Reunited with an old friend

Been catching the last of the reedbuntings for the winter/spring. Among the last of the birds caught was this female. The history of the bird is as follows:- Trapped and ringed 06/02/03 5f

Retrapped 15/03/08 6f

Retrapped again 02/04/09 6f

Retrapped again 28/03/10 6f

This is what I enjoy so much about ringing, to know that some birds live for a considerable time and usually winter in the same area. I look forward to meeting up with her again next year.

A better morning.

Saturday (27th) morning dawned mild and dry with a moderate Southerly wind and we were again at Caister with the hope of catching some Linnets.  It was going to prove to be an eventful morning. 41 were seen in the area the previous evening with 19 on the seed, so there were at least some there! No Snow Bunting were seen, so they have started the northward journey back.

 The net was set, then its sit back and wait for the birds to come in.  They started to arrive in 3 and 4's alighting on the nearby telegraph wires, soon they had amassed to 50, watching us to there amusement! 

  Some of the goup discussing the finer points of Linnet ageing and sexing.

The final tally was 32 new and 2 retraps, both from March 2008.

There were some memorable scenes during the morning with Justin 'cartwheeling' down the beach, Dave and Tony doing some kind of beach race and Arthur having a dog trying to pee up his leg thinking it was a bush !!!!

Mr. Linnet

Mrs. Linnet

Female (left) and Male Linnets

1st. Winter tail feathers (5)

Adult type tail feathers (4/6)

Spring migration was observed with the first Swallow of the year going South, Grey Wagtail North and 35 Jackdaw coming in off the sea. A Wren was also seen nest building in a nearby Gorse bush.

3 Porpoise were watched feeding offshore constantly breaking the surface and a Grey Seal nearby. 

Could do better...

Saturday 20th March saw the group at Caister beach at 5.30am, with the intention of catching some Linnets.
22 Linnets and 8 Snow Bunting were seen near the seed  the day before.
Once the Snow Bunts depart for ther breeding grounds the Linnets start arriving and using the seed.
The birds were playing it cagey and when they got anywhere near  they were flushed off by various things.
How ever we did catch 5 of the 8 Snow Bunts, with 3 new/1 retrap and a colour ringed bird from Kessingland, Suffolk, but only 1 Linnet obliged.

5F (NIVALIS)

B3 From Kessingland, Suffolk

Mrs. B3

Another 5F (Nivalis)

5M Linnet

3 of us then went off to a broadland site to put up another Barn Owl box. The site has been crying out for a box and we have finally got round to doing it.

 As we approached the building 10 Cranes took off in the field behind, what a fantastic sight.

 On entering the building a Stock Dove flew out, this had a nest  with 3 egg's !

The new site

The new box in situ

In the evening we had a return visit to Hickling for the Ducks. The pond was being fed for the last time this Winter. As we approached about 60 Teal , 10 Mallard and 3 Shoveller took off !

The same nets were erected as before, but again they came back too early and most flying off to feed else where.

 We did manage to ring 2 Teal and another Mallard.

I would like to take this oppurtunity to thank James for his permission and all the effort he has put in to feed

the ducks this Winter.

The duck pond

Whoosh netting at Ormesby

I have recently purchased a new Whoosh net from Pete Reid to replace the old one that has been well used over the years and is beyond repair. I can thoroughly recommend Pete's nets, they are well made and last a long time, the last one about 7/8 years and was used almost on a weekly basis.Many birds have been caught and ringed in the garden in that time.
In the last few weeks since the new one arrived it has accounted for;

Collared Dove 4

Wood Pigeon 15

Moorhen 2

Blackbird 24

Redwing 1

Pied Wagtail 1

and on Sunday 17 Starling.

Wood Pigeon

Blue for Boy's

Pink for Girl's

What a stunning bird !

Spring at last ?!

Saturday 15th March.

Snowdrops

Snowdrops and Aconites

With a lack of birds about, Winter birds moving out and Spring migrants yet to arrive, we decided to do some net ride maintenance at Winterton.Some are getting out of hand, when there are birds about most are flying over the nets rather than in to them ! Most of the rides comprise of Birch/Alder and Willow scrub and a lot of Rhododendron .

Before

After

Another ride

Some of the locals !?

The woods were very quiet apart from at least 7 Woodcock flying out.

Woodcock from earlier in the year.

Quackers

We were invited back to the flight pond at Hickling on Sunday evening. Several Teal and Mallard had been feeding on the pond.


Six wader nets were put up across the pond in a zig zag. The ducks started to arrive early before it was dark and so could see the nets, however five Mallard and three Teal were caught with about another ten birds getting out of the nets before we could even enter the water.


This was better than the last session we had here, when all we caught was a cold!

Justin with another new friend!


5M Teal

6M Teal

5M Teal Tail Feathers

6M Teal Tail Feathers



5F Teal



5F Teal

Mallard



Mallard

Third time lucky

The day did not start too well with phone calls made at 5am to change the ringing arrangements - firstly the plan was to go do the cover-crop at Winterton but the 25mph NE did not help matters, so this was abandoned for plan B.

The new plan was to go to Caister Beach to whoosh-net Snow Buntings as 33 were seen the day before on the seed.

It looks cold and it was!

Some of the members looking fed up and really cold!

These did not play ball after 2.5 hours in the biting NE only 4 were caught. (3 New and 1 Control).

5M (NIVALIS)

6F (INSULAE)

5M (CONTROL) Colour ringed bird from Kessingland, Suffolk

So the whoosh net was packed up quickly and we headed off to the broads for plan C . One two shelf wader net was erected near the waters' edge and resulted in 10 new birds being ringed:-

Greylag Goose 1

Moorhen 1

Coot 8

Moorhen

This was a good catch considering no Coot were ringed in Norfolk last year!
This also resulted in new birds for Gary and Justin.

At least they look a bit happier now! !

Justin trying to send his Coot to sleep

OH Shit!!!

Not the sort of thing you want to blunder into a mist net!!

Eccles ringing site

Will be visiting the site over Easter weekend at some stage to negotiate accommodation for the autumn ringing and also clear some trees. Members of ENRG welcome to come along to see the site. Let me know.

Nice try......

Went to Winterton on 27th Feb.
Weather looked good but then deteriorated as the morning progressed.
11 x 60' nets were erected between the hedge and cut cover crop in one line.

Birds caught were as follows (Retraps in brackets); 51 ringed and 3 retraps.

DUNNOCK 6 (1)
ROBIN 4
BLACKBIRD 9 (1)
SONG THRUSH 2
BLUE TIT 2
GREAT TIT 1
ROOK 1
CHAFFINCH 13 (1)
BRAMBLING 1
YELLOWHAMMER 1
REED BUNTING 11

The Rook looking menacing

5M Brambling

Not too bad considering the change of weather,may well have another go before it is ploughed up.