Since the landowner, local waste management firm, Hills, insisted that the Trust, who manage the site on their behalf, remove all of the Ash, to prevent potential accidents for visitors from trees affected by die-back, the bird life there has improved immensely. A key impact has been a much more open woodland and canopy. The fact that we had our largest catches there this winter, and over 23 species recorded in the last year, is testament to the improvement. More on that later.
I was joined this morning by David, Laura, Adam and Pete. We met at 6:00 and set the usual nets, adding a third net to the two adjacent to the ringing station. In total we had 228m of net set. They were open before 7:00 and we started catching straight away. It was an excellent first round: whilst the team were finishing off setting the nets down the central glade, I started opening the nets. There were already birds in. First bird I took out was a Garden Warbler, and then I took out a Blackcap and another two Garden Warblers. This was significant: prior to this session we had never caught more than two in the Firs in a full session, on 29th May 2024. On five other occasions we have caught singles, so three in one session was brilliant. When that finally turned into five, that was outstanding. Before today we had caught seven in the Firs in the period 2019 to 2025, having caught none between 2013 and 2018 inclusive. To nearly double the total to date in one session was a real surprise. Two of those five were females, with well developed brood patches. So hopefully we can look forward to some juveniles in a few weeks time.
The main part of the catch was Blackcap. They were mainly males, but we did have four females, all of which had fully developed brood patches. No doubt feeding their first broods.
The two Blackbirds ringed were newly fledged youngsters. They hadn’t started their post fledging moult yet. Unfortunately, they were both bothered by ticks attached to the side of the gape, in too difficult a position to attempt removal (I am authorised by the BTO to carry out tick removal).
As ever, we did catch a couple of Blue Tits. If anybody wonders jus how hard adult Blue Tits work to rear their broods, have a look at this:
The two we caught were both clearly knackered, this one was the worse of the two.
The list for the session was: Nuthatch 1(1); Blue Tit (2); Great Tit 1(1); Marsh Tit (1); Wren (2); Dunnock 1; Robin (1); Song Thrush 1; Blackbird [2](1); Blackcap 13(2); Garden Warbler 5; Willow Warbler (2); Chaffinch 1. Totals: 23 adults ringed from 7 species, 2 juveniles ringed from 1 species and 13 birds retrapped from 9 species, making 38 birds processed from 13 species.
One interesting thing happened this morning: our ringing tables, equipment, our chairs and we people, were continually having little black bits dropping on to us from the trees above. It took a few minutes to realise: it is clearly a very good breeding season for moths, butterflies and other insects that lay their eggs in the treetops, because it was an absolute bombardment of caterpillar poo!
We kept brushing it off, turn around and there it was again.
Alongside our decent catch for this time of year, we were treated to Green Woodpeckers having a yaffle off from each side of the wood, we were visited by a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees above our ringing station. I had a very pleasant 10 minutes watching it hopping up and around the trees close by. The obligatory Raven cronked its way around the treetops, with small flocks of Jackdaw and the odd Carrion Crow flying over. However, perhaps the best sighting of the morning was seven Buzzards, and several Red Kites, taking advantage of the thermals to circle around above the wood and surrounding fields. Like yesterday, when we saw a dozen or more Red Kite whilst out checking Barn Owl boxes in this area, farmer Malcolm and his team were out again today, collecting up the cut grass for silage, which was no doubt what was interesting the raptors.
With the catch dying off after 11:00, we shut the nets and took down starting at 11:30. With the number out, and David’s dad Trevor joining and helping, it was all done and we were off site by 12:15, after a very satisfactory session.
Ringing In The Braydon Forest & Beyond 