Sardinia birds

Another random selection of photographs of birds from my holiday in Sardinia (mid to late April 2013).

Above: A Woodchat Shrike (commonly seen in Sardinia)

Above & Below: A Woodlark (we only saw 2 or 3 individuals)

In the top photograph, the diagnostic 'light, dark, light' patch on the edge of the wing is visible as is the eye stripe that joins at the back of the head.

Above: The Woodlark on top of the tree.

Above: A male Chaffinch. Good enough to put a bookmark!

Above: A different male Chaffinch feeding, on what I assume, are seed pods.

If you think that a Chaffinch photograph is a little out of place amongst the other photographs of birds from Sardinia, you'd be right. But I like the way birding is random activity, especially when exploring new places. You never know when you're going to get a good photograph or see a good species. One minute you could be watching a Chaffinch, next a ...

Above: Golden Oriole. This represents my best ever view of one (through the camera lens!).

Arbatax (not a place I would recommend to tourists to visit) is a port (air & sea) with a large, unkempt industrial area, next to a residential area (where we stayed for a night). A walk round the area was largely uninspiring with few highlights until, on the edge of the industrial estate, a flash of yellow flew by. This eucalyptus tree, in a car park, was its destination. This was the only photograph I got but I'm glad I got it! It slinked away very quickly.

I went with the procedure 'get the photograph and then look through the binoculars' (though in this case I was too late with the binoculars). I didn't see any other Golden Oriole's all holiday, so the walk was worth it!

There's more to come at a later date!

A new venture

After scoping out a new site (a field with a cover crop near Sandy Smith Nature Reserve) and gaining permission to ring there (thanks Chris), I had to wait a while before the weather decided to produce ringing conditions.

Whilst snow was still on the ground, I had seen at least 300 birds including species such as Reed Buntings, Linnets, Lesser Redpolls, Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Green Woodpeckers, Goldfinch, Blackbirds and Chaffinches in the cover crop. I was sure at least some of the species were catchable and could include birds ringed at SSNR.

The weather finally relented yesterday and despite the weather being a lot milder and fewer birds being about, I did well.

Totals: 70 birds of 11 species comprising of 66 new and 4 retraps (retraps in brackets below):

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 (0)

Dunnock 6 (0)

Robin 1 (0)

Blackbird 1 (0)

Blue Tit 6 (1) - retrap ringed at SSNR 15/07/12, 209 days ago

Great Tit 1 (0)

Chaffinch 4 (1) - retrap ringed at SSNR 24/11/12, 77 days ago

Goldfinch 1 (0)

Lesser Redpoll 1 (0)

Reed Bunting 41 (2) - both retraps ringed at SSNR 11/03/12, 335 days ago

Yellowhammer 3 (0)

A few record photographs:

Above: A female Reed Bunting 

I hadn't expected so many Reed Buntings (I didn't use binoculars or count numbers of each species when I looked at the site) but I'm not complaining... any large catch of Reed Buntings is a red letter day around these parts!

Above: A male Chaffinch

I had expected more Chaffinch to be about, perhaps one of the species that had dispersed since the cold snap (there were fewer Goldfinch too). I did expect to catch a retrap Chaffinch from SSNR where I have ringed 83 in the last few years and I did, albeit a recent one. If I get my timing right, I'm sure there'll be more Chaffinch to ring and retrap.

Above: A male Reed Bunting

From 10 birds ringed at SSNR in the few years, it was nice to retrap 2 of them - both ringed at the same time on the same day. With no retrap records for either site for this species prior to yesterday, the second of the 2 is now the longevity record for both sites by virtue it was recaught a couple of hours later than the first.

Above: A Blue Tit 

Catching Blue Tits I'd ringed at SSNR was inevitable really. They must pass between my feeders at SSNR and the residents feeders at Beadlow - they're only a kilometre apart. The retrapped bird was only retrapped for the first time, perhaps showing it prefers the feeders at Beadlow!

Above: A Great Tit

The nets weren't in the ideal position for catching passing Blue & Great Tits but that obviously didn't matter.



Above: A female Yellowhammer

I have ringed Yellowhammer before (East Yorkshire & Cambridgeshire) but have never caught my own. Yellowhammers have been declining rapidly since the 1980's and may well continue to do so. You can read more about the decline of Yellowhammers on the BTO website here.

Above: A male Lesser Redpoll

I had hoped for a few more of these, but given the milder conditions and location of my nets, this wasn't altogether a surprise.



