Hello
Dave Francis completed a little ringing in his garden on the outskirts of Northampton today catching 31 common birds which included 21 juvenile Blue Tits.
I have been monitoring a steady run of juvenile Blue Tits coming through our garden at Hanging Houghton during the last couple of weeks, providing further rather anecdotal evidence that this species has enjoyed a good breeding season locally. The number of juvenile House Sparrows here at Hanging Houghton this year is looking pretty good too and in complete contrast to the downturn of the last five years or so. It seems that this prolonged warm weather is providing a seasonal improvement in juvenile mortality of at least some of our small birds.
Another ringing recovery relates to an adult female Greenfinch that was ringed at Astcote near Towcester on 25th July 2014 and then found dead, possibly predated by a cat, on 6th July this year at nearby Showsley, also in South Northants. This means that this valuable breeding bird was at least five years old before it met it's demise which by modern standards for a Greenfinch is long-lived (a total of 1442 days between the two data sets)!
Regards
Neil M
Dave Francis completed a little ringing in his garden on the outskirts of Northampton today catching 31 common birds which included 21 juvenile Blue Tits.
I have been monitoring a steady run of juvenile Blue Tits coming through our garden at Hanging Houghton during the last couple of weeks, providing further rather anecdotal evidence that this species has enjoyed a good breeding season locally. The number of juvenile House Sparrows here at Hanging Houghton this year is looking pretty good too and in complete contrast to the downturn of the last five years or so. It seems that this prolonged warm weather is providing a seasonal improvement in juvenile mortality of at least some of our small birds.
Another ringing recovery relates to an adult female Greenfinch that was ringed at Astcote near Towcester on 25th July 2014 and then found dead, possibly predated by a cat, on 6th July this year at nearby Showsley, also in South Northants. This means that this valuable breeding bird was at least five years old before it met it's demise which by modern standards for a Greenfinch is long-lived (a total of 1442 days between the two data sets)!
Regards
Neil M
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| Juvenile Blue Tit. |
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| Winter plumage male House Sparrow. |
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| Female Greenfinch. |
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| Swift ringing activity at Lamport Hall yesterday evening courtesy of John Hunt. |
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