Where are the Willow Warblers?

Back ringing again at the Swannery again after the miserable winter months.  New rides cut and old one trimmed. Water level still high in some places so care needed.  Just at the cusp of the top of the waders and not want a leg full too early on in the session.

The first half hour Sunday morning was spent defrosting the nets. The nets were white with frost and reluctant to unfurl. However soon up and running and the first round brought three Cettis Warblers- one retrap male from last October and two new females.  Then followed usual fare of Blackcaps,Wrens, Dunnocks etc but in the whole session only three Willow Warblers.  Luke has had similar results with a lack of Willow Warblers nearby at Clouds Hill.  We didn't trap many at Gibraltar first week April either.  Possibly the results of last years terrible breeding season.  Chiffchaffs about in better numbers.

The session finished with a nice female Reed Bunting

Hibernation over!

We are back.  After the long winter months when little is happening down here in the withy bed and the reeds it is time to start making good ready for arriving migrant birds and the CES.  A visit yesterday was made to assess the situation.  It is still very wet in the withy bed and a small stream was running along the net line.

Work on the withy bed will start at the end of this week when our good friends from Kingston Maurward College will bring some students down to learn the art of coppicing.  Coppicing is a very old tradition and when finished is very rewarding.

The reed bed is similarly very wet at the moment but the recent deluges might have something to do with this.  Hopefully the levels will drop before the CES starts and make walking through them easier.

It is hoped to pop down tomorrow morning just to air the couple of nets in the withy bed and try for a few migrants.

A finch morning.....

With the reed beds now practically devoid of bird life and the withy bed only productive early morning and late afternoon a couple of nets were positioned around the feeders for the end of the year to keep things ticking over and provide a platform for trainees over the winter months.

The first net round in the withy bed produced 5 Goldcrests and 2 Long-tailed Tits.  Around the feeders a steady stream of Blue Tits and a single Great Tit (where are they all?) was complemented by a nice little run of Greenfinch and Chaffinch.  The final net round in the withy bed produced a male Bullfinch. A few Robins and Dunnocks made up the rest of the numbers but 30 birds in 90 minutes was a worthwhile effort.

Of great interest was that I also caught the second ever House Sparrow down at the Swannery since 1995.  Perhaps they are creeping down as the cold weather kicks in

The weather looks to be deteriorating as the week goes on but may get another chance this week

A touch of frost.....

Lovely frosty start today and the nets up just at the point of light.  Lots of Fieldfare and Redwing on the drive down to the gates. Crests calling and huge flocks of Woodpigeons moving west.  Despite the amazing migration in the skies above with Skylarks,Siskins, Redpolls, Chaffinchs and Bramblings all moving through the nets remained quiet.

However the gloom was lifted when 4 Lesser Redpoll were trapped out in the net in the reed bed. Delightful little birds. Other species trapped were Chiffchaff, Wren, Goldcrest, and Robin.

The previous two evenings had provided a couple of good sessions with plenty  of lingering Chiffchaffs trapped and a steady stream of Goldcrests. A Kingfisher ( a juvenile female) was trapped in the reed-bed ride as the sun was setting. Only the second one this Autumn- usually get more than this. Contact was also made with the tit flock at it moved back through the withy bed on Monday evening  and a start was made into the forty or so Long-tailed tits in the flock. A few calm evenings this week and correct timing should prove beneficial.

A touch of Eastern Promise

A couple of useful days of mornings and evenings recently at the Swannery with the mist nets in the withy bed and one run out in the reeds.

A noticeable number of Robins  was noted couple of mornings ago. Each net on each net round had couple of Robins in it.  Apparently there was a large fall on the East so I guess that they had slowly crept their way across South East and then South West Britain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Good numbers of crests were caught a some larger winged chiffchaffs than usual.

 

However the best was yet to come when just on the point of dark this afternoon a Yellow-browed Warbler dropped into the net in the withy bed.

 

 

 

 

Over the past few evenings the Pied Wagtail roost which has returned to the reedbed has turned up trumps with more birds being colour ringed.  It looks as if the wind will curtail activity over the next few days but with a cold snap approaching things may get good again.

Always something new

A useful weekend at the Swannery until the wind picked this morning which put a stop to things. However the visiting ringer was not disappointed. Saturday afternoon saw 40 birds trapped and ringed including a late Grasshopper Warbler.  I have had Grass Snake, Water Vole, Dragonflies and Hornets in the mist net but this morning never one of these before from the top shelf

A three-spined stickleback

 

Shortly afterwards the likely culprit was trapped and ringed

 

Kingfisher

 

 





A flurry of Robins occured on Saturday along with the tail end of the tit flock towards the end  of the session. Chiffchaffs featured mostly though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two heavy Sedge Warblers were also trapped- surely some of the last for this year now. They were both very heavy and had fat score 60.  Next stop for them Etang de Trunvel!





Almost all over...

Just when it was thought that the Yellow Wagtail passage was over this evening 11 birds were trapped during what was supposed to be a Pied/White Wagtail roost.  Three Pieds and two Whites were caught along with them and also a very juvenile looking  male Sparrowhawk.with the usual beady yellow eyes..

The last few days the evening sessions have swept up the remaining Reed and Sedge Warblers lurking in the reeds. Fat Scores of the Sedge Warblers a very impressive score of 50/60. The birds look like small thrushes.

As Luke mentioned on his blog some of these Yellow Wagtails look a little suspect..  Other races must pass though Southern England.  This evening one bird clearly had grey moulting through on the head rather than the usual colouring we are used to with the British flavissima wagtails. British yellow wagtails vary considerably but these birds are clearly different.with longer  wings and heavier weights.

A delicate subject. The more of these birds we catch the more questions we ask.