Late December - hut feeders, winter CES 4, year total and recent recovery.

Its been over a month since we tried the hut feeders, firstly because of reduced feeding (aimed at limiting the numbers of tits moving from the feeders to their roost sites which compromised our Redwing roost catches), and then when a resumption of feeding corresponded to a spell of cold weather. On Saturday 17th some milder weather was forecast, so Gareth and Jerry tried for a couple of hours in the afternoon. With the milder weather and frequent (10 min net rounds) they had a limited catch of 4 + (12), made up of Dunnock 1, Coal Tit (1), Blue Tit (8), Great Tit (3), Goldfinch 1 and Chaffinch 2. All but one of the tits were adult, perhaps suggesting a poor breeding season in the local population.

A couple of wet days followed, and although Tuesday 20th was forecast to be a bit breezy, it was dry and the best option for undertaking the 4th winter CES. The catch by Andy and Jerry was a bit lower than recent sessions at 18 + (7) - made up of Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Robin 2, Dunnock (1), Coal Tit (1), Blue Tit 11 + (4), Great Tit 3, and House Sparrow 2. In contrast to the low numbers of young Tits at the hut, this Blue Tit catch was made up of 2/3rds young birds. A recent investigation by BTO ringers has suggested that urban areas act as "a sink" for rural tits. Although both of our sites would be considered rural, Andy's garden is on the fringe of the hamlet (with several other gardens providing food), whereas our hut is about a km from the next nearest garden feeder, so the same behavioural principal may be acting here.

With just 54 birds ringed, this is our lowest December total since 2009 (and well below recent years), but our YTD becomes 2545 (our 7th highest).

The Lesser Redpoll that was caught by Jeremy has been submitted and we await it's acceptance from the BTO before we get the recovery slip.