It seems like an age since we were last in Ravensroost Woods. Most of our sessions are carried out in the coppiced area at the south of the wood. Today, for a change, we decided to ring in the area to the north of the bridle path to see whether it would be any different. I was joined by my two C-permit holders: Ellie Jones and Jonny Cooper.
The session started in fairly thick mist, which lifted only slowly, keeping the temperature cold and the birds in bed. We caught small numbers regularly throughout the morning and ended up with a total of 40 birds. Given how little ringing we have done in that part of the wood recently, it was good that one-fifth of the catch were recaptures.
One Blue Tit in particular was a nice recovery: ALC4992 was ringed in Red Lodge on the 10th October this year. It is only 3km, but still a surprise when this sort of thing occurs.
The list from today: Nuthatch 1; Treecreeper 1; Blue Tit 4(3); Great Tit 6(3); Coal Tit 5; Marsh Tit 1; Long-tailed Tit 4; Wren 2; Blackbird 1(1); Chiffchaff 1; Goldcrest 6; Chaffinch 1. Totals: 33 birds ringed from 12 species; 7 birds recaptured from 3 species, making 40 birds processed from 12 species.
My highlight of the session was our twelfth new Marsh Tit of the year, but 5 Coal Tits and 6 Goldcrests at this time of the year, with no feeding stations set up, is always a pleasure.
Ringing In The Braydon Forest & Beyond 