April update

We don't tend to be very active in April, apart from an occasional session at the feeders. In the run up to the CES season, the scrub area is not netted (to allow an undisturbed period), and this "quiet" period is usually several months. This year, of course, its quieter than usual, with only Andy living close enough to be able to walk to/check our ringing site, when undertaking his daily exercise. He reports that all is well at the site, and the CES net lanes are "ready to go" when the Coronavirus movement restrictions are lifted.

During these restrictions, the BTO have instructed that ringing/nest recording can only take place on one's own property. As one of the "Group" sites is his Pennorth garden, Andy was able to put a net up at the feeders, and on 19th, he had a modest catch of 12 + (6) in a couple of hours. His "target" species - the local House Sparrow flock, managed to evade the nets (they are very canny at doing this), but he had a decent variety with Tawny Owl 1, Blackbird 1, Dunnock (1), Robin 1, Willow Warbler 1 (our first of the year), Goldcrest 1, Blue Tit 2 + (3), Great Tit 2 + (1), Chaffinch 1 and Goldfinch 2 + (1). The Goldfinch retrap had previously been ringed at the hut nyger feeders in December 2018. On 25th, he re-positioned the nets to try again for the House Sparrows, but they quickly learnt the new arrangement, after he'd managed to catch 6 + (2), the oldest retrap was ringed in his garden, also December 2018.