The enforced three month absenteeism from our Cockerham ringing site was both worrying and frustrating, more so when thinking about information that was probably missed.
Here below is an example, a Chaffinch ringed on one side of the divide on 10 November 2021 and then recaptured 25 February 2022. The record nicely illustrates how a common and seemingly unexciting Chaffinch can provide an interesting recovery.
Adult male Chaffinch ALP8327 was captured, then ringed and released at Cockerham on 10 November 2021, one of three Chaffinches and 13 other birds caught that morning. The Chaffinch was recaptured by Borders Ringing Group at Garvald, a hamlet near Dewar in the Moorfoot Hills, Scottish Borders area of Scotland on 25 February 2022.
Chaffinch - Cockerham to Dewar
Chaffinch - adult male
A glance at the direction of travel shows a direction of travel as due North at a time of year when wintering Chaffinches are known to migrate.
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On Tuesday morning Andy and I decided to try out our newly acquired ringing site at Warton near Preston where until recently there had been over 1000 Linnets, perhaps as many as 1500. So numerous were the Linnets that the farmer told us how on a dozen or more occasions the combined weight of so many Linnets (1000/1500 x 18 grams) had snapped the overhead wires above the set-aside field, lines that the Linnets used as a launch pad and resting spot.
The farm is a dairy farm only where crops are not grown, so apart from Swallows, owls in the outbuildings and common hedgerow species like Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Blackbird and Chaffinch, the bird life is run-of-the-mill. The fields of agri-environment provide more bird interest in autumn and winter, especially for ringers.
Linnets
When we arrived about 0830 we counted more than 500 Linnets already on site. Unfortunately the Linnets did not perform as we hoped whereby we managed to catch the grand total of two.
Linnet
It was the old story that we know only too well after five years of trying to catch a species that shares some human attributes of being shrewd, cautious, wily and wary when suspecting danger.
There was a Kestrel that watched proceedings from atop the poles, together with a calling and circling Buzzard from nearby woods, but it seemed that the Linnets were more wary of two humans in their plot rather than winged predators.
Kestrel
Just as the aforementioned Chaffinch on its way north, the Linnets too are daily reducing in numbers, and where by early April there will be a few pairs in the farm hedgerows once the winter flock has left for pastures new and north of here.
The weather is due to turn wet windy again until perhaps Saturday. Stay tuned friends, there will be more news and views soon.
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7 comments:
Better to have a day out than be forced to remain in.
(I'm trying to be optimistic.)
The Warton site certainly seems to have potential, but how frustrating to see that number of Linnets and not be able to access them. There must be a way?
Spring is definitely nearby around these parts. Little flowers poking up through our brown weeds, large flocks of Sandhill Cranes trumpeting their annual farewell, five dozen Cedar Waxwings in the hedgerow - a great time to be out and about!
We hope your wet and windy weather will soon give way to more comfortable conditions.
Gini and I hare headed west today for fresh fish lunch and coastal scouting. We both wish you all the best.
It must be exciting to catch already banded birds, and be able to retrace their movements. I'm glad you've found another banding area, and by looks of the photo, there are many Linnets available for banding if you can just be a bit more sneaky :)
Our weather has been so wet - not a good start to March!
Such a shame you didn't have a good visit to the Warton site, hope this can be improved.
All the best Jan
Interesting post Phil, I wish I had birdlife like that close to me. Mustn't grumble, I have my animals. Take care.
Mike.
Very interesting ^^ Thanks for sharing
Hello Phil, :=) I would never have thought that the combined weight of the linnets could cause an overhead wire to break, on several occasions it seems. Catching only two, also hardly seems
possible with so many within sight. A great shame, when you have looked forward to this outing so much. That Kestrel looks pretty scrawny to me, seems he's not having much luck in catching Linnets either. Amazing data on the Chaffinch, that is why your work is so important, and also it's a lovely picture. Better luck next time.
All the best.
Phil - I always love your data on birds that have been caught more than once. Fascinating! The picture of the kestrel is so mesmerizing. Our cold winter has turned to a (way too early) wet spring. Yuck.
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