Sunday 2 February 2020

A slow mid winter and 2019 totals

A mild, windy and wet winter has meant few opportunities for ringing. Having said that, numbers aren't too bad with 645 birds of 35 species processed since the last blog six weeks ago.

Lamping has provided several of those species particularly at Arfon's new sites in the hills in the north of Carmarthenshire. A summary of our nocturnal activities and lamping totals will be given at the end of the winter once the Woodcock season is over. Species at night in the last few weeks have included Woodcock, Golden Plover, Fieldfare, Skylark and Meadow Pipit


A Snipe on Frenni was the first for a while. It was picked up with the thermal image camera. We are still getting used to the capabilities of this gadget but it is probably fair to say that for some species it has increased our ability to find birds at night.
The picture here showing the white markings on the tail of the Snipe.


Passerines included another Firecrest (five on the Teifi Marsh this winter). Starling numbers are well down in Andy's garden likewise Reed Buntings on the Teifi Marsh are not needing to come to seed feeders with the mild weather and abundance of natural food. In windy weather we have managed to catch another 8 Reed Buntings towards our RAS project in Potter traps which also caught this Moorhen.


We have resighted several colour -ringed Reed Buntings including a male ringed in August 2010 which is often around Mallard Hide. Siskins are starting to return to the garden feeders. 43 have been processed including several from previous years.

Recent news from the BTO about 2 Siskins we have caught that were ringed elsewhere

S217839 Ringed Llanfynydd, Carmarthenshire 17/07/2016
                Recaptured Llechryd, Ceredigion        20/01/2020 1282 days Distance: 39 km
S516061 Ringed Bratton, Minehead, Somerest 01/06/2018
                Recaptured Bancyffordd, Carms         24/01/2020 602 days   Distance: 106 km


The totals for last year have now been published
2019 Teifi Ringing Group totals

9011 birds of 80 species. The stories around the unusual species like the Yellow-browed Warbler and analysis of some of the captures have been discussed in previous blogs so can be searched via the search box for further details



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