Easter 2016 - hail, Starlings, Siskins and that Blackcap

I wasn't going to post anything on the blog today and to be honest there isn't really anything new to report but then not much change can be news in its own right. I was more or less confined to barracks today as I had some chores to do including cooking for 10 this afternoon. Cooking for 10 may not sound a lot but some of the appetites I have to deal with means that cooking for 10 is more like cooking for 15.

The forecast of sunshine and heavy showers with a risk of thunder, lightening and hail came good as the day progressed and was quite spectacular at times. If you have to have your wings clipped because of domestic duties then that is the sort of weather you want so you don't feel you have missed much and wanted to go out anyway.

There were a few heavy showers today including this spectacular hail shower which was accompanied by thunder and lightening early this afternoon.

Given we are nearing the end of March it turned out to be a good day for birds in the garden. I managed to fit the cooking and other chores around watching the feeders, taking photographs and catching a few birds in a cage trap. I had to suspend some cooking prep, turn hobs off from time to time and turn ovens off, even part way through cooking, but I got away with it judging by feedback on the final outcome. More to the point I largely got the photographs I wanted, colour-ringed 5 Starlings for my RAS project, resighted 2 previously colour-ringed Starlings and resighted the Belgian-ringed Blackcap (ring number confirmed from photographs as usual).

A68 is one of the Starlings that was resighted today although this particular photograph was taken on the 25th. A68 was originally ringed in May 2015.

Ringed Blackcap at the apple and Siskins at just one of the eight feeders. Not bad for late March in any garden.

This Blackcap could well be the most photographed Blackcap in the UK, ever. 

It is hard to not get attached to individual birds when you have watched them for some time and this bird certainly won't be forgotten in a hurry.

Blackcap with some of today's hailstones for background. South Notts Ringing Group produced an interesting post relating to a wintering Blackcap which can be found here.

Siskins continue to visit the garden in good numbers given the date and they put on a great performance as usual. There were up to 12 at the feeders at any one time and I got the impression that there were a few more around than there has been in recent days. Hopefully I will get the chance to catch and ring a few more before they all finally head north or back to the continent.

Adult male Siskin 27/03/2016. This one is ringed but most of the birds seen today were unringed.

Plenty of action at the feeders as usual.

All 3 of these birds were unringed.

Adult male Siskin 27/03/2016

We will probably miss the worst of the storm (Katie) that has been forecast for tomorrow (28th) and the weather for Tuesday onwards isn't looking bad either so there may be more to report in the next few days.

Slow going

I am getting bored with this weather as we seem to be stuck between seasons with winter not quite releasing its grip and spring not having the oomph of some southerly airflow to really get going. If we are unlucky it could drag on like this for some time with migration continuing at a slow pace but if we get some decent conditions there is likely to be a sudden rush of summer visitors. Unfortunately the forecast doesn't look too promising although we should have a brief respite this Thursday and hopefully a few migrants on the back of it.

I have only ringed one Chiffchaff since my last post and they are still fairly thin on the ground or absent from my sites. A wintering male Blackcap is still visiting the feeders in the garden each day and I am almost certain it is the bird that was ringed there on 10th January. A second male also makes an occasional appearance and I suspect this is the other male I ringed in January rather than a newly arrived spring migrant.

Chiffchaff ringed 25/03/15

Blackcap in the garden 28/03/15 and the same bird was still present today. I have partially read the ring number from photographs and I am fairly confident it is the bird I ringed in the garden on 10th January and first appeared in the garden on 1st January.

On the plus side I did find my first nest of the spring today. I was watching the ringed Blackcap on a feeder when I noticed a female Blackbird leave the privet hedge below. I had seen one carrying nesting material in that area the other week so went out to have a look. I soon spotted the nest containing at least 3 eggs but I rushed back in the house to get the camera rather than counting them there and then. I was only inside for less than a minute but when I got back to the nest the Blackbird had returned and was sat tight. I didn't want to disturb her so I will have to count the clutch another day.

The privet hedge has a lot of ivy growing through it and the bird has picked a location where a lot of debris from cuttings builds up in the hedge.

..........and a closer view from the same angle.

Unfortunately the chances of this nest being successful are very low. The nest is only a couple of feet off the ground and cats are not infrequent visitors to the garden. Blackbirds usually hatch their eggs but their problems really start when the young are well grown and start to get noisy. Cats generally find the nest at this stage and cause the young to leave prematurely. They either kill them all then or they pick them off over the next day or so. If they are really lucky the odd youngster survives. I do my best to protect nests and have used wire mesh to try and keep the cats at bay in the past but it doesn't always work. If the Blackbirds nested at a higher level it would improve their chances but they rarely do so despite the availability of suitable sites.

Fog and more fog

What had looked like being a very promising weekend was marred by fog yesterday morning and again today. Fog leaves very fine water droplets on mist-nets making them easier to see and even if the water droplets aren't too much of a problem the nets are just more visible in the grey conditions. On arrival at Billinge on both mornings the fog wasn't that thick at first so I set up a couple of nets but the density of the fog did vary a lot and localised clearances came and went. Conditions generally improved from mid morning on both days with the fog eventually clearing to leave gorgeous afternoons.

A few migrant Song Thrushes, Chaffinches, Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings were moving about despite the conditions, especially when the fog partially cleared. Some Goldcrests seemed to have been grounded overnight as none were seen or ringed yesterday and 11 were caught this morning. Similarly a Blackcap was probably new in overnight. A Stonechat that was present yesterday couldn't be relocated today so had presumably left in the clear conditions last night. Pink-footed Geese were moving in some number on both days but especially today. Those that could be seen were flying west although most were only heard through the murk.

