Ringers Diary

Weekend

2009-07-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Nice weekend with a few more Warblers and young Bullfinch. Also wader chicks keep popping up another Redshank and Common Sandpiper running in front of car this morning .

Last Week

2009-07-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday i was at Ogden water giving a small ringing demonstration, small was the word with only 1 wood pigeon ringed in 5 hours . An enjoyable morning talking to the children and giving out a few leaflets about ringing.

This week has been another steady week with another Wheater ringed a juvenile. another Common Sandpiper chick which was feathers long and hours away from flying its first sortie.

Also more Warblers at EGP a blackcap and Chiff Chaff, with Tits and chaffinches and Bullfinches.

Today spent at Cooper Bridge with Willow Warbler, Bullfinch, Dunnocks, Blue, Great and Long Tail Tits, Treecreeper and a Kingfisher.

Cooper Bridge

2009-07-02T05:23:00.000-07:00

Another nice morning at Cooper Bridge yesterday with a few more Blackcaps , Bullfinch, robins and Blackbirds ringed. Also a cracking Male Green woodpecker.

Today spent with Andy at another new site we are trying out, 18 Birds ringed , including Female Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warblers, Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks and Chaffinch.

New site looks good

2009-06-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

Got permission off Yorkshire Water to ring down at Cooper Bridge .

Had a great day to day with 35 Birds ringed

Started of with a few Blackbirds and a Dunnock. I wanted to ring here for the warblers

and then every time a check the nets i was getting Warblers.

7 Willow Warblers ringed today

With

4Chiffchaff

3 Blackcaps

1 adult male Reed Warbler

just as i walk down to do the last net run and pack up i noticed 4 Long Tailed tits in the net with a Willow Warbler so i started extracting them then in the bottom shelve of the net i noticed something different a Lesser Whitethroat.

Top day top place.

other birds ringed were 4 Blackbirds, 2 Blue Tits 4 Robins, 2 Greenfinch 1 Wren and 2 Dunnocks

Lesser Whitethroat

Reed warbler
Willow Warbler

ChiffChaff

Merlins

2009-06-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

The Great Pete Roe with brood of Merlins

fledgelings and chicks

2009-06-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

A nice steady week with 3 more Whitethroat caught at EGP 2 were young birds the other an adult Male also Chiffchaff and another Willow Warbler. 3 More Redshank chicks rings and a Common Sandpiper chick. Other birds ringed this week Robin, Greenfinch, Blue Tits, Gt Tit , Chaffinches and Blackbird.

JuvenileWhitethroats

Common Sandpiper chick
Redshank chicks

Andy was out yesterday doing a Merlins nest and 2 broods of Kestrels.

LAST WEEK

2009-06-23T05:22:00.000-07:00

Been away for a few days, so just to catch up early last week 4 Redshank chicks ringed with a few more Willow Warblers and Blackbirds. Sunday the 14 out with Andy at his new site, nice morning with chiff chaffs , LTT, Blackcap, Blackbirds , and Wood Pigeon ringed. Yesterday up to Ringstone where my last nest box with Blue Tits in were ready to ring.

Garden Warbler

2009-06-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

Nice morning at EGP this morning. Garden Warbler ringed with a few juvenile Long Tail Tits and Reed Bunting plus Blue Tits. Then down to my Mill site and a Kingfisher to finish of with.

Showing Brood Patch

Andy has been out doing Buzzards Red Kite and Kestrels chicks today. Hope to get some photos off him later.

up date on Tree Sparrows

2009-06-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

2009 Totals so far

Another 6 Tree Sparrows ringed this week all young Birds .

Bringing the total of young ringed birds this year to 19 .

4 New birds were ringed from January> March.

= 23 Tree Sparrow so far

2008 Totals

34 Adult Birds ringed

11 chicks {pulli}

1 controlled bird from Wakefield

Total 46

since project started

68 Tree Sparrows Ringed at Jay House Lane

with one controlled bird caught

Total = 69

Whitethroat returns

2009-06-05T05:47:00.000-07:00

Down at Egp to day. It never fails to amaze me and i know i have said it before but today re caught a Male Whitethroat in the same net ride as last year so on the same territory as last year. Glad i re caught him as i didn't have my camera on me last time. And of course it great to see him make it back from Africa. Also caught today 1female Whitethroat with good brood patch.

