Sunday, 10 May 2015

UUC River Site 07/05/2015 & Cromore Road 09/05/2015

John had a couple of short sessions at two of the University of Ulster Coleraine sites this week.
The first session at the River Site on Thursday was a short one, lasting around 2 hours, with the conditions being calm and sunny.  Fred, Gwen and Richard popped in for a while.  The site is still quite bare, with the Ash trees yet to leaf up but the first couple of Sedge Warblers were singing amongst the reeds and the Blackcaps have taken up territory.
The ringing was slow, with only 6 new birds but things should pick up a little as the vegetation flourishes. 

 Ageing a Female Blackcap


River Site - Ringing Totals 07/05/2015
 
                                        New         Retrap
Blackcap                            2
Long-tailed Tit                                      1                 
Robin                                                    1
Song Thrush                       3                                                     
Willow Warbler                  1                            

Total                                  6                2



The second session was on Saturday morning at Cromore Road and again was sunny, with a slight breeze.  I don't like to say negatives against good weather but it was too sunny.  It was John and Richard this morning, with Ken making an appearance.  The nets were set at 7am and closed at 10am.  There were certainly a few birds about with at least 3 Sedge Warbler singing on territory, 1 reeling Grasshopper Warbler, 3 singing male Blackcap and a supporting cast of Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting and Willow Warbler.  The birds didn't appear to be moving around much and stuck to their singing perches, which resulted in a small catch of 4 new birds.  A flock of around 25 Starling, moving back and forth managed to avoid the nets but that was probably a good thing!


The main net ride


The brown visible on the wing of a 2cy male Blackbird


Cromore Road - Ringing Totals 09/05/2015
 
                                        New         Retrap
Blackbird                           2
Blackcap                            1
Robin                                                  1                                                      
Willow Warbler                 1               
           
Total                                  4                1

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