After ringing almost 400 Chaffinches at Out Rawcliffe this autumn Will and I might have expected some return from our efforts. However today we received a couple of interesting Chaffinch controls from the BTO, both of them birds ringed not at Out Rawcliffe, but in Will’s Garstang garden. By definition the phrase “garden ringing” may conjure up thoughts of catching species that don’t move far or migrate at all, but Will’s garden at the foot of the Pennines in a well wooded location is well placed to catch migrant birds.
In Will’s garden during 2101 we ringed 183 Chaffinch, with another 133 so far in 2011, years to which the two recoveries below relate. The first Chaffinch L300882, a first year female was caught and ringed on 30 December 2010 and then recaptured the following autumn on 11 October 2011 at Calf of Man Bird Observatory.
The second Chaffinch, Y279256 another first year female was ringed on 4 September 2011 and then recaptured just 49 days later, again on Calf of Man.
Y279256 shows a classic on-going westerly autumn movement to Ireland of a juvenile female Chaffinch. L300882 is slightly more complicated by the recapture in a subsequent year, but it is highly likely the bird made the journey to ireland in both years, the Isle of Man a convenient stopover.
In addition to the Chaffinches we received a recovery from Rawcliffe Moss, that of a Reed Warbler, a scarce enough species out on the moss where records always relate to juvenile dispersal or migration. In this case, L141538 a juvenile we ringed on 28 July 2010 was recaptured as a breeding male on 3 July 2011 at Mere Sands Wood, Lancashire a distance of just 26 kms and 340 days from Rawcliffe Moss.
We still wait for details of a Chaffinch caught at Out Rawcliife on 18 August 2011, R988282 anyone?
For more information on autumn Chaffinches, see this post http://anotherbirdblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/those-chaffinch.html
For more information on autumn Chaffinches, see this post http://anotherbirdblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/those-chaffinch.html
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7 comments:
I like the natty change of header. Green Plovers were always a childhood favourite.
I was just about to read your blog when my husband called "Bird alert!" which is not something has seldom, if ever, done before.
However, there were two Northern Flickers visible from his bathroom window when he stepped out of the shower. We watched them pecking at one of our big old cottonwood trees for a while, until one flew off and the other moved around to the other side of the tree. There was no possibility of a photo from that angle, but we had a few minutes of enjoyment, watching them.
I always enjoy your photos, and today's are no exception, but it would have been fun to respond with a couple of flicker photos in return!
K
Hey Phil...I do like your new header...its a winner in my book ; }
I went back to your previous post ...car peeping huh..shame..you have thin blood?
I saw the Woodcock ...I just love that bird..I see them on occasion!!
I like the shot of the Chaffinch..and like the map showing places ...I love the lay out of the area,but where does a name like calf of man come from for pete's sake lol
You better dig out you long johns my friend...
Grace
I always think little birds like this are too delicate to live out in the wilds like that. Fascinating report, thank you.
Hi Phil. Shows the interesting info: you obtain from your local ringing sessions keep up the good work Best wishes of the season to you & yours JWB.
Interesting report on your ringing. The Chaffinches are cute and I love the new header.
Phil, you always make your header banners just burst with grand style in the bird images you share. Your new one is another stunner!
Wow, to take upon wing of a bird for a season, now would that not be a glorious treat?
Which bird would you choose, which direction would they head...my guess would be to a warmer climate.~
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