08/12/13 - end of a quiet week

Not much to report as the post title would suggest. I haven't had time to get out and do any birding or ringing away from the garden, however, the garden remains busy with birds and Goldfinches in particular. Groups of up to 30 are still visiting the feeders but they are starting to feed more in alder trees now that the cones have fully ripened and started to open. The Goldfinches have been joined occasionally by one or two Siskins including a fine male today.

Unprecedented numbers of Goldfinches have visited the garden this
autumn with 359 ringed to date.

Adult male Siskin, hopefully many more will come to the feeders over the winter.

I have managed to fit in a bit of ringing during the week; just 2 very short mist netting sessions and occasional use of a cage trap for Starlings. Two of the Goldfinches caught were controls (ringed elsewhere) and both of these had been ringed Kings Moss a few kilometres away.

 

 A stunning adult male Starling.

Ringing totals for the week were:
Goldfinch 10 (+1 retrap & 2 controls)
Starling 12
Blackbird 1
Long-tailed Tit 1
Blue Tit 1
Total 25 (+1 retrap & 2 controls)

Food fight