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It was a rather breezy ringing session at Durlston this morning and there weren’t too many migrants about. Shaun took charge of a group at the so-called ‘goat plots’, whilst Terry and I worked the site near the visitor centre. Both teams ringed 32 birds, highlights being another Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Tree Pipits and a female Sparrowhawk. Blackcaps are replacing Whitethroats as the commonest Sylvia but Chiffchaffs have yet to replace Willows.
The highly abraded tail of an adult Grasshopper Warbler, the result of over a year of skulking in bushes.
The highly abraded wings of a Meadow Brown that has been on the wing all summer.
Janis and Andy had hired a van to collect a load of stuff that had been stored at the home they once shared in Plymouth (prior to their sailing adventure). Margaret and I helped them unload and later they all came round for Janis’ birthday dinner.
Happy birthday Janis! Janis and Andy at the new house in Upton.
Kara at her new home, 'my stuff must be somewhere in here'!
Once again we fulfilled our Aquatic Warbler survey commitments by having three ringing session at the study site in a week.
No Aquatics of course, I was in Derby last Saturday on the date of that momentous occasion but negative data is just as useful. I intend to post something on Aquatic Warblers in the near future.
Not so many birds today, but an interesting mix, 2 Grasshoppers, 1 Cettis and another Kingfisher. Anyone visiting the Bay and seeing a Kingfisher on a regular basis would presume it was the same individual but as we have ringed 13 during July and August, with only limited retrapping, shows that there is a consistent migration of birds through the site.
The brilliant blue colour of a Kingfisher is caused by optical refraction, not blue pigmentation.
We try to avoid a target driven culture but this was our 500th Sedge Warbler of the autumn, a new record.
Whinchats have declined significantly as a breeding bird and are seldom ringed at Lytchett.The characteristic tail pattern
The characteristic tail pattern
Cettis Warbler is the only European representative of the mainly Asian 'bush warblers'
Cetti's have only ten tail feathers unlike most passerines that have twelve.
With a forecast of heavy showers we were unsure if we would get away with ringing at Durlston this morning. We put up the nets early and were catching Blackcaps before first light. After about 20 birds it started to rain and the nets were closed. Once it had eased off we continued to catch steadily but mainly Sylvias; Phyloscs were conspicuous by their absence but once the sun came out so did the Willow / Chiffs, all in one flock! We continued to ring until midday but as I was taking down the heavens opened. I spent the afternoon drying out clothes and ringing kit.
Best birds a Sparrowhawk, juvenile Goldcrest, 7 Grasshopper Warblers, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Tree Pipit. Total new birds 110.
Sparrowhawks are unusual in that you have to sex them before you can ring them, as males and females taken different ring sizes. The brown tipped mantle and covert feathers and the pale yellow eye identify it as a first year.
Juvenile Goldcrest, our smallest bird (along with Firecrest), this individual weighed just 5.5 grams. The single orange feather coming through on the crown is enough to show that it is a male.
The downpour that caught me as I was packing away moved northwards, here seen from the Wareham by-pass.
Janis, Amber and Kara have been living with us since I retired in June. Their plan was to return to the catamaran Ladycat, currently moored in Gran Canaria in September, but now Janis has found a job in Poole and intends to stay here.
Ladycat - photographed in the Mar Menor, eastern Spain June 2010
Although it has been great having the family here, having five in our little house has become a bit crowded, so it’s good news that they have found a house to rent, but the best news of all is that its only just a few yards up the road, so as Kara put it, ‘we can still come round and watch telly everyday!’
Last night we were visited by the girls friend from Southampton, Francesca and her father Adrian. With term time only a week away the girls need to be registered for school ASAP, After three years of home schooling that is going to be a bit of a shock.
Janis and Adrian
Amber, Francesca and Kara with a haul of blackberries (or as I consider it stealing migrant Sylvia food)
Further yachting news: Margaret’s younger daughter Anita lives in St Francis Bay, South Africa. Her husband John is involved in the building of luxury yacht with all mod cons.
see
and
if you are in the market for a state of the art catamaran !
The heavy rain forecast for this morning passed during the night but ringing had been cancelled and it was too late to set up now.
It was mid morning before I got out for a spot of raptor watching at Rockley Point. This caravan site commands a superb view over Wareham Channel and is an excellent place to scan for raptors, especially in the morning when the sun is behind you. Views however are distant. I saw a single Osprey perched in a dead eating a fish over at Arne and had great views of a female type Marsh Harrier quartering Otter Island in Lytchett Bay (which is also visible from the caravan park) as well as at least ten Buzzards.
