If any of my sites has displayed the negative impacts of the heatwave it is the Firs. In June and July we averaged 80 birds per session: a high of 120, a low of 51. Today was just 14 birds! This is despite the fact that the site is full of berries, rose hips and red currants, from the tree whose name I can never remember. Unfortunately, the two wildlife ponds are as dry as a bone and I suspect that has had the greatest impact.
I was joined for the session by Miranda, who is usually only available midweek, and will probably be the same in future, and David. We set our usual nets, put on lures for various migrants and waited. Basically, we brought back two birds per round, with the odd one, one three and several blanks!
The list for the session was: Blue Tit 2; Great Tit 2(1); Wren 2(1); Dunnock (1); Robin 2; Song Thrush 1; Blackcap 2. Totals: 11 birds ringed from 6 species and 3 birds retrapped from 3 species, making 14 birds processed from 7 species.
On the topic of Song Thrushes, this one ringed takes us to 30 for the year. This is the best result since 2016. The catch is pretty evenly spread across all of our Braydon Forest and Lower Moor Farm sites.
We shut the nets at 11:00 and sloped off home soon after! Onwards and upwards: Blakehill Farm West in Wednesday, and East on Saturday: let’s hope the Meadow Pipits have arrived!