January

Most of the visits this month involved habitat management, but on the few days when it was suitable for ringing the feeder sites were tried. Ringing started in the New Year on Tuesday 7th January with a new site for the Group. Although Jerry had been ringing at Martin's garden feeders for over 10 years, this was the first time that he was using "Group" rather than his "own" rings. Numbers of Siskin and Goldfinch generally build up the the garden later in the winter, and although this visit was a bit earlier than usual, his catch was a very useful 26 + (2), so not too busy in the cold/sunny conditions. The catch was made up of Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 + (1), Robin (1), Blackbird 1, Blue Tit 8, Long-tailed Tit 1, Nuthatch 1, Starling 1, Siskin 7, and Goldfinch 6.

On Thursday 9th Andy completed WRP visit 5, with help from Carlton. On another cold morning, the catch was a bit lower than usual WRP visits, at 17 + (14) and was made up of Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Robin 2, Dunnock 4 + (1), Goldcrest 1, Blue Tit 5 + (9), Great Tit 1 + (2), Treecreeper 1, Nuthatch (1), House Sparrow 1, Goldfinch 1, Greenfinch 1.

With a rise in milder conditions during in the following week, on Saturday 18th, Rachel and Jerry were at Martin's. There were reduced numbers of finches, which suggested some were likely using another feed site in the village. Despite this, a useful 19 + (1) birds were caught. Robin (1), Goldcrest 1, Blue Tit 2, Coal Tit 1, Great Tit 1, Long-tailed tit 1, Treecreeper 1, Siskin 4, Goldfinch 7, and Chaffinch 1.

On the following day, Peter, Alan J and Gareth joined Andy to help with WRP 6, for a catch of 15 + (12) - Great Spotted Woodpecker (2), Wren (1), Dunnock 2 + (3), Blue Tit 3 + (6), Great Tit 3, Long-tailed Tit 6, and Greenfinch 2. In the afternoon they managed to get the Sand Martin box upright again - surprisingly, it "dropped back" into the now water filled post holes, so making the repair work much easier when the ground dries out.

In a brief spell between storms, Saturday 25th was calm and dry so Andy took the opportunity to do WRP visit 7. Unfortunately there was full sun on the nets and the catch of 15 + (10) was disappointing. The catch was made up of Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Robin 1, Goldcrest 1, Blue Tit 5 + (4), Great Tit 1 + (2), Coal Tit (1), Long-tailed Tit 1 +(1), Nuthatch (1), House Sparrow 2, and Greenfinch 4,

On Wednesday 29th, Jerry re-visited the Llangynidr feeders (Martin's) for a catch of 41 + (1), boosted by an increase in Siskin and Goldfinch visiting. The mix was Robin 1, Blackbird 3, Blue Tit 7, Great Tit 2, Treecreeper (1), House Sparrow 2, Siskin 17, and Goldfinch 9.

During January we ringed 133 birds, our highest ever January total (and only the third time we have ringed over 100), despite adverse weather limiting when netting was possible.