We actually got fewer full sessions in this month than last, which is quite remarkable given how bad that was. Despite that, we had our best April so far in terms of numbers and that is because we caught and ringed 72 more birds than any previous April.
As is clear, the improvement is in the number of birds ringed per session: an increase of seven birds per session.
Added to last year’s list was: Barn Owl, Corn Bunting, Kingfisher, Lesser Whitethroat, Linnet, Redstart, Rook, Skylark, and Tawny Owl.
Missing from last year’s list was Firecrest, Grey Wagtail, Jay, Long-eared Owl, Reed Warbler, Sparrowhawk and Tree Sparrow.
There are no huge discrepancies in the catch numbers where the species were caught in both years, with the exception of House Sparrow and Whitethroat this year.
It is hardly surprising that we didn’t catch a Long-eared Owl, given that the one caught last April was only the second for the Group since 1st January 2013, and the first was five years before last year’s.
Speaking of owls: Jonny also ringed the first ever Tawny Owl pulli for the group, those and mum too!
The Lesser Whitethroat are the first April catch for 5 years. Our Whitethroat catch was the best April catch ever by some degree, six more than the previous best in 2021. There seems to be a pattern of “bests for five years”.
As for the Rook, it is only the Group’s second wild caught bird since I caught one in my garden in May 2015:
For absence of doubt, that is the one from my back garden 11 years ago. It was so cute – certainly the least aggressive Corvid I have ever handled. It was so busy snacking on the fat and minced peanuts in our half coconut shell that it didn’t notice me creep up on her until it was too late. She didn’t struggle and, unlike the sort of raucous calls one associates with the crow family, she made a mewling sound.
And, talking of cute, Jonny Cooper is leading two projects, as part of his role in the Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Records Centre, monitoring Lapwing and Curlew breeding in much of Wiltshire. So far this year it has started very well for Lapwing. He sent me this video of his Lapwing chicks from this year’s haul so far: a genuine “aah” moment!
Ringing In The Braydon Forest & Beyond 