North Wilts Group

We had not been able to get access to this site for two weeks which is a real shame as there were Brambling and Redpoll present. We knew that we may be a week too late and so it proved as the lovely flock of finches that was here had nearly all moved out. Nevertheless, we enjoyed a really interesting session with only a handful of nets up but we processed an impressive 16 species.

I was joined by Paul A, Simon and Noah and his mum. The summer migrants were represented by Chiffchaff and our first two Willow Warblers of the year. Noah's highlight was ringing a male Nuthatch which is his favourite bird, we also ringed the female and we observed that she had mud on her bill, this will be because she will have placed mud around her nest hole to make the fit just right for her.

We finished quite early because we had jobs to do but 36 ringed and 16 retraps processed is okay for the time of year and it once again proved to be a good training experience for everyone in a really nice location. Simon was in sky rocket land for much of the morning and we need to work on 'what is a 12 metre net and what is an 18 metre net as it all seemed a bit much to take on board. Simon and I share quite a vicious sense of humour which Noah's mum found quite entertaining but Paul was finding it all a bit much.Noah and mum went home but Paul, Simon and I went to our favourite site Swindon STW where we set up the net sets for the Constant Effort Site nets. We did all of our jobs and left having achieved all we had planned and by this time Paul had had just about enough of me and Simon but not before we heard our first Sedge Warbler of the year. MP, PA, SW, NW

Nuthatch 2, Goldcrest 1 (1), Willow Warbler 2, Chiffchaff 2, Chaffinch 6, Wren 1 (1), Robin 3 (1), Dunnock 4 (4), Blackbird 1 (1), Song Thrush 1, Marsh Tit 0 (1), Long Tailed Tit 2, Coal Tit 2 (2), Blue Tit 6 (4), Great Tit 2 (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

After a very quite winters ringing which saw finch numbers at their lowest levels for 13 years on my sites either because the population has declined or they never arrived form the further north or continental Europe, it was nice to finally get out and do some real ringing.

I arrived on site at the very early time of 0430 since there was only me to put the nets up. I was hoping to hear an early Nightingale but none had arrived yet. The species has not bred on site since 2011 due to wet weather in 2012, late spring in 2013 when no females arrived and predation in 2014. As this is an ageing population where the males are all 5 years old, the average age for a Nightingale, there may not be any that have survived the winter.

Daylight arrived which started a good number of Chiffchaff's singing and soon a few started going into the nets along with a few Willow Warbler's and Blackcap's. Several of these were retraps from previous years and we ended up with one Chiffchaff ringed in 2012 and another from 2013 and a Willow Warbler from 2013 along with a few from years years efforts.

The number of birds tailed off quite quickly and the accomanying serenade from the Royal Artillery bombarding the opposide hillside meant an early than usual finish but not before catching a rather nice male Redstart in the final net to come down. GD

Wren 3(1), Dunnock 4(12), Robin (2), Redstart 1, Song Thrush 2, Blackbird (1), Blackcap 11, Chiffchaff 8(4), WillowWarbler 5(2), Long Tailed Tit 1(1), Blue Tit 1(1), Great Tit 3(1), Chaffinch 1