Showing posts with label Reed Warbler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reed Warbler. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Another Hobby

Tuesday 16 August. The forecast looked spot on for Wednesday morning so on Tuesday afternoon I drove out to Pilling way to check everything was in place for a ringing session the following morning. I saw five Common Snipe on the mucky pools and where wagtails usually outnumber waders but not on this occasion. Perhaps the time of day was not ideal for wagtails but I was confident there would be both Meadow Pipits and wagtails the next morning. 

Snipe

Pied Wagtail

As I drove off site I spotted the slow, lazy flight of a Marsh Harrier, quartering the ground like a Barn Owl, floating above the grassy fields and reedy ditches on long, V-shaped wings, looking and listening for movement below. The harrier was heading my way, but then veered off and I lost it as it headed north west. Not to worry, there was a good chance the same or another one would be around on Wednesday morning. 

Marsh Harrier
 
On Wednesday morning I met Will at 0630 with a net or two and with the walk-in pipit trap. the one we bait with wriggly meal worms.

Meal worms

Although we caught a few Meadow Pipits, the numbers for a larger total just weren’t around and neither were the wagtails of recent days. We caught 8 birds - 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Reed Warbler,  1 Sedge Warbler. 

We rarely capture Meadow Pipits a second time because the species is extremely transitory in both spring and autumn. Therefore it was most unusual that this morning one of the pipits in the walk-in trap bore ring number ACV6545, previously caught and ringed here on 9 August. The lure of free meal worms had overcome any fear or memory that the bird may have had of the walk-in trap just a week ago. It seemed that the pipit is no hurry to migrate south. 

Reed Bunting

Reed Warbler

Meadow Pipit

Sedge Warbler
 
Our catch was a poor representation of the numbers of small birds and the species we saw, with highlights of 40 Meadow Pipit, 10 Reed Bunting, 8 Goldfinch, 30 Swallow, 15 Tree Sparrow, 3 Sedge Warbler, 15 Linnet and 8 Goldfinch. 

Better was to come when Will’s superior eyes caught sight of a Hobby heading our way. And then we watched as it changed direction upon spotting us and hurried off in the direction of Fluke Hall and Knott End some miles away.  It quickly became a speck in the hazy sky to the west.

It was not a surprise to watch a far off Marsh Harrier as it hunted out over the salt marsh but it was too distant to age or sex from some 100 yards away. Was it the same one as Tuesday? Unlikely since mid to late August is peak passage time for this now fairly common raptor of Northern England. 

We packed in early as numbers and the clear skies above did little for our catch. But we’ll be back soon so don’t go away good friends because there’s always news, views and photos on Another Bird Blog. 

Linking this weekend to Eileen's Saturday. 


Monday, July 10, 2023

Testing Times

The thunderstorm of Saturday moved north and east from here in coastal Lancashire and headed across the Pennines to disrupt the Headingley Test Match. There was less cricket to watch on TV but the Sunday forecast was unimpaired; a dry, bright morning with 2-5 mph and the prospect of a ringing session following weeks of inactivity. 

The rain was gone when I met up with Will for a brutal 0600 start but high hopes of catching a few warblers. Viewing visits in recent days saw seven or eight singing Reed Warblers and pairs of both Reed Bunting and Sedge Warbler with plenty of feeding activity around their reed bed of choice. Surely by now, early July there would be fresh juveniles aplenty? 

Our own scoreboard saw an improvement with 16 birds caught – 2 recaptures (Wren and a Reed Warbler from 2021) and 14 new birds. 6 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackbird, 3 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Robin and 1 Whitethroat. 

Score sheet
 
Of the seven Reed Warblers just two were juveniles, the other five adults, numbers that meant we had scratched the surface, with more juveniles yet to fledge following the very slow start to breeding during the cold weeks of May. Reed Warblers need dense and tall reeds in which to hide their nests suspended between solid reed stems, growth that was sluggish and not to anyone’s liking. 
 
Great Tit

Wren

Blue Tit

Reed Warbler

A single Whitethroat was the other representative of the warbler family with no sight or sound of hoped for Blackcaps, Willow Warblers or Chiffchaffs, never mind more exotica like Lesser Whitethroats or Garden Warblers. The singing Reed Bunting stayed out of range and we never got to see the female buried somewhere in the edge of the reeds on her precious eggs,  

Reed Bunting

Whitethroat

It looks as though we will have to wait a week or two more for post juvenile wanderings to begin in earnest. 

Bird watching in between the ringing provided scant rewards with handfuls only of Goldfinches, Linnets and Swallows plus flybys of Grey Heron and Little Egret. 

Later,  I caught up with the cricket. England beat the Aussies in the Third Test. Now it’s all to play for in the following two games, Old Trafford next and then The Oval for the decider. 

It’s a little like ringing. Playing to win and not giving up. You can’t keep a good team down. 

 

Friday, June 2, 2023

Stuck For Time

I am a little stuck for time this weekend. Therefore here’s a selection of recent photos but previously unpublished on the blog. A few from the recent holiday to Skiathos, Greece and some from local visitations to the hills north of Garstang, and an obliging Grasshopper Warbler from Pilling.

