February 2021

On Thursday 4th, Andy undertook the 5th "winter pilot" session, but it had to be curtailed after just 2 hours, when the predicted rain arrived several hours earlier than forecast. The catch of 7 + (1) was made up of Dunnock 1, Great Tit 2 + (1), Blue Tit 2, Coal Tit 1 and House Sparrow 1. There then followed about a week of sub zero temperatures, and with considerable windchill, no further ringing was possible. Soon after the temperatures improved there followed several days of heavy rain (with the flood water just about reaching the ringing hut again), but a break in the weather allowed Andy to undertake the final (6th) session of "winter pilot" ringing, on Sunday 21st. The catch was the quietest yet (of this study) with just 3 + (2) birds in three hours - Great-spotted Woodpecker 1, Robin (1), Blue Tit 1 + (1) and Great Tit 1.

Over the 6 sessions, Andy had a total of 108 captures, of which 78 were "tits". BTO guidance for this survey suggested some 2-300 captures were hoped for, with finches (Bullfinch, Chaffinch and Goldfinch), together with Great-spotted Woodpecker and Coal Tit making up the target species (to allow estimations of annual survival rates). These species made up just 12 of Andy's captures (2 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 7 Coal Tit, 2 Chaffinch and 1 Goldfinch). Although the Coal Tit numbers are looking promising, relatively few finches are attracted to his garden feeders - mainly during the November and March/April passage periods, which are outside the timescale of this "winter pilot" project.

With the "winter pilot" period over, Andy re-aligned the net locations on Saturday 27th - not possible with the "winter pilot" ringing because consistency is required (same nets, same positions, same length of time), and had a much more successful catch. Many of the tits had started returning to their breeding territories, and some finches had started to visit his feeders during the week - supported by the c40 Siskin in Steve Wilces’ Bwlch garden (see Brecknock Birds Photo Gallery page for 27th). Andy's catch of 16 + (5) was made up of Dunnock 1, Blackbird 1, Blue Tit 4 + (2), Great Tit 1 + (2), House Sparrow 2, Siskin 3 + (1), Chaffinch 1 and Greenfinch 3. All of the retraps were first time recaptures, and showed some local movements - Blue Tits had been ringed on 26/12/18 (VAK) at Pennorth and on 09/09/20 (JL) at the Jetty, while the Siskin was ringed on 07/10/20 (VAK) during our autumn scrub sessions (one of 17 caught on that day). Both Great Tits were ringed earlier in the winter (by VAK) at Pennorth.

Adult (hatched 2019 or earlier) Male Siskin

Note the Adult type tertials and greater coverts. With the "rounded" (compared to a first year bird) tail feathers

Our February total was 26 birds ringed, the lowest since 2014.