Obviously, because of the ongoing Coronavirus lockdown, I haven't been able to go to Linacre ringing since the start of the year. I was very pleased, therefore, to receive an email from David at Sorby Breck Ringing Group, with details of a Blue Tit that we'd ringed at Linacre on 16th July 2016 (see here).
The bird was aged as a 3J i.e. it was born in 2016, and was found dead (taken by a cat) on 28th April 2020, 1382 days after ringing, a whopping 8km away in Wingerworth, Chesterfield. This is quite a decent age for a Blue Tit , and also a pretty good movement.
Welcome to my blog all about my birdwatching, wild bird ringing activities and moth recording at Linacre Reservoirs, Derbyshire; in Great Britain and abroad.
Saturday, 2 May 2020
Friday, 1 May 2020
Starling Chicks
Following on from my last post about this year's Starling nest, I'm very happy to report that, from the 5 eggs laid, we know have 5 healthy chicks.
The chicks hatched out on Monday 27th April, and have enjoyed a reasonably decent (weather wise) first week of life. Both parents have been very busy bringing in food for the young birds, and they seem to be thriving.
As this box is on the side of my house, I can still monitor it for the BTO's Nesting Neighbours Scheme, and I'll be able to ring the chicks in about another week's time.
1st May 2020
The chicks hatched out on Monday 27th April, and have enjoyed a reasonably decent (weather wise) first week of life. Both parents have been very busy bringing in food for the young birds, and they seem to be thriving.
As this box is on the side of my house, I can still monitor it for the BTO's Nesting Neighbours Scheme, and I'll be able to ring the chicks in about another week's time.
Saturday, 18 April 2020
Starling Nest 2020 - Eggs are Laid
2020 is the seventh year in a row that I've had the pleasure of Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) nesting in a box that I have on the side of my house here in Derbyshire. Since the first nest back in 2014, the birds have successfully reared and fledged a total of 32 young, most of which I have also been able to ring for the BTO's Ringing Scheme. Unfortunately, I haven't yet had any recoveries of any of these birds since fledging. This year perhaps?
Anyway, the 2020 season began on 3rd April, when the first few pieces of grass and leaves were brought into the box. I always spot this, as most of the material ends up on our back door step!! Nest building continued, and the first egg was laid on 11th April ( 4 days later than 2019, and a full week later than my earliest ever egg on 4th April 2017).
Starlings lay one egg a day, and so, by 15th April, we had a full clutch of 5 eggs.
The birds will now incubate for a couple of weeks, so I'll leave well alone and check on the young birds' progress, when they've hatched.
All the data that I collect will be forwarded to the BTO's Nesting Neighbours Scheme (previously known as Nestbox Challenge).
Anyway, the 2020 season began on 3rd April, when the first few pieces of grass and leaves were brought into the box. I always spot this, as most of the material ends up on our back door step!! Nest building continued, and the first egg was laid on 11th April ( 4 days later than 2019, and a full week later than my earliest ever egg on 4th April 2017).
Starlings lay one egg a day, and so, by 15th April, we had a full clutch of 5 eggs.
15th April - full clutch
The birds will now incubate for a couple of weeks, so I'll leave well alone and check on the young birds' progress, when they've hatched.
All the data that I collect will be forwarded to the BTO's Nesting Neighbours Scheme (previously known as Nestbox Challenge).
Friday, 17 April 2020
Garden Moths 2020 - First Results
It's been nearly a month since I last posted anything here, so apologies for that. As you can imagine, I haven't been down to Linacre since the "lockdown" began, but that doesn't mean I haven't been enjoying everything nature has on offer from my house, garden and surrounding area.
One thing I have been doing, is getting my moth trap out, and seeing what's around in the garden. So far the answer is.... not much!! I have, however, had 3 sessions with the trap and have recorded 7 species of moth. The most numerous so far is Common Quaker, with 7 individuals caught, followed by Small Quaker (5) and 5 other species; 20-Plume Moth, Purple Thorn, White-shouldered House Moth, Double-striped Pug and Pine Beauty ( all with just 1 individual each).
One thing I have been doing, is getting my moth trap out, and seeing what's around in the garden. So far the answer is.... not much!! I have, however, had 3 sessions with the trap and have recorded 7 species of moth. The most numerous so far is Common Quaker, with 7 individuals caught, followed by Small Quaker (5) and 5 other species; 20-Plume Moth, Purple Thorn, White-shouldered House Moth, Double-striped Pug and Pine Beauty ( all with just 1 individual each).
Common Quaker
Small Quaker
Pine Beauty
I'll keep going with the trap over the next few months, and hopefully, the number of species will begin to pick up! In the mean time, If you click of the label Garden Moths, you'll be able to see some pictures from a few years back.
Tuesday, 24 March 2020
Linacre Update
It's been quite a while since I blogged about Linacre, so here's a quick update, including the first ringing session of 2020, March's WeBS count and the first returning summer migrant.
As you will recall, the weather in February was horrendous, with every weekend bring high winds and rain, so our first ringing session of the year didn't take place until the 7th March. It was a quiet session with just 15 birds ringed (new/retrap): Long-tailed Tit 3/0, Blue Tit 9/0, Great Tit 0/1 and Coal Tit 1/0.