Above: A Goldfinch



The Goldfinch I had seen before on this site must have dispersed as a lot fewer were seen this time.



Above: A Robin

I'd only seen one Robin here and I saw it collecting nesting material and taking it back to an ivy clad tree. Perhaps this was the one I saw?

Today, the weather has worsened (yet again) so it's chores, chores, chores.... and preparing the equipment for the next ringing session. I have a few pleasant diversions such as remembering yesterdays session, playing the X Box and the England rugby match is on later (though whether this is a pleasant diversion depends on the result!).

Birds of Extremadura, Spain II

As I was saying in my last post, about a quarter of the species I saw on the holiday were new to me. I hadn't done much research on what to expect as I like seeing them unexpectedly. I saw some species I had expected to, missed others and found some unexpected - a good mix. Again, it is worth clicking on the photographs to see them in higher resolution.

Having whetted your appetite in my previous post I take great delight in posting more photographs of the species I saw on holiday...

Above: A Jackdaw (Grajilla).

Above: A Goldfinch (Jilguero).

Birds in trees are a particularly difficult subject to photograph. The main problems being light and interfering vegetation. Not to mention distance. This one came out well - many didn't. The contrast of vegetation, sky, branches and the bird provides interest.

Above: A female Chaffinch (Pinzón del Hierro).


Above: A nice find and the only one I saw on holiday - a Nuthatch (Trepador azul).

Above: The countryside all around Extremadura was literally dripping with Corn Buntings (Triguero) like the one here. They were jangling from almost every fence post, bush and prominent position available! Driving along, I could hear them from inside the moving car!

Green 'the elder' kept on asking what I'd seen. Corn Bunting was a standard response! They were second only to House Sparrows as the most often seen on the holiday. Juding by my experiences of Southern Europe over my last few Holidays, I would postulate that Sparrows in Sardina, Menorca and Spain have not undergone the same kind of decline as we have seen in Britain over recent decades.

FYI, the great delight I took in posting more photographs was taken in not posting photographs of the more 'exotic' species! Those of you who know me better will not be surprised! You also won't be surprised to find that I will be kinder next time... maybe...!

Juvenile behaviour!

No, not my behavior, or my brothers (for once)! It's the time of year when we start seeing good numbers of juveniles from the early breeders.

SSNR 30/05/11: 21 birds of 8 species (retraps in brackets)

Great Tit 9 (0) - including 6 juveniles
Whitethroat 4 (1) - the retrap being first ringed as an adult June 2010.
Grasshopper Warbler 1 (0) - the 5th this year for this site and the first female
Blackcap 1 (0) - only the third of this species for the site
Dunnock 0 (2)
Chiff Chaff 1 (0)
Sedge Warbler 1 (0)
Great Spotted Woodpecker 0 (1) - A regularly caught male.

SSNR yesterday 04/06/11: 55 birds of 11 species (retraps in brackets)

Blue Tit 4 (3) - all the new birds were juveniles
Great Tit 4 (0) - including 3 juveniles
Whitethroat 6 (3) - one of the retraps being from June 2010
Chaffinch 9 (1) - including 6 juveniles
Goldfinch 7 (2) - including 2 juveniles
Garden Warbler 3 (0) - 2 males and a female (NEW FOR SITE)
Grasshopper Warbler 0 (2) - a pair
Willow Warbler 1 (0) - the first adult caught on site
Blackcap 8 (0) - mostly adult males except 1 adult female and one juvenile
Dunnock 0 (1) - first ringed on 3rd March 2011
Sedge Warbler 0 (1) - a retrap from May 2011

This is not typical of visits to SSNR and it came as a very welcome surprise. I suspect there are a few reasons for this:

1. weather - overcast first thing (lifting but not completely later on) and wind from the east ('light' to start with increasing to 'far too' by the end of the session). Normal = windy and from the west. Perhaps this was partially responsible for catching a lot of blackcaps (rarely ringed here) and the Garden Warblers (where did they come from?!?).



Above: Garden Warbler

2. I've not ringed at this time of year here with a feeding station. Without this, the catch would consist mainly of Warblers.

3. Juveniles - it's that time of year. Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnocks, Whitethroats, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Song Thrushes, Chaffinches, Starlings, Blackcaps - I have seen fledged young of all these species around Bedfordshire. Some examples coming up (all juveniles):



Above: Great Tit



Above: Blue Tit (taken at Priory Country Park).



Above: Robin (taken at Priory Country Park - no juvenile Robins have been caught so far at SSNR).



