The title is twofold: firstly, and more importantly, catches in the wood at Ravensroost have been pretty dreadful since 6th January 2022. That was a session boosted by a supplementary feeding station in place. Without that boost, this was our best session there for several years. The second meaning, without going into too much detail: I have been unwell, with depression. I had to decide how to handle that and being outdoors in the woodland is never a bad option. I arranged a session in Ravensroost Wood for Saturday, as a sick car had prevented me getting there on Tuesday and it was going to be too windy for the planned session at Brown’s Farm. Teresa and Andy came to help. We set the nets, caught and processed a retrapped Robin, and I then called a halt: I couldn’t face doing any more. I have to thank Andy and Teresa for being so understanding and helpful.
With the weather set to be dire for the rest of the week, I knew that I had to get back out and make sure that I could see it through. I decided to work solo, as I had to know that I could depend upon myself. As a result, I did not invite my usual weekday team along: I hope they will forgive me when they read about the session itself. In the event, Rosie came and helped me set up: we had things to discuss about some management changes being enacted for the woodland by the Wildlife Trust, which comes within her remit. The changes won’t affect our work there, but I needed to know so that I can plan and adapt accordingly.
The only slightly worrying event first thing was that, although most forecasts had it dry until the evening, as I was setting up ride 2 there were a few spots of rain, then a little bit of drizzle. Fortunately it only lasted for a couple of minutes, and thereafter the sky cleared and, once the sun was up, we had lovely blue skies for the rest of the session.
We set the following nets:
It was interesting from the start. Whilst we were setting the nets, and before the first round, there were large flocks of birds flying around the canopy of the woodland. There were a lot of Fieldfare all around, but we didn’t get so much as a smell of them near the nets. We noted several Tit flocks, particularly Long-tailed Tits. I was rather dreading being overrun by Blue Tits, especially after Rosie had left for work. Missing from the wood were Redwing. I set two lures along ride 2 for them but, for once, there was no response. That is a bit unusual.
The first couple of rounds produced half-a-dozen birds each. The second had five Great Tits: three juveniles and two adults – and I was rather expecting that to be the way it went: Blue and Great Tits making up the majority of the catch. How wrong I was! The last round that we did before Rosie had to head off to work, at 8:30, produced a lovely catch of 14 Long-tailed Tits, three Blue Tits and a Goldcrest. That was pretty much it for the Blue Tits, but not for the Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests.
Rosie left after we had processed that round, it took a while. As she was leaving she noticed that there were a few birds in ride 2. I went to extract them, to be faced with a couple of Lesser Redpoll. I tried to call Rosie, so she could come and ring one of them, but couldn’t get a signal, so I had to do them myself. Next round I caught another. What was interesting was that none of them were caught anywhere near the lure and I was beginning to think that, perhaps, as sometimes is the case, the lure acts as a deterrent instead of an attractant. However, in my last round, just before 11:00, I did catch three right over the lure. I think the difference might have been an age thing: the first three were all juveniles, the second three were two adults and a juvenile – or it could just have been coincidence.
Lesser Redpoll, Acanthis cabaret
Six Lesser Redpoll is our second best ever catch of them at Ravensroost Wood. The best was in late November 2020 when we caught 17 at a feeding station. Other than that they have just been ones and twos.
As usual, Nuthatch were calling all around and I was thinking I would bring a lure for them next time. Of course the best lure isn’t a sound lure but a filled peanut feeder. That was one of the things I discussed with Rosie, as the Trust prohibited supplementary feeding last winter, because of HPAI. As they have relaxed that at other reserves, I was asking if we can set them at Ravensroost this winter. Hopefully yes, if Natural England will allow it, as the site is a SSSI. Still, who needs lures? Not only did I catch a male Nuthatch but I also caught a juvenile male Great Spotted Woodpecker. Definitely the noisiest bird you ever catch in a net!
Throughout the morning I was taking a couple of Goldcrest and / or Long-tailed Tit here and there, and they added up to a decent total by the end of the morning. The list for the day was: Great Spotted Woodpecker 1; Nuthatch 1; Treecreeper 1; Blue Tit 4(1); Great Tit 3(3); Long-tailed Tit 25(1); Wren 2; Robin 2; Blackbird 2; Goldcrest 10; Lesser Redpoll 6. Totals: 57 birds ringed from 11 species and 5 birds retrapped from 3 species, making 62 birds processed from 11 species.
It was a lovely session and has fully restored my appetite and put me back on an even keel. There were also a lot of interested and friendly people in the wood today, really keen to see the birds close up and to learn about ringing. One lady, visiting friends, having come up from Bristol, took down details on how to find a trainer from me as she was certain her daughter would be very interested in learning how to ring. Amazingly, every single one of the half-dozen dog walkers actually had their dogs on leads!
I closed the nets at 11:00, took down and was off-site by midday.
Ringing In The Braydon Forest & Beyond 