Quite an astonishing month. Last year was our best May to date, thanks to Jonny’s new found enthusiasm for monitoring nest boxes, besides Barn Owl boxes. This May dwarfed last, primarily because of the phenomenal work that Jonny continues to carry out, alongside his full time job.
The numbers, once you exclude the pulli, are fairly evenly matched, although in fewer sessions. Added to the list of non-pulli this year are Barn Owls, Coal Tit, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Spotted Flycatcher, Stock Dove and Woodpigeon. Missing from last year were Dipper, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Rook, Skylark, Swallow and Swift. However, the Magpies, Rooks and Swifts were all ringed at the RSPCA Oak & Furrows Rehabilitation Centre, rather than wild caught.
It is always interesting to compare numbers year on year. In terms of summer visitors, Blackcap and Chiffchaff numbers were significantly up, whereas Garden, Reed and Sedge Warbler numbers were significantly down.
Looking at the pulli numbers, the most astonishing increase is in the number of Blue (286 to 82) and Great Tit (105 to 21) chicks ringed. Added in to the list are the Tree Sparrow nests that Jonny has taken over from the previous ringer, not part of our group, plus two Lapwing chicks, identified through the Project Peewit monitoring scheme that he is managing through his job at the Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre. The second ringed was by Aurora near Shalbourne. She is working with Jonny at the WSBRC:
Missing from the nestling list this year are Swallow chicks. They do seem to have arrived later this year, in fewer numbers and, whilst Rosie is keeping an eye on their progress at Clattinger Farm, they are still either nest building or are still at the egg stage. Hopefully things will perk up in June. We have had a reasonable start to the Barn Owl nesting season, with our first brood ringed and three adults captured: one ringed, one retrapped in close proximity to where it nested last year and a control male that we think is the mate of the retrapped female. There are a number of clutches to be ringed in June plus two broods of Jackdaw, so far. Getting to some of the boxes has been a challenge as, due to the weather, many fields are impassable, so route marches are the order of the day.
Ringing In The Braydon Forest & Beyond 