On Wednesday we were planning to provide a session / demonstration for the Wildlife Trust’s Swindon Well-being Group. The wind and rain put paid to that, so I moved it to today. Unfortunately, the Well-being Group couldn’t make that, nor could Miranda and Ellie, who both had other commitments that they couldn’t get out of. That left Laura and myself for the session. We met at 6:45 (an extra 15 minutes in bed! Luxury!) and set the usual nets. we weren’t expecting a huge catch so, in that, we weren’t disappointed. Actually, we had a lovely session. Some nice birds, one special bird (f0r us), and lots of very friendly and interested people stopping by for a chat.
We were never rushed off our feet, just a few birds every round, but it was a good variety, and we had only our third ever Siskin at this site in 12 years of working it. It is also the earliest of the Autumn arrivals at this site, by 13 days. It is our second earliest from all of my sites: the earliest being four ringed at Ravensroost Meadows on the 16th September 2020. (Where were they last Thursday, with our 13 bird catch?)
Every net caught this time, which makes a nice change. The list for the day was: Treecreeper (1); Blue Tit 4; Great Tit 1; Long-tailed Tit 3(2); Wren 2; Dunnock 2(1); Robin 1(2); Blackcap 2; Chiffchaff 1; Siskin 1. Totals: 17 birds ringed from 9 species and 6 birds retrapped from 4 species, making 23 birds processed from 10 species.
There was one unfortunately infected bird, this is a Dunnock that was ringed back in July 2023:
To be clear, had this bird had pox when we caught it first time round, we wouldn’t have ringed it. I am presuming that this is Avian Pox. Avian Pox was imported into the south-east of the UK from the continental mainland and spread rapidly outwards and northwards primarily in Great Tits, less so in Blue Tits. However, we have found it on several occasions in Dunnock, almost always on the feet, rather than the facial growths (as well as the body, leg and feet) found in the titmouse species. I thoroughly disinfected my hands and equipment and put the bag to one side for cleansing.
Whilst we were setting up the nets that run alongside Mallard lake, we heard an almighty splash, and then there were two enormous subsequent splashes, with water shooting up everywhere. Definitely not a bird (the local Mute Swans were over the other side of the lake), almost certainly not Otters, I would put money on it being one of the Beavers. We didn’t see this one, because of the foliage, but the last time I heard and saw that, I did see a Beaver swimming across to the Cormorant island. The Cormorants were very noisy this morning, lots of laughing and chattering.
It was lovely to see the three Great Crested Grebes out on the lake. In 14 years of ringing and birding there it is the first time I have seen that they have bred successfully at Lower Moor Farm.
Once again, the Great White Egret was strutting his stuff on the west bank of Mallard Lake.
We started closing the nets and taking down at 11:30. Naturally we caught another few birds, which meant we had to stop and process them before continuing with the take down. It was all finished and we were off site by 12:45.