Late October - garden taping, Redwing roosts and first feeder session

On Friday 14th October, Andy tried a taping session before the weather deteriorated, for a catch of 11 + (9), made up of Dunnock 1, Blackbird 2 + (1), Goldcrest (1), Blue Tit 6 + (5), Great Tit 1 + (2), and Goldfinch 1.

With some unsettled weather, Redwing roost sessions were irregular, but most suitable evenings were covered. Jeremy was the first to try on the afternoon/evening of Thursday 20th - his catch of 14 + (10) included single Chiffchaff/Blackcap and 6 Redwing. Peter was there on Monday 24th, and with several hundred Redwing in the church/garden area, his catch of 22 + (4) included 13 Redwing (just one short of our day record). Jerry was next on Thursday 27th, and although the visit looked promising with the first bird a late Blackcap (carrying a decent fat score for its migration), another four hrs produced just two more birds before a Long-tailed Tit flock (plus a few other species mixed in), was then caught in GN7. Andy then arrived for the roost, which comprised just 6 Redwing and a Song Thrush, and ended the session on 23 + (9). Jeremy was back on Friday 28th, but his catch of 4 + (4) included two Goldcrest and a single Redwing (the roost probably disrupted by several thousand Starling landing in the church hedges on route to the reed bed). On Sunday 30th, Jerry tried again for another disappointing catch of 4 + (2), incl a Chiffchaff and two Redwing. The forecast was for showers to clear during the late afternoon, and there was a prolonged shower at 4pm, followed by some blue sky before another dark cloud came in from the SW. This prompted Jerry to close the nets, just before the roost was due to start. On Monday 31st, George and Ron did the final (afternoon/evening) visit of the month, and caught a decent 13 + (6) which included 5 Meadow Pipit, another late Blackcap, 2 Redwing and 3 Lesser Redpoll.

The species mix for these six sessions was Meadow Pipit 5, Wren 1 + (3), Robin (7), Dunnock (1), Redwing 30, Song Thrush 3 + (1), Blackbird 2 + (1), Chiffchaff 2, Blackcap 3, Goldcrest 2 + (3), Coal Tit (1), Blue Tit 4 + (3), Great Tit 1, Long-tailed Tit 11 + (11), Treecreeper 1 + (1), Bullfinch 3 + (3), Chaffinch 1, Siskin 3, Lesser Redpoll 3, and Goldfinch 5.

Between the roost catches, Jerry tried a first feeder session on Tuesday 25th, for a disappointing catch of 21 birds - although this produced some useful recaptures, there was only one new bird (a Great Tit).  The species mix was Wren, Dunnock, Coal Tit (2), Blue Tit (10), Great Tit 5 +(1), and a Treecreeper. One of the recaptured Great Tits (a male ringed in October 2018) had badly calloused legs and the ring had to be removed before it caused permanent damage. This bird had been recaptured four times and some callousing was first noted in November 2021. 

Our ringing total for October was 170 (third lowest of the last 10 years, and less than half of our highest October catch of 350 in 2017), and our YTD becomes 2306.