1 Blackcap,1 Blackbird Male, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 juvenile Robin.

Out with Theo on Wednesday at OGP and in 3 hours only had 2 Blackbirds very quite very worrying. Also this week 6 Starling ringed at Ringstone with 2 juv Greenfinch a Dunnock and a retrap Goldfinch from April 08.

Back from Hols

2009-05-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

Been away for a week to Mallorca, and spent most of it at Salbufera, what a place, Lrp Kentish plover BW Stilts all with young or on eggs all living a couple of feet apart. Birds on every bush. Spotted flys, Nightingales Cettis Sardinian Warblers all the usual and more and then i come home and ZIP.

How Depressing, no sign of Lrps at a few of my sites Common Sandpipers numbers well down on last year. Pied Flycatcher that was singing for a female for 7 weeks has gone . And out of 50 nest boxes put up only 10 used. 6 of those by Tits.

Andy was out looking for nests on Saturday and came across 1 lone SEO chick. Also 2 broods of LEOS failed, chicks found drowned in nest.

Bloody weather!!!!!!!.

To see what you are missing go to http://www.grayimages.co.uk/New10.htm

Quiet week

2009-05-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

The end of an atrocious week weather wise. A few more Gt Tit chicks ringed and Willow Warblers plus as the sun came out today for 2 hours another Wheatear.

Tree Sparrows

2009-05-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

3 Broods of 4, Tree Sparrow ringed this morning all feathers medium and one other box that had fledged already. Also this week 7 Gt Tits at Stainland dean all feathers medium. And 4 Willow Warblers ringed at Elland Gravel Pits. Wish this wind would stop.

Tawnys

2009-05-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

More Tawny's ringed today

Twite season comes to end

2009-05-04T04:08:00.000-07:00

I went up to Deer Hill Yesterday to check on the feeding station no Birds coming in at all. last week Nick Wilkinson tells me he has seen the birds back on their Breeding Territories and the Individual colour codes are working well.

I would like to thank Kirklees Environment Grant Scheme and The Green Business Network for supporting this project over the last year.

85 Twite were caught at Deer Hill from March- May 2009

32 new Twite being individually colour coded.

53 re trapped birds

33 were ringed in 2008

19 ringed in 2007

1 ringed in 2004

Other Sites during the Twite season

Warley Moor Reservoir - 6 new Twite ringed

Whiteholme Reservoir - 41 Twite caught with 30 new Twite ringed

Rishworth Quarry -14 birds caught with 6 new Twite ringed

Ringstone Edge - 1 new bird ringed

Twite totals for all sites = 147 Twite caught

75 New Twite Individually colour coded

Hopefully the summer will be a dry one and these great little birds will have a good breeding season

Yesterday

2009-05-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

8 Hours yesterday with Andy checking 14 boxes at many different sites. 3 New Adult Barn Owls ringed all Barn Owls now on eggs. I New Tawny Owl ringed 1 Kestrel ringed and 1 female Mandarin ringed. Great day.

Other birds seen.

Yellow Hammers, Sedge Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, Red Kites and Buzzards.

oh and the Mandarin was a ringing tick for me so a bonus

Common Sandpiper returns

2009-05-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

2 Common Sandpipers caught today and yes one a male was a retrap from 29/06/2008

so nice to see he's made it back. The other was a new female.

Birds returning

2009-04-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Had a nice surprise on Tuesday with a male Pied Flycatcher singing away at one of my sites and it has a ring on so we will have to see if its one from last year or a new bird, also Common Sand Piper seen today with ring on . So nice to think it has returned from Africa again to breed up here in Calderdale.

Out With Theo on Wednesday at OGP and we had a Good morning with a variety of species,

Wood Pigeon, Song Thrush, Black Caps, Gt Spotted Woodpeckers, Bullfinch, Gt Tits, Blue Tits, Dunnocks, Tree Creeper, Chaffinch and Coal Tit.

Ducks taking over

2009-04-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

Out with Andy today checking more of our boxes. One with Barn Owl Pellets in, so a good sign that they have used it for the first time. 1 Tawny with two chick ringed another box chicks to small at the moment. Another two boxes with Goosander in, one on eight eggs and just as we reach the other the young were hopping out of it, talk about timing. They must be the smartest looking chick there is. Stock Dove ringed in another box and 2 Lots of Jackdaws in some more.

Great Morning.

And i must say well done to Mr Andy Jowett for getting his A permit, much deserved.

