Chilled Out

We were joined by Charlie Parker this morning at a very cool and crisp Brook Vale. The themometer in the car was reading -6 deg when we arrived so we had to keep moving to keep warm! We put the usual nets up, three at the feeding station, three in the reeds and the 'Cettis' net. Whilst Brook Vale hasn't been that productive recently, I visit the site at least three times a week to feed up and the feeders have been getting emptied regularly.

Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)

A slow start gave us an opportunity to do a little more clearing of willows that are starting to succeed the reed bed. Although our cutting materials were pretty light, we cleared some of the branches that are overhanging the main ditch. The water in the ditch has been stagnant for some time with little access to open sky. In September, the Rangers cleared an area alongside the ditch as part of the ongoing management of the site. Over the coming months, the hopes are to remove more willow to 'open up' the reed bed and in the short term, this will look ugly, but in the long term it will improve the quality of the reed bed.

Adult Male Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) with unusual beak colouration

First-year Female Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

The catch rate throughout the session was slow but steady which gave Charlie a good opportunity to get to grips with some of our common species and the basic ageing and sexing techniques. The highlight of the session was the first-year female Bullfinch that we caught in the Cettis net, one of only two birds caught in that net. There was an absence of Reed Buntings today with only one observation by Charlie flying away from the feeding station. I am suprised that we don't catch more Reed Buntings at Brook Vale, with the feeding station and the size of the reed bed, it seems perfect.

L.T.Tit - 1
Wren - (1)
Blue Tit - 9 (8)
Great Tit - 1 (2)
Chaffinch - 4 (1)
Bullfinch - 1
Greenfinch - 8 (1)
Goldfinch - 5
Dunnock - 1 (1)
Robin - (2)
Woodpigeon - 1

TOTAL: 31 (16)

The plan for tomorrow is to head once again to Crosby Hall. Fulwood is being left for a while and we are unable to start in the Woodhams until February, Crosby Hall is feeding well, so hopefully this week, the feeding regime will pay off with the plan to focus on catching Robins, Goldcrests and finches.