Above: Blackcap



Above: Goldfinch



Above: Chaffinch

February so far

More severe wind has left me slobbing around at home when I'd much prefer being out and ringing. However, yesterday I did find some shelter at Priory Country Park and put a few nets up.

The following turned up (in order of appearance):

Long Tailed Tit 2
Blue Tit 11
Dunnock 2
Chaffinch 3
Great Tit 7
Song Thrush 1
Treecreeper 1
Blackbird 2



Above: A male chaffinch. 2 were found in the net at the same time. A single female was ringed later on.



Above: A Song Thrush.



Above: A treecreeper (the best bird of the day).



Above & Below: Two different Great Tits. The one in the photograph above, I noticed, has a partially bleached (?) tail. The photograph below is a 'normal' Great Tit tail.



In all, 21 new birds were ringed with 8 retraps (the longest known age being a Blue Tit hatched in 2008).

January ringing highlights

The weather has been variable recently, to say the least. December was freezing and with all the snow, this stopped ringing activities. By the new year the snow had gone and a session Sandy Smith Nature Reserve (SSNR) on 8th Jan produced just 3 birds; a Coal Tit, Blue Tit and this:



Above: A Kingfisher that had survived the December freeze!

Severe wind (no, not anything to do with my digestive tract) has been the main problem in January. MT and I made an attempt for Waxwing (2 attempts) and Tree Sparrows (1 attempt) but with waxwings being difficult to catch and the wind, we drew a blank. Birds 3, Ringers 0. Being positive, we did see a lot of waxwings and got to know Shefford a bit better!

I also went looking for a Bittern at Priory Country Park (it's been seen there regularly since just before Christmas) but I drew a blank.

Instead of chasing Bedfordshire rarities, I wanted to chase Siskins at SSNR.

SSNR on 22nd Jan: 4 Blue Tits, 5 Great Tits and 1 Coal Tit. No Siskins (200 + still around).

SSNR on 30th Jan: 4 Blue Tits, 2 Great Tits, 1 Robin, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Coal Tit and 2 new species ringed for the site, 2 Goldfinch and 1 Blackbird. No Siskins (still around though between 100-150).



Above: The first Goldfinch ringed at SSNR.



Above: The first Blackbird ringed at SSNR.



Above: A female Chaffinch.

A combination of the time of year, weather (wind, rain, warmth), increased natural food sources and unknown factors, means reduced catches but with a Kingfisher and 2 new species for SSNR, I feel the effort was worth it. There's still time for Siskins in the next month or two... I hope!

Foray back home

A weekend in Gloucestershire:

On Saturday I went to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition at Nature In Art (www.nature-in-art.org.uk). In my opinion (humble as it is!), it wasn't as good as other years. Don't get me wrong, there were some good photographs, and some outstanding ones, but I rarely agree with the overall winner (or category winners). One that stood out for me was the photograph of Bramblings (see http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/photo.do?photo=2527&category=50&group=1).

On Sunday at my dad's house, an early start & good conditions for ringing (overcast but hardly any breeze & no rain!). Here are the results: 41 birds of 9 species - New (retrap)

Blackbird 4 (0)
Blue Tit 13 (1)
Chaffinch 2 (0)
Coal Tit 2 (0)
Collared Dove 1 (0)
Dunnock 5 (0)
Goldfinch 7 (1)
Greenfinch 3 (0)
House Sparrow 3 (0)



Above: A collared dove. I don't get much chance to see these birds in the hand, but having had a couple over Christmas flirting with the net, I was glad that this one left with a bit of silver.



Above: For a good number of years (10 or more) my Dad has been seeing Blackbirds with some white feathers in his Garden. Presumably all are related (and I think all have been male)and are part of the local population. If this is true then it is obvious that these birds have no trouble mating!



Above: A male Chaffinch. These do not visit the garden in large numbers, but they do visit regularly.



Above: A Goldfinch. These birds seem to be visiting the garden feeders a lot at the moment. A shortage of natural food at the moment perhaps. One bird of note, a retrap (first caught at Christmas) Goldfinch.



Above: Just an excuse to post another picture of a coal tit!



Above: Caught together, this male House Sparrow thought it only right and proper to preserve the modesty of the female House Sparrow. Usually, House Sparrows are clever and sit somewhere nearby to feeders most of the day and make a short foray to the feeders. At my Dad's house, I don't know of a nearby bush where they sit (that doesn't mean it doesn't exist) but I don't think they are very close by (otherwise I would have heard them).



Above: Relegated to 'the garage,' this is the view of my ringing station!