Nest box "round-up"

A protracted finish to the nest box monitoring which took over a week to complete with chicks developing slowly, especially for the later broods of Pied Flycatcher and Blue Tit. Re-visiting young broods at a later date when it would be expected to ring them, found that they still needed to do a bit more growing. The weather at the end of May/beginning of June had an adverse effect on the birds' food supply, with several broods having some dead chicks, and in a few the whole brood had died. The Cathedine and shelterbelt boxes were monitored by Jerry -

1st June - 3 broods of Pied Flycatcher were ringed, and 3 broods were too small. A brood of Blue Chicks were ringed, and 1 brood had died. Total 14p Piefl, 3p Bluti.

3rd June - 3 female and 2 male Pied Flycatcher caught (some previously ringed). Total 7 adults.

7th June - brood of Pied Flycatcher ringed, female and male caught, 1 brood too small and another brood died. The only Pied Flycatcher nest in the shelterbelt had the brood ringed, and the pair caught. Total 11p, 3 adults.

9th June - part brood of Pied Flycatcher were ringed (2 chicks had died), and the male was caught, Total 4p, 1 adult.

The Sorgwm boxes were checked by Peter and Alan J on 4th June. Broods here were also well spread, and at the higher altitude chicks were also a bit later. Only about half of them were old enough to ring, and
unfortunately it wasn't possible to make a return visit for the un-ringed broods. Total Pied Flycatcher 12p and 8 adults caught. Great Tit 11p.