The Grasshopper Warbler was seen May 2nd, the day before we set off for Manchester Airport at 2am Wednesday 3rd May. The morning was grey and windswept and not the best for pictures.

Grasshopper Warbler

Grasshopper Warbler

A few birds ringed the same day as the "gropper" - adult Reed Warbler, adult female Chaffinch and a rather nice adult male Reed Bunting. 

Reed Bunting

Reed Warbler

Chaffinch

Here's a few from Skiathos. 3-17 May. 

Before the grey shrike came close the long range views below helped separate out Great Grey Shrike versus Lesser Grey Shrike. A Lesser Grey Shrike shows long wings (long primary extension), relatively short, rounded tail, and stubby-looking bill. It was probably 25 years since my last LGS and 5 years since a GGS. 

Lesser Grey Shrike

 A spectacular European Roller made for a brilliant hour or so until it presumably flew off north, across the Aegean Sea to Europe, perhaps mainland Greece itself. It lived up to the book descriptions of "favouring open country with scattered trees and woodland patches. Mostly seen singly or in small groups perched on prominent spots such as bare snags or wires". 

European Roller

European Roller

Skiathos has both Red-rumped Swallow and Barn Swallow as resident breeding species and also as migrants spring & autumn. Both species seemed to be at similar stages of nest building by collecting mud from tracks and rain filled puddles. 

Red-rumped Swallow

The photo below shows how a Little Owl was able to play hide and seek. If it wasn't in the mood for posing it would walk down under the corrugated roof and disappear from sight until later. 

Visitors to Skiathos always hear the nightly monotone calls of the common Scops Owl even if they hardly ever see one. Meanwhile the less vocal Little Owl, a perhaps unlikely member of the birds of Skiathos, stays out of the limelight.

Little Owl

Bringing everything up to date here are some photos in the hills near Garstang from this week.

Red-legged Partridge

Redshank

Lapwing

Curlew

Back soon with Another Bird Blog. Linking this weekend to Eileen's Blogspot.


Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Last Gasp

Tuesday would be the last opportunity for getting out before jetting off to Greece on Wednesday. Sue reminded me that packing suitcases is a little like cooking - too many packers spoils the baggage - or words to that effect. So I took the advice, left her filling suitcases and bags via the well-thumbed aide memoire then set off to meet Will out Pilling way for 0630. 

Regular readers will know that recent ringing has been slow in numbers and that birding has proved more electrifying in the way of raptors like Peregrines, Marsh Harriers and Sparrowhawks. There’s nothing quite like a dashing falcon or a marauding hawk to enliven a morning of netting tedium that consists of two birds an hour. 

Even the recent Spotted Flycatcher was having none of our wicked ways when it spent two hours and more watching the clumsy efforts without trying out the mist nets. 

Spotted Flycatcher
 
Today’s escapee was Stonechat, a single bird that arrived unseen along a distant fence and then flew to the seed plot and perched up within a yard or two of the single panel nets before doing the proverbial vanishing act.  

Stonechat

Villain of the piece was a female Sparrowhawk which appeared on the scene looking for a meal of Linnet but then scattered not only the Linnet flock but also the Stonechat. The Sparrowhawk easily snatched a Linnet and treated us to superb views but we didn’t see the Stonechat again. 

After a couple of weeks of low numbers Linnets were this morning suddenly back in quantity with a couple of large flocks amounting to 150-180 individuals. We caught five Linnets along with two more Robins and possibly our last Reed Warbler of the year. 

Linnets
 
Linnet

Reed Warbler
 
It seems we are not the only ones to note the reappearance of Linnets with a gang of 220 seen at Hilbre Island, Merseyside on Sunday. 

These movements signify the start of the true autumn migration of Linnets from the top of Scotland, many of which spend their winter in the relative balminess of North West England warmed by the Gulf Stream. Small differences in temperatures may seem bearable to us but to a small seed eating bird like a Linnet spells of Scottish cold, ice and snow are life and death. 

Only briefly did a Marsh Harrier treat us to stunning views when it circled around behind our ringing office where it attracted the attention of assorted crows. The morning sun lit the harrier’s crown and turned it like magic into a pot of yellow butter. 

Marsh Harrier
 
There was a Peregrine again. Brief views as the bird dashed right to left across our viewpoint and in pursuit of some unknown prey not too far away. 

That’s it folks. The packing is packed. There's an early taxi heading this way. See you in Greece. 

I may have Wi-Fi some of the time so if there’s no response to comments and queries, apologies in advance. I’ll be along eventually. 


Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Put The Kettle On

Readers will be pleased to know I survived the two day “heatwave” that only last week was projected to “kill thousands”. This is all very confusing because five or six years ago scientists predicted that “Earth is 15 years away from a mini ice age" when we would all freeze to death. 

