Bramblings and some ringing recoveries

Hello

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield this morning provided seventy-five captures of resident and migrant birds and included nine Redwings, three Song Thrushes, five Blackbirds, a Blackcap and a variety of finches including continental Chaffinches and nine beautiful Bramblings. Small numbers of Golden Plovers were around in sometimes drizzly/misty conditions, a few Siskins and a Redpoll were moving around in the murk and a Woodcock was flushed. There were somewhere between twenty and thirty mobile Bramblings - they have a definite liking for the sunflower flowers near to the Shooting Wall.

Chris Payne was ringing at Greens Norton today and processed a number of Bullfinches, Redwings and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers - a Barn Owl and a Brambling were also on-site.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Wood Sandpiper was still in the Scaldwell Bay and other birds included twelve Red-crested Pochard. At Hollowell Reservoir the female Ruddy Shelduck paid a visit and at Thrapston Pits the visible migration included Siskins, Meadow Pipits, over three hundred Golden Plovers and over four hundred Lapwings.

The following recoveries reflect migration studies locally with some birds being encountered by both the Stanford Reservoir Ringing Group and the Northants Ringing Group:-

1.  A juvenile female Greenfinch was ringed at Hanging Houghton on 19th June 2021 and was recovered after being killed by a cat in Hollowell village on 3rd September, some 76 days elapsing between the records and this young bird displacing 8km WSW before it's unfortunate demise;

2.  A first year female Greenfinch ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 2nd December 2020 fared a little better but was found dead in nearby Brixworth (cause not known) on 7th November 2021. This bird had only travelled three km from where originally ringed;

3.  A juvenile male Blackcap was ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 20th August 2021 and caught again at Stanford Reservoir on 24th September, a distance of 20km in a westerly direction;

4.  A first year Reed Warbler was ringed at Stortons Pits on 10th September 2021 and caught again fourteen days later at Stanford Reservoir, the distance between the sites being 24km, this bird also steering west;

5.  In contrast a first year Reed Warbler first ringed at Stanford Reservoir on 24th August 2021 was caught again at Pitsford Reservoir just six days later, this bird moving east between the sites!

6.  An adult female Wigeon ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 18th November 2020 was killed by hunters on 24th September 2021 at Sangatte, Pas-de-Calais, France, 290 days elapsing between when ringed and then killed.

Regards

Neil M

A Brambling from
Harrington Airfield today
courtesy of Helen Franklin.

Shoveler courtesy of
John Tilly.

Teal courtesy of
John Tilly.

Mallard courtesy
of John Tilly.