April 2022, and recent sightings/recoveries

Another quiet month, before CES sessions begin in early May. As the numbers visiting Andy's feeders were still good he tried a net on 2nd (for three hours) and had a decent catch of 29 + (12). He tried again on 15th, and by the time the session was curtailed (due to the strengthening wind), he had caught 11 + (3). Details of the two catches were - Great-spotted Woodpecker 1 + (2), Wren 1, Robin 1, Blackbird 1, Blue Tit 3 + (9), Great Tit 6, House Sparrow 1 + (1), Goldfinch 18 + (2), Siskin 4 + (1), Chaffinch 2, Bullfinch 1, and Greenfinch 1. Interestingly, the recaptured finches had not been ringed at Andy's with the Siskin and one Goldfinch having been ringed at the Llangasty scrub area in July 2021 and July 2020 respectively, and the other Goldfinch was ringed at the jetty in July 2021.

Also on 2nd, Mark Waldron checked out the Barnacle Geese and identified 27 colour ringed birds, and with further checks later in the month, all but 6 of the 46 birds ringed last year had been seen back at the Lake. By mid April the first nests were on the Cranog and most birds were identified to pairs.

Canada Goose 5275747 was ringed (adult) on 28 June 2015, and was found freshly dead at Symonds Yat, Gloucestershire on 27 March 2022 - 2464 days, 45 km, 105 degrees. We have had a previous recovery here, which is an unlikely location in the Wye gorge, and more likely that the birds might have been shot upstream (towards Ross on Wye in the flood plain) and floated downriver, maybe becoming entangled in overhanging branches to be discovered by canoeists.