For those of a nervous disposition likely to be triggered by the daily diet of doom and gloom served up by TV and newspapers, it’s best not to worry about the latest scam. Just like buses, you can bet there’ll be another one along very soon. 

Instead, take a seat, relax, put the kettle on and contemplate the next birding day. 

Keep Calm

This preoccupation with weather watching does occasionally make for the wrong decision, as we may have for Thursday when at the last minute we cancelled Thursday in favour of ringing on Friday. 

Friday dawned but there was no point in fretting what may have been but instead concentrate on the job in hand at our ringing site out Pilling way. It was 0615 when Andy’s car negotiated the rough track, where in my inability to sleep at the prospect of a ringing session, I had already set the Linnet net. 

With mid-week reports of early migrants including Yellow Wagtails, Whitethroats, large roosts of Sand Martins plus returning waders like Ruff and Greenshank, anything was on the cards in the slight, almost non-existent easterly draft. 

An hour or two later we had our answer when cloud rolled in, the breeze sprung up and drizzly rain enveloped us. This proved very frustrating as by then we had caught just seven birds, two each of Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Linnet plus a single Wren. We saw 60/70 Linnets head our way and stop for a look as the single panel net grew increasingly balloon-like; there was no way the Linnets would fall for that. 

Sedge Warbler

Reed Warbler

Wren

A Wren or “wrigglearse” as ringers fondly name them, has a reputation as a tiny, troublesome beast, one that will wind itself into a mist net several times over or run up an unwary ringer’s open sleeved jacket. Twisty turning fidgeting Wrens are the best learning experience for a trainee ringer in how to handle small birds, lessons they never forget. 

However, Troglodytes troglodytes the cave dweller is an in interesting species and certainly more migratory than many bird watchers realise, hence the reason we catch the species. 

Click on the map below taken from the BTO’s phenomenal online migration atlas.


We’ve hit a Wren sweet spot because today we caught another two Wrens plus 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Linnet, a Willow Warbler, a Greenfinch and the ultimate rarity, a Song Thrush. 

Song Thrush

Greenfinch

We packed in early when contractors arrived to turn the cut grass in readiness for silage stage. The noise and disturbance from the huge machines made ringing almost impossible. 

On The Farm

We saw our first autumn Marsh Harrier when a brown juvenile followed the species’ usual route north to south and then disappeared into the distance. 

Marsh Harrier

Also, 2 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel, 60+ Linnet, 40 Lapwing, 30 Curlew, 300 Starling, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 4 Pied Wagtails. 

I was home early so clicked the kettle on and dropped a tea bag into a favourite mug. Life is sweet when there’s nothing to worry about. 

There’s more news, views and photos soon from Another Bird Blog. 


 

Saturday, July 16, 2022

Minor Movement

Monday at Pilling proved fairly unproductive with yet another catch that barely reached double figures. There was a lack of warblers but a noticeable increase in the flocking behaviour of Linnets. It appears that Linnets have done OK, but for warblers the season has been less productive with post breeding dispersal*yet to kick-off. 

Eleven birds caught - 4 Linnet, 2 Robin, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackbird, 1 Sedge Warbler. 

Adult male Linnets quickly lose their bright red colours and in a few weeks will look completely different after their post-breeding moult. 

Linnet

The two Reed Warblers were recaptures from 19 May 2022 and from August 2021; quite remarkably for mid-July of any years past it meant we had yet to catch a juvenile of the year. 

Reed Warbler
 
Post breeding dispersal. When juvenile birds from the last brood have successfully fledged they are no longer dependent upon their parents for feeding and training and it is common for both adults and juveniles to disperse. They are no longer tied down to the nest site when the rearing of young is over. Adults don’t need to defend their territory anymore and begin to wander further afield in search of food while youngsters head off to discover the big wide world away from their birth place. 

The week continued warm but windy from the north and it was Saturday before any morning looked suitable for another go so I met Will at 0615. The forecast of 5mph proved partly accurate as the wind increased to 10 and then 15 mph with full cloud cover by 10 o’clock and no sign of the overhyped "heatwave". 

We hit a morning of minor dispersal with a handful of warblers newly arrived from elsewhere and definitely not from our site. 

Ten birds caught - 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Linnet and 1 Great Tit. Once again, no new Reed Warblers in our catch report although a few adults still sing away. It could be that all the nests of June and July have failed. 

The Lesser Whitethroat was an adult in partial moult, the rest of the warblers being birds of the year. 

Lesser Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler

Goldfinch
 
Chiffchaff
 
Willow Warbler
 
Blackcap

The ever increasing breeze put paid to plans of catching Linnets when the net became visible to the ever wary finches. Throughout the morning we estimated 50/70 Linnets visiting the area but only one caught. 

Other birding entertainment was provided by a pair of juvenile Peregrines twice hunting a pack of Starlings. It was the rush of sound from the wings of tightly packed Starlings that alerted us to the pursuing raptors presence. 

Others - 1 Kestrel, 1 Raven, 4 Swallow, 2 Swift, 2 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron. 

Linking this weekend to Eileen's Blogspot and Anni in Texas.


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