Winter Ringing

As a newly appointed C-ringer now I have started up some small local based projects on my patch here in South Dorset to look at the diversity & numbers of birds & species present on site and hopefully conduct regular ringing and a CES project next year. So far this winter, I have undertaken 4 different sessions since 14th November to early December. Most of the ringing has mainly been concentrated around the feeders, woodland & around the lakes.

Over the month, the feeders have attracted large numbers of mixed finches including Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Siskin, Redpoll present on a regular basis among the usual common woodland/garden birds species that frequent feeders.  20+ Bramblings were present during a cold spell along with some Hawfinch & Reed Bunting for a short period.

I aim to carry out ringing on site in the New Year and look forward to the Spring to see what migrants returning from their wintering grounds pass through the site. A CES project will be started up here for the summer/autumn months as well & I will be keeping regular blog posts on my ringing sessions.

Here is ringing totals below with some images from most recent sessions.

Ringing session with Trainer on 14th Nov on site.

Blue Tit	33
Great Tit	17
Coal Tit	4
Long T Tit	1
Bullf	1
Chaff	7
GrtSpWo	2
Nuthatch	3
Goldcrest	3
Goldfinch	22
Total	93

Total number of birds ringed since 14th Nov during various sessions.

                                                                                                         Retraps/

                                                             Full grown           Pulli     Recoverie            Total

          Great Spotted Woodpecker                              1                 0                 0                 1

          Wren                                                            1                 0                 0                 1

          Dunnock                                                        2                 0                 0                 2

          Robin                                                            4                 0                 0                 4

          Blackbird                                                      6                 0                 0                 6

          Song Thrush                                                  1                 0                 0                 1

          Goldcrest                                                     13                 0                 0                13

          Long-tailed Tit                                               6                 0                 0                 6

          Marsh Tit                                                      1                 0                 0                 1

          Coal Tit                                                        4                 0                 3                 7

          Blue Tit                                                         7                 0                 3                10

          Great Tit                                                     17                 0                 1                18

          Starling                                                         2                 0                 0                 2

          Goldfinch                                                    58                 0                 3                61

          Linnet                                                           3                 0                 0                 3

                                                Total:                  126                 0                10              136

4M Blackbird

3F Goldfinch

Nuthatch

Female Great Spotted Woodpecker

Goldfinch (4M)

Adult tail feathers of Goldfinch

Bullfinch close up