Late October - and the first Redwings caught

The next period of suitable weather started Thursday 21st, so Jerry tried the morning for a disappointing 8 + (4), but it did include the first Redwing of the season. Carlton took over for the afternoon-roost for a better 19 + (10). On Friday Jerry did the morning again and had a very similar 8 + (3), while Jeremy & Andy did the afternoon-roost and caught 9 + (3). The morning session included a Magpie - the Group's 12th (the last one in 2014), and a young female Cettis Warbler (not usually able to age this species after post-juvenile moult, but a few old greater coverts just discernible), taking our year total to 13 - just past the 12 we ringed in 2010. On Saturday Jerry opted for the roost and caught 10 + (3). The species mix for the three days was Wren 2 + (2), Robin 1 + (2), Dunnock 1 + (1), Blackbird (3), Song Thrush 3, Redwing 11, Cettis Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 1, Blackcap 2, Goldcrest 6 + (3), Blue Tit 10 + (1), Great Tit 2, Long-tailed Tit 6 + (6), Treecreeper (1), Magpie 1, Bullfinch 2 + (4), and Siskin 5.

Unsettled weather was forecast to the end of the month so ringing was a bit problematic, Sunday was wet but Jerry tried for a roost on Monday 25th. His catch was only 4 + (1) but most were Redwing. On Tuesday Pete and Jerry tried another roost (and put up two garden nets to try and increase thrush numbers) for a reasonable catch of 12 + (4), which included our first new (probably migrant) Blackbirds for a while. Jerry was pleased (Peter a bit disappointed) that a very tight group of c200 Starling narrowly missed the top of GN5 (seemingly attracted to the Redwing lures). On Wednesday the weather seemed to be improving (from the forecast) so Andy decided to try another roost, but it was still a bit breezy and he only caught 3 + (5) - with none of the target species. Details of the three sessions were - Wren 1 + (1), Dunnock 1, Blackbird 3 + (1), Song Thrush 1, Redwing 6, Blue Tit 4 + (2), Great Tit 1 + (1), Treecreeper (1), Starling 1, Bullfinch (4), and Chaffinch 1.

The forecast for Friday 29th had improved, so Jerry tried another roost. His catch was only 5 + (1) but at least all of the new birds were the target species. On Saturday he decided on a different approach as he had noticed several Redwing (and some Starling) feeding in the point field before retreating to the hedgerow - the heavy rain (overnight Thursday-Friday) had probably brought some food (worms maybe) to the surface. But not on Saturday and in five hours just two birds had been caught. The mix for the two sessions was Blackbird (1), Redwing 5, Starling 1, and Bullfinch (1).

Our ringed total for October was 160 giving a YTD of 2500.

With only one Chiffchaff caught in the last two weeks, it looks like we will just fail to ring 400 for the year (397 ringed so far) - so it doesn't become only our fifth species to have reached this milestone figure - after Sand Martin, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler (what a decline in numbers now), and Blue Tit.