Song Thrush.
Looking at the weather forecast more migrant Song Thrushes should be moving through in the nest few days and we should also see the first big arrivals of Redwings and Fieldfare.

All the Song Thrushes caught were continental birds being more olive on the back.

Male Chaffinch.

Male Reed Bunting

Goldcrest.

Female Blackcap,
Probably a late departing summer visitor rather than a newly arrived winter visitor.

The final ringing totals were quite good considering the conditions. There were a few blank rounds because the nets were very visible at times but overall it was worth sticking it out on both mornings.

Combined ringing totals for 11th and 12th October with retraps in brackets.
Chaffinch 39
Goldfinch 4
Linnet 2
Reed Bunting 3
Tree Sparrow 1
Song Thrush 6
Goldcrest 11
Blackcap 1
Meadow Pipit 1
Coal Tit 2
Long-tailed Tit 1 (3)
Willow Tit (1)
Total 71 (+4 retraps)

The lure of Tree Pipits.

I have been really frustrated by the weather over the past week or so to put it mildly. Just as we were getting into the peak migration period for Tree Pipits the weather pattern changed and low pressure dominated bringing wetter and windier conditions. Unfortunately this part of the country has been dogged by frequent showers coming in off Liverpool Bay on a stiff north westerly wind with the showers being most frequent in the mornings. When the showers have cleared it has generally been far too windy and too late in the day to contemplate any ringing. However, I have done what I can and even gone ringing for very short periods between the showers on some of the calmer mornings. On the plus side some of these outings have resulted in good catches of Willow Warblers that were grounded by the showers.

Ringing totals (retraps in brackets) and number of Tree Pipits recorded:

15th - Linnet 14, Willow Warbler 10 (1), Chiffchaff 3, Blackcap 1, Bullfinch 2, Chaffinch 2, Reed Bunting 1, Tree Pipit 3. At least 11 Tree Pipits were recorded heading south.

16th - Willow Warbler 13, Whitethroat 3, Linnet 2, Goldfinch 3, Robin 1, WillowTit 1. No Tree Pipits ringed but 3 went south.

20th - Willow Warbler 13, Goldcrest 1, Tree Pipit 2. A total of 4 Tree Pipits seen in this very brief ringing session.

21st - Willow Warbler 4, Chiffchaff 3, Goldfinch 1, Robin 1. At least 7 Tree Pipits went south but none were caught.

22nd - Willow Warbler 4, Chiffchaff 2 (1), Goldcrest 2, Garden Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Jay 1, Chaffinch 2, Tree Pipit 3, A total of 7 Tree Pipits recorded.

With 8 Tree Pipits ringed from a minimum of 32 recorded it is clear that many have pushed through despite the unpromising wind direction and very showery conditions. Had the weather been more favourable it is likely that the number of Tree Pipits seen and ringed would have been higher. Having said that another 8 Tree Pipits ringed from a total of 32 recorded is still a significant number for the county, never mind one site. It will certainly change the status of Tree Pipits as a migrant in this area, especially when the previous catches and sightings are taken into consideration.

The only glimmer of hope in the weather forecasts for drier and calmer conditions was with a ridge of high pressure that was due to sit over the country today (24th). Fortunately the forecast came good and I was out well before first light to make the most of it. Today was either going to be a day of delight or a day of disappointment but as it turned out it was somewhere in between. The Tree Pipit floodgates didn't open as I had hoped they would and there was little in the way of visible migration despite the seemingly good conditions. Two Grey Wagtails went south but other than that it was just the occasional Tree Pipit and I mean occasional. A total of 8 Tree Pipits were logged up to 11am, when I packed up, and 5 of those were caught and ringed which is good but just not as good as I had hoped given the conditions.

A stunning adult Tree Pipit.

The only juvenile Tree Pipit caught today. The median coverts on this individual are old juvenile feathers having paler fringes with no olive tones.

It has only taken me a little under 3 weeks to go from being delighted with 1 Tree Pipit to expecting to catch them in double figures but that is how things have gone. I have now ringed 40 Tree Pipits since 4th August which is a phenomenal number all things considered and there could still be some good catches to come. Surprisingly 4 of the 5 Tree Pipits caught today were adults and it will be interesting to see what the proportion of adults to juvs looks like at the end of the autumn.

Most of the adult Tree Pipits were only just finishing their moult and had some remnants of feather sheath at the base of the 2nd primary.

And another stunning adult Tree Pipit.

The morning ended with 24 birds ringed as follows: Tree Pipit 5, Meadow Pipit 1, Willow Warbler 5, Chiffchaff 5, Whitethroat 1, Blackcap 1, Chaffinch 3, Coal Tit 1, Reed Bunting 1 and Nuthatch 1.

Juvenile Meadow Pipit

Willow Warbler

Chiffchaff

Female Nuthatch and the first I have ringed at this site although they are common in mature woods nearby.

That time of year

Merry Christmas or should I say a soggy Christmas with even more rain or showers forecast for the next ten days, yes ten days. Not a single dry day in the forecast and precious little sunshine but I will try and grab every opportunity to go out birding or ringing that I can.

Anyway I would like to wish anyone who follows or stumbles across this blog a very merry Christmas (not that I am a God botherer) and more importantly better weather for the 2013; whatever that means for you in the blogosphere.