08-04T09:18:00.000-07:00

An evening out with Mark to set up for Storm Petrel and later on met up with Kev for a spot of Dazzling

1 Storm Petrel Ringed

4 Dunlin

2 Curlew

1 Turnstone

and a

Oystercatcher

Ringed

a Later start today after last night

6 More Linnets

and

2 Goldfinch at the woosh site this aft

and

2 Juv Stonechats Ringed

August gets off to a great start

2011-08-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

62 new Linnets ringed over the last two day with 8 Goldfinch and a Chaffinch

14 More Sand martins ringed
5 More Rock pipits colour ringed

Mark found us another feeder site to ring at in St Johns

Mr Mrs Sloper's garden

We set 2 40ft nets yesterday at 1230

3 Hours later

Dunnock 2

Coal Tit 5

Blue Tit 26

Great Tit 6

House Sparrow 15

Chaffinch 12

Greenfinch 1

Goldfinch 2

Siskin 9

TOTAL 78

Thanks Christine for all the tea and biscuits

Today Mark was at the reedbed site another 35 Birds ringed

Mainly Tits

and 5 Willow Warbler

This aft a Kittiwake was caught and ringed

Little Tern update

2011-07-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

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!!!!!

2011-07-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

Another 25 Sandmartins caught tonight 23 new birds

1 retrap from 18/08/2010

1 control ring number X308602

Photo

2011-07-13T03:42:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-12T13:45:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

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

This week

2011-06-25T01:39:00.000-07:00

A busy couple of days in the garden this week as newly fledged birds find the feeding station

1 Hooded Crow juv

24 House Sparrow 17 juv

1 Pied Wagtail juv

13 Chaffinch 7 juv

6 Goldfinch 5 juv

2 Siskin 2 juv

1 Robin juv

2 Dunnocks 2 juv

3 Blackbirds 1 juv

1 Song Thrush juv

1 Coal Tit juv

1 Blue tit juv

1 Gt Tit juv

and the nest box with 4 Blue Tits in all feather medium

A trip to the small reed bed site where

2 more Sedge Warbler ringed

a juv Reed Bunting and Blackcap

and a

Blackbird

Port Lewaigue

5 Blackcaps (4 juv 1 adult male)

2 Chiffchaff juv

1 Willow warbler juv

3 Wren 1 juv

Blackbird male

3 Dunnock 1 juv

3 Gt Tit 2 juv

3 Goldfinch 1 juv

Point of Ayre

1 Herring Gull chick old enough to ring

A big thanks to Ian Scott Kev's brother and our wildlife Police officer on the island for introducing me to Les Kneale this week, Lez used to be a ringer back in the sixty's

he invited me down to ring some Swallow pulli in his garage.

We got talking and the next day he had arranged to take me around 14 farms to get a little Swallow project underway .

34 Swallow Pulli ringed and a a good number of nests still on eggs and more farms still to visit.

Goldfinch to Leswalt

2011-06-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

I Got an email from Kev saying a Goldfinch i had ringed in the garden last year on 17/10/2010 had been controlled at Leswalt in Dumfries and Galloway on 11/04/2011

A distance of 53 Miles

Nice off island record

Last couple of days

2011-06-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

A good couple of hours in the garden during last week with 50 new birds being ringed

20 House Sparrow

10 Chaffinch

7 Herring Gull

3 Goldfinch

4 Siskin

3 Blue Tit

2 Dunnock

1 Rook

retrap Treecreeper from October 2010

An afternoon at Close Sartfield yesterday
The wild meadow is looking fantastic with all the Orchids out, well worth a visit

Birds ringed

2 Willow Warbler

2 Reed Bunting

3 Blackbirds

3 Blue Tits

2 Blackcap

other birds ringed in the last few days

1 Oystercather

1 Little Tern

2 Ringed Plover

Cormorant colour ringing

2011-06-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

I met up with Kev this morning to start our colour ringing project on
the Cormorant colony at Maughold

A great morning with 85 Cormorant Chicks ringed 81 0f these Colour ringed.

Ring showing email address

See Kev Blog for information on past recoveries from Manx Cormorants
Hopefully with the new colour rings more sightings will come in

9 big red birds at bottom of garden

2011-06-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

A great show by the Red Arrows today in Ramsey all for the TT and we got some fantastic views over the house and the sea. Makes you proud to be British

North West Black-headed Gull study

2011-06-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

The Manx Ringing group have been invited to take part in the study of Black headed Gulls that Kane Brides and his ringing group are undertaking. Kane posted me 10 darvics {colour rings} on Thursday with another 10 on the way. Now we only may do 20 Black headed Gull this year if we are lucky but the colour rings do greatly improve the sightings of these birds .

Kane will be doing hundreds and out of his first 5 birds ringed in March this year he has had sightings from Norway and Lithuania plus a third bird they are waiting information on .

Please click on link for detail of this project

North West Black headed Gull Survey

Rings showing email address to send sightings to bhgulls@gmail.com

2 Isle of man Black headed Gulls wearing the said rings

Little Tern is a control

2011-06-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

I mentioned that we had caught another ringed Little Tern and we were not sure on the ring number belonging to the Manx ringing group. Kev has just got back to me and

NV95538 is a control any one recognise it

Choughs all done

2011-06-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

I was also out with Chris this aft doing the last couple of Chough nests

Over 60 Pulli ringed this year and all individually colour coded as well

a lot of miles, laughs and memories

Thanks to Kev, Kane and Chris for all their time and all the landowners for their permission

A truly charismatic species