Goldfinch-fest!

The weather was again perfect for ringing yesterday - calm and overcast - and so I collected Mark and we set up the nets in the garden. The first net was up by 8:30  as we made our way down the dip to set up a second net in a slightly different place in the hope of catching more birds. Once we were happy with it we appeared back up to the top of the garden to find eleven birds in the net already!

It was nice to get some Goldfinches again as we had a few female birds but another two male Bullfinchesbrought the total of that species to ten so far this winter. The tits were notable by their absence to start with but things picked up around 10:30 when a large flock of Goldfinches appeared in the trees. Suffice to say we were please to get five in the top net (with another four species) as well as six in the bottom net. Altogether we trapped 17 goldfinches and one re-trap from December.

Mark caught a snatch of a Treecreeeper and a little later we had added the species to the garden ringing list! Also a nice way to christen my new camera (though I need some better lenses).

This morning, a flock of 18 Goldfinches appeared at the feeders, only one of them was ringed! Looks like there is a return of these birds after the cold spell or that food is really scarce out there and gardens are becoming the main source for them.

Totals for our six sessions so far as below. Mark is off to the Farnes mid March so I reckon we'll get another couple of sessions in but unfortunately nothing in Spring.










Newly ringed birds
30-Dec-08
21-Mar-09
05-Dec-09
28-Dec-09
14-Jan-10
26-Jan-10
Totals
Great Spotted Woodpecker




1

1
Grey Wagtail

2




2
Pied Wagtail



1


1
Wren



1


1
Robin
1
1

2
3
2
9
Dunnock
1
1


3
2
7
Blackbird
2
1

4
5
1
13
Goldcrest


1



1
Long-tailed Tit
1
1


2
3
7
Blue Tit
10
2
7
6
6
6
37
Great Tit
5
4
10
6
6
4
35
Coal Tit
2

3


3
8
Treecreeper





1
1
House Sparrow

2
2
4
1
2
11
Chaffinch
1
5
1
1
1
1
10
Greenfinch
1
4




5
Goldfinch
1
4
1
7

17
30
Bullfinch

3
2
4
2
2
13
Lesser Redpoll
7
3

5
1

16
Siskin

1




1
Reed Bunting



1


1
Total
32
34
27
42
31
44
210








Retraps
30-Dec-08
21-Mar-09
05-Dec-09
28-Dec-09
14-Jan-10
26-Jan-10
Totals
Robin





1
1
Dunnock

1


1

2
Blackbird





1
1
Long-tailed Tit




1

1
Blue Tit

3
2
2
1
1
9
Great Tit

1
1
1
1

4
Coal Tit


1



1
Goldfinch





1
1
Bullfinch


1

1
1
3
Lesser Redpoll

2




2
Total
0
7
5
3
5
5
25








Overall Total
32
41
32
45
36
49
235

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