This was my first visit to Webb’s Wood since some toe-rag stole the bird feeders. I didn’t bother replacing them, as I didn’t want to provide more temptation to whomsoever did it, and I was going to be taking them down this weekend anyway. I was joined for the session by Rosie, Miranda, Teresa and Andy.
I didn’t do my usual Wednesday stint because it was forecast to be very windy, with scattered showers. That turned out to be very accurate, so I was pleased that I had made that decision. With Thursday’s forecast being better: lower winds, although still gusting quite strongly, and rain by lunchtime, it seemed the better bet. We arrived on site at 6:30 and set the following nets:
As the wind was scheduled to come from the South South West, I decided to set nets where they were most sheltered from the predicted wind. Unfortunately, as soon as we had the nets open the first, unforecast, shower of rain arrived. It was light, not enough to close the nets, and lasted about 30 minutes before it stopped. We put out a medley of lures for a number of different bird species. The evil part of me was hoping that some of the new breed of birders might be nearby. By the “new breed” I mean those that have never used a field guide or listened to recordings of bird song to familiarise themselves with the species they are likely to find, but are totally addicted to apps to identify birds by song and even to identify their sightings for them, without them having to bother working it out for themselves. Although I am not a technophobe, after 35 years in IT I could hardly be so, I do think that if people have a genuine interest they should at the least get a grasp of the basics. I must be getting very old!
We did not catch a lot of birds but what we caught was nicely varied: Treecreeper (2); Blue Tit 1; Great Tit 1; Marsh Tit 1; Long-tailed Tit 1(1); Wren 1; Robin 1(1); Goldcrest 4. Totals: 10 birds ringed from 7 species and 4 birds retrapped from 3 species, making 14 birds processed from 8 species.
Highlights were, as ever, a second Marsh Tit ringed for the year, plus the four Goldcrests. It is only the second time in 11 years that we have caught four Goldcrests in Webb’s Wood in March, and the first time that we have ringed four. Usually, we have a big influx in the autumn, departing by the end of January / beginning of February.
Unfortunately, at just before 10:00 another, heavier shower arrived, the wind became much stronger, and I decided to call the session to a halt. As Teresa and Miranda were taking down ride 1, Andy and I started on rides 2 and 3. When Andy went to shut the nets in ride 3 not only did he find one each of Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit and Wren but, unfortunately bouncing off the net, a female Sparrowhawk, possibly chasing after one of these three captures but, thankfully for them, not catching them.
Other birds seen were the pair of Ravens flying around the wood, just like last time. I am pretty certain that they will be nesting in there. There was also a Song Thrush or two, (that Andy’s Merlin app identified as a Song Thrush, a Mistle Thrush, a Firecrest and a Long-tailed Tit) which spent most of the morning singing from near the tops of a couple of the taller trees, and Great Spotted Woodpecker were calling regularly but not drumming this morning.
With everything packed away, we left site just before 10:30. Naturally, by then the rain had stopped and the sun was out, and it was nice and warm – but the wind was still too strong for leaving nets open. As I said: short but sort of sweet.
Ringing In The Braydon Forest & Beyond 