Back from Hols

2009-04-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

Back from Holiday , and on with the cause. More Linnets ringed at Ringstone with a retrap from last year also my First Warblers of the year Two Willow Warblers ringed at ringstone, just as i was packing up heard a Sedge Warbler rattling away from behind the cow shed didnt catch it but quite a rarity these days in Calderdale and nice to see.

Two more new Twite individually colour coded at Whiteholme bringing the total up to 71 new birds this spring, and a visit to Deer Hill was none eventful no birds at all.

1 Cracking Male Wheatear ringed at Whiteholme this week and that was it, out with Andy on Sunday checking Barn Owl Boxes so watch this space.

Last few days

2009-04-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning spent with Andy at OGP where 7 new Brambling were ringed with a Reed Bunting few new chaffinches and more Bullfinch. The afternoon spent filling my belly at the farther in laws in Thackley. Where it is rude not to put a net up. Collard Dove , Greenfinch,Robin, and Chaffinch ringed.

Last two days between sites yesterday at Ringstone edge in the morning with 5 more Linnets ringed in with Goldfinch and Greenfinch then on to whiteholme reservoir where 4 more new Twite were colour ringed and one of Nicks Nestlings from last year was controlled.

Today morning spent at Deer Hill with 25 Twite caught 10 new birds. The Dingle bird i controlled last October in Rishworth Quarry was re caught at Deer Hill today.

Then on to Ringstone this aft where the Linnets didn't want to play, as i was about to pack up a bird flew down to feed so i pulled the pins on the woosh net and would you believe it another new TWITE.

Bringing the total for individually ringed birds for this spring to 69.

Twite numbers going up

2009-04-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

Supported by the Kirklees Environment Grant Scheme

At Deer Hill This morning 44 Twite seen . 35 Caught . 10 new birds ringed . A 2004 bird caught with 11 2008 birds and 13 2007 birds.

Then onto Whiteholme reservoir. Where numbers have been a bit quite. 14 New birds ringed today with no retraps.

49 New Twite have been individually colour ringed so far this spring. All part of the monitoring for the RSPB/NE Twite Recovery Project.

2004 Twite light pink over black/ white

Calderdale gets busy

2009-04-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

The start of the week i was out ringing Twite at Rishworth, 3 new birds ringed with 6 retraps from 2007 and 2008. On to Deer Hill where 30 Twite were seen and 5 new birds ringed

Also out checking some of my boxes, a nice female Tawny Owl ringed on Monday.

I went to Jerusalem farm on Tuesday thinking i would boost my March totals. Its amazing that a feeding station can be so quite, but it is spring. 9 birds ringed. Chaffinch,Coal Tits, Blue Tits and Gt Tits.

So i packed up and went to Ringstone edge where i set up my woosh net and caught me some Linnets.

Out with Theo on Wednesday at OGP. 10 new birds ringed with 10 retraps. 2 Gt Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Brambling, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Robins, Dunnocks, Bullfinches and Chaffinches

Went back to Ringstone edge today and have now ringed 15 Linnets , 4 Reed Buntings and 12 Goldfinch here this week.

Other Birds at ringstone today Oystercatchers, Curlew, Snipe, Redshank,Golden Plover, Lapwing, BH Gulls, Meadow Pipits Canada Geese, Skylark. Reports of a large Raptor sat on wall near east Tower.

"Owls that"

2009-03-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Fantastic morning out with Andy checking our Tawny Owl Boxes . 8 Tawny Boxes checked with 4 breeding pairs on eggs. Also check two of our Barn Owl boxes and had a nice surprise at both . First one, a pair of Little Owls in. The second one a new female Barn Owl and the male from Pocklington that has now been in 3 different boxes with 3 different females { top man}

Great Morning

All Adults on nests are caught, ringed and placed back in the box with in 5 minutes. The opening to the box is then covered for 2 minutes to settle the Owls back on the nest. We then quietly retreat away and the birds stay on the nest.

Atrocious weather all week

2009-03-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

Supported by the Kirklees Environment Grant Scheme

What a week wind wind wind. Two visits to Deer Hill reservoir this week the first on Monday to put more seed down then a look in yesterday to find the site 6 inches under water.

On Tuesday met up with Kane at whiteholme to hopefully ring some Twite only 8 birds about and one bird caught, a 2007 retrap female.

Ringstone edge yesterday proved to be hard work with 1 Reed Bunting and 5 Goldfinch ringed. And today didn't even bother going out.

Tomorrow brings a day of Tawny Owl Box inspecting so fingers crossed.

Kane happy we caught the one bird