Spotted Redshank have been absent from Lytchett Bay this autumn so I was glad to find three, feeding with a couple of Greenshank in the Bay. Out in Wareham Channel there was an impressive gathering of over 100 feeding Cormorants.
Wareham Channel from Rockley Sands
Lytchett Bay from Rockley Sands
On the subject of Ospreys, recent genetic research has suggested that there may be as many as five species, although I don’t know of any world check list that has wholly implemented this.
If split they would be: ‘Eurasian’ Osprey Pandion haliatus, ‘American’ Osprey P (haliatus) carolinensis, ‘Caribbean’ Osprey P (haliatus) ridgwayi, ‘Wallacean’ Osprey P (haliatus) melvillensis and ‘Eastern’ or ‘Australian’ Osprey P (haliatus) cristatus.
Well I have seen all five forms, but I doubt if I will be amending my life list in the near future.
Worth a tick .. probably not ! Although distant the snowy white crown and dark breast band of 'Wallacean' Osprey is visible. It is also smaller than the Eurasian and American forms. West Papua July 2011
Tuesday morning was very wet and I took the opportunity to catch up with a lot of paperwork. In particular I made a start on my West Papua write up, something that has been put on the back burner with all the ringing and blogging that I do these days. I made sure my pre New Guinea fitness regime wasn’t wholly abandoned with a trip to the gym.
In the evening Margaret and I were invited round to our young friend Christine’s house where she and her friend Malcolm treated us to a meal. Malcolm is the author of numerous specialised books on old aircraft and has a very busy life travelling between international aeronautical and publishing conventions.
Christine Arnold
Kevin ringing a Kingfisher
During the post juvenile moult the greenish greater coverts of this Blue Tit were replaced by blue feathers, the greenish primary coverts are not moulted until next summer.
Its not all doom and gloom, some species such as the Little Egret are much commoner than thirty years ago……
…as this photo proves.
Back to ringing after the weekend away. Kara asked to join me and didn’t complain at all when I told her it was a 0440 start.
She did however feel just how cold it can be after a clear night in August.
- A cold Kara
Things started quietly, but soon migration got going, with a good passage of Tree Pipits (3 trapped, c30 overhead), hundreds of hirundines (14 Swallows and 14 Sand Martins trapped), 8 Yellow Wagtails and 4 Swifts over. Other ringed birds included a Chiffchaff, 14 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 4 Garden, 1 Sedge, 2 Grasshopper and many Willow Warblers and to Paul’s delight – a Redstart.
A total of 92 new birds were ringed.
The air soon filled with hirundines.
More Sand Martins perched on the net than went in it.
Pale tips to the tertials, upper tail coverts, wing coverts and mantle identify this Sand Martin as a first year.
First year Swallows lack the bright colours and long tail of the adults and often show a pale forehead.
After further work on the house we returned to Poole. On arrival we called in on a garden party given by my former colleague Sheila Pearce for her husband Ken’s 60th birthday.
A very pleasant visit and a chance to meet a few old friends.
Are we nearly there yet?
Sheila Pearce - always cheerful !
Ken looks delighted to have turned 60
John, Ann, Jim, Linda and Margaret
Giant Jenga kept the girls amused
regrettably my 90 year old mother, who is also named Margaret, suffers from Alzheimer’s and is now in a nursing home. We took this opportunity this weekend to visit her several times.
Margaret Lewis and Margaret Lewis
My brother Simon has been working hard to renovate her house. We were able to assist a little this weekend.
I lived here from 1965 - 1969 and for short periods after then.
Margaret worked on the extensive but overgrown garden, whilst Simon and I painted the interior.
A new carpet, then the lounge will be completed.
Today is my niece Miriam’s 15th birthday. Amber and Kara stayed with their second cousins and the four girls had a wonderful time.
L-R: Amber, Jennifer, Kara, Miriam
Are Peacock or Reeve's Pheasant tail feathers better suited for balancing on your nose?
Kara entertained us with some of her own compositions and Miriam played the piano
In the evening Simon and Viv, Margaret and I and the four girls were joined by Viv’s parent Ida and Dennis for an excellent meal in a nearby hotel.
My sister-in-law Viv and her mother Ida
As a tribute to the skill, bravery and sheer entertainment value of the Red Arrows pilots, one of whom of course lost his life at the Bournemouth Airshow, I am posting a few photos taken over Ballard Down a couple of years ago.
gryllosblog 