A pretty interesting month (despite my continuing concerns about the small numbers being found on my sites this year) with some good changes and additions to our activity.
The biggest change is clearly the increase in the number of pulli processed. As is often the case with the group these days, most of this change has been driven by Jonny (with a little help from yours truly). He asked me to help him get his pullus endorsement for Passerine / near-Passerine closed nest pulli. We spent an interesting period checking out nest boxes in Biss Wood, hence the huge increase in the number of pulli ringed this month. I am pleased to say that he has now been given that endorsement, so he can deal with, not only the huge number of nest boxes currently in Biss Wood (both for titmice and dormice), but also the additional 40 dormouse nest boxes going up in there, plus another 40 in Green Lane Wood, which will no doubt be commandeered by Blue and Great Tits at every opportunity. Thanks to Matt Callaway of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust for attending so we could look at the Dormouse nest boxes. We found no Dormice but several Blue Tit nests.
I have also benefited from my collaboration with RSPCA Oak & Furrows, getting the opportunity to ring a couple of Swift prior to their release, plus the opportunity to ring pulli of the following species: Rook, Magpie and Mistle Thrush. Of course, that opportunity also gave me the opportunity to find out that one of the Swifts ringed had a collision in my village, which resulted in it being euthanised by our local vet. In addition, the farm buildings at Clattinger Farm are busy with birds this year. Rosie and I ringed a brood each of Blackbird, Robin, House Sparrow and Swallow. The Robin chicks were in an open plastic container of the sort provided when buying screws in bulk:
We have several other broods to ring in the next week or so. June is looking busy already for ringing pulli. Outside of ringing pulli, we caught juveniles of Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Long-tailed Tit, Starling and Treecreeper.
Excluding pulli, the number of birds processed is larger than last year but, with fewer sessions carried out in 2022, the average catch in 2023 is lower. I cannot help thinking that this is entirely my fault as my catches have been down this year!! We have had an impressive number of species ringed, 39 compared to 31. Added to the list this year are Dipper, Goldcrest, Jay, Marsh Tit, Mistle Thrush, Rook, Swift, Tawny Owl, Treecreeper and Yellowhammer. Missing this year are Barn Owl, Grey Wagtail and Sparrowhawk. Pulli missing this year are Jackdaw, Stock Dove and Stone Curlew (Miranda and I ringed 3 Jackdaw chicks yesterday!).
In terms of increases in numbers clearly the number of Starlings stands out: entirely down to Andy’s catching in (I think) his back garden and surrounds. There was a somewhat surprising increase in the number of Blackbirds ringed (34 vs 17) whilst the numbers retrapped were 17 vs 18. Chiffchaff numbers were much increased, but that was due to a large increase in the number of retrapped birds. However, obviously birds can be caught multiple times, so I looked at the number of individuals represented in those figures. In 2022 it was 26 birds, this year it was 41 individuals. Similarly with the increased number of Willow Warblers: the 12 birds processed represent 12 individuals and in 2022 the 5 caught were all individuals, so there is over a doubling of the numbers caught.
Ringing In The Braydon Forest & Beyond 