The WeBS walk in March (14th) produced the following birds: Mallard (39), Tufted Duck (17), Mandarin Duck (9), Grey Wagtail (1), Cormorant (1), Lesser Black-backed Gull (3 over), Black-headed Gull (16), Moorhen (9), Coot (8), Canada Goose (2), Great-crested Grebe (1 breeding plumaged bird) and Little Grebe (2).
I had another visit on 21st March and heard my first summer migrant of the year, Chiffchaff. In total there were 4 singing around the site. Also present on site were: Goosander (1 redhead), Great-crested Grebe (3 breeding plumaged birds), Mallard (57), Mandarin Duck (19), Coot (15), Moorhen (11), Cormorant (1), Canada Goose (2), Grey Wagtail (3) and, best of all, a super herd of 45 Whooper Swans flying over in a North westerly (Icelandic!) direction.
As I write this post, the whole of Great Britain (and most of the world!!) has gone into lockdown to combat the Corona virus, so I can't be sure when I'll get to visit Linacre again. Instead, I'll post sightings from my garden and local area. Stay safe everyone!!
As you will recall, the weather in February was horrendous, with every weekend bring high winds and rain, so our first ringing session of the year didn't take place until the 7th March. It was a quiet session with just 15 birds ringed (new/retrap): Long-tailed Tit 3/0, Blue Tit 9/0, Great Tit 0/1 and Coal Tit 1/0.
The WeBS walk in March (14th) produced the following birds: Mallard (39), Tufted Duck (17), Mandarin Duck (9), Grey Wagtail (1), Cormorant (1), Lesser Black-backed Gull (3 over), Black-headed Gull (16), Moorhen (9), Coot (8), Canada Goose (2), Great-crested Grebe (1 breeding plumaged bird) and Little Grebe (2).
I had another visit on 21st March and heard my first summer migrant of the year, Chiffchaff. In total there were 4 singing around the site. Also present on site were: Goosander (1 redhead), Great-crested Grebe (3 breeding plumaged birds), Mallard (57), Mandarin Duck (19), Coot (15), Moorhen (11), Cormorant (1), Canada Goose (2), Grey Wagtail (3) and, best of all, a super herd of 45 Whooper Swans flying over in a North westerly (Icelandic!) direction.
As I write this post, the whole of Great Britain (and most of the world!!) has gone into lockdown to combat the Corona virus, so I can't be sure when I'll get to visit Linacre again. Instead, I'll post sightings from my garden and local area. Stay safe everyone!!
Tuesday, 17 March 2020
Norwegian Common Gull
On Sunday (15th) I went across to Rufford and Clumber Park again to see which, if any, gulls were still present.
Rufford drew a complete blank for ringed gulls. In fact, there were only 11 Black-headed Gulls there, so it looks as if the winter "gulling" sessions are over until July/August when the first wintering birds should return.
Clumber still held Black-headed and Common Gulls. There were approximately 100 Black-headed Gulls present, including 237A, a regular bird that I've seen at both Rufford and Clumber since November 2019. It's a 1st winter/2nd calendar year bird, born in 2019, and ringed at Sherwood Center Parcs on 20th November 2019.
There were a minimum of 10 Common Gulls on the lake, including at darvic ringed bird (JH229), a 1st winter/2nd calendar year bird that was ringed, as a pullus, on 13th July 2019, in Nesna harbour, Nordland, Norway, 1614km away!
Rufford drew a complete blank for ringed gulls. In fact, there were only 11 Black-headed Gulls there, so it looks as if the winter "gulling" sessions are over until July/August when the first wintering birds should return.
Clumber still held Black-headed and Common Gulls. There were approximately 100 Black-headed Gulls present, including 237A, a regular bird that I've seen at both Rufford and Clumber since November 2019. It's a 1st winter/2nd calendar year bird, born in 2019, and ringed at Sherwood Center Parcs on 20th November 2019.
237A
There were a minimum of 10 Common Gulls on the lake, including at darvic ringed bird (JH229), a 1st winter/2nd calendar year bird that was ringed, as a pullus, on 13th July 2019, in Nesna harbour, Nordland, Norway, 1614km away!
Common Gull JH229
Sunday, 8 March 2020
Rufford and Clumber Gulls - 7th March 2020
I had a pop over to Rufford and Clumber Park yesterday to check for wintering Black-headed Gulls before they set off back to their breeding grounds.
My first stop, Rufford CP, was pretty quiet, with approximately 50 gulls still present, including 208A, an adult bird ringed at Sherwood Center Parcs on 2nd January 2020 and first seen by me, at Rufford on 2nd February 2020. As the photo shows, the bird's hood is developing nicely.
My first stop, Rufford CP, was pretty quiet, with approximately 50 gulls still present, including 208A, an adult bird ringed at Sherwood Center Parcs on 2nd January 2020 and first seen by me, at Rufford on 2nd February 2020. As the photo shows, the bird's hood is developing nicely.
208A
At Clumber there were a lot more Black-headed Gulls still present (200+), along with c.20 Common Gulls.
2 ringed gulls were seen; namely 237A ( a regular bird, born in 2019, first ringed at Center Parcs in November 2019 and seen at Rufford in December 2019, January 2020 and February 2020, before its first sighting at Clumber on 22nd February 2020, and again on 7th March 2020), and 256A - new bird for me. 256A was born in 2019, and was ringed on 29th January 2020 in Warsop. This sighting was the first since ringing.
237A
256A
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