Saturday 15 May 2010

15th May 2010

The weather for this morning did not look promising for a catch with conflicting forecasts on wind speeds. John and I decided to give it a shot anyway and were joined by Walter. We arrived at 0415 and got several nets up in the Whitburn Point nature reserve. It was fairly steady with a few birds until a large flock of starlings descended on the reserve. The starlings made a bee line to the two larger mesh nets which made it incredibly difficult to extract them. We continued to catch a few reed buntings, house sparrows and whitethroats. The first juveniles of the year turned up into the nets, both of which were greenfinch. The pair of grey partridge were observed just north of the reserve. The ringed pair of yellowhammer were still present with the male singing for most of the morning. Linnets were very quiet, presumably the females are incubating. I check a bush that I had previously seen Linnets carrying nest material into, the nest was easily found but only contained two eggs. I would expect it to have more eggs by now but we will monitor it to see if she has abandoned the nest. Six wheatears were observed along the firing range.

Ringed: starling 33, house sparrow 6, whitethroat 3, blackbird 2, greenfinch 2, reed bunting 2 (1 retrap), singles of swallow, willow warbler and chiffchaff.

Scotland Trip 6-8th May

A trip to Perth was made last weekend to visit a friend of mine and John Brown also joined me. We got to Perth just before midday and headed out with Neil Morrison to check some of his tawny owl boxes. We trapped and ringed two adults and four chicks. That evening we checked a few more boxes and trapped a retrap adult from last year with two chicks.

On Saturday morning we went to Scone Palace in the attempt to trap some hawfinch. A mistle trush was trapped on the first net round and only the second to be trapped at the palace in 5 or 6 years that Neil has been ringing there. Unfortunately no hawfinch were trapped. During the afternoon John and I attempted to trap a dipper or grey wagtail on one of the local burns but ended up trapping a kingfisher which was a nice surprise. The evening was spent with Neil has his friend Colin up a glen searching for short-eared owl nests. One nest was located however the female sat tight which presumably meant that she was still incubating.

Sunday morning Neil, John and I headed back upto the glen in the attempt to trap some crossbills that have been coming to the side of the road for grit infront of one of Neils friends house. We watched upto 15 crossbills land in the trees next to the road and two birds flew into the net and then got out. Eventually a juvenile female did fly into one of the nets and stayed. Several siskin, chaffinch, swallow and willow warbler were also trapped.
Thanks to Neil and Colin for allowing us to visit and take advantage of all your hard work monitoring nests.

Juvenile female crossbill

Ade with crossbill

John with tawny owl chick

Ade with 'The Killer' tawny owl

Friday 14 May 2010

Stormie returns archive

The maps below show the locations of storm petrels ringed at Souter Bird Observatory that have been controlled elsewhere (red) and the ringing location of those that have been controlled at Souter Bird Observatory (yellow). The maps are taken from Souter Bird Observatory ringing data between 2005 and 2009.
2005 Season

2568417 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 30.07.2005 - retrapped at Collieston, Grampian on 17.08.2005 - duration 18 days, distance 269km

2006 Season

2501565 - adult storm petrel ringed at Tullagh Point, Donegal, Ireland on 14.08.1997 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 14.07.2006 - duration 3256 days, distance 390 km

2504613 - adult storm petrel ringed at Harrington, Cumbria on 08.08.2005 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 14.07.2006 - duration 340 days, distance 148 km

2504616 - adult storm petrel ringed at Harrington, Cumbria on 05.09.2005 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 03.07.2006 - duration 301 days, distance 148km

2581410 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 14.07.2006 - retrapped at Sanda Island, Kintyre, Scotland on 24.07.2006 - duration 10 days, distance 271 km

2602547 - adult storm petrel ringed at Rubha Bhra, Portskerra, Scotland on 21.05.2005 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 15.07.2006 - duration 328 days, distance 432 km

2581413 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 14.07.2006 -retrapped at Fife Ness, Scotland on 25.07.2006 - duration 11 days, distance 166 km

2607182 -adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 24.07.2006 - retrapped at Fife Ness, Scotland on 25.07.2006 - duration 1 day, distance 166km

2607176 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter bird Observatory on 13.07.2006 - retrapped at Fife Ness, Scotland on 24.07.2006 - duration 11 days, distance 166 km

2495612 - adult storm petrel ringed at Isle of May, Scotland on 18.08.2005 - retrapped at Souter bird Observatory on 24.07.2006 -duration 340 days, distance 157 km

2539989 - adult storm petrel ringed at North Sands, Hartlepool on 26.07.2006 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 05.08.2006 - duration 10 days, distance 30 km

2559116 - adult storm petrel ringed at Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire on 19.07.2005 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 05.08.2006 - duration 382 days, distance 107 km

2590318 -adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 09.07.2006 - retrapped at Fife Ness, Scotland on 27.07.2006 - duration 18 days, distance 165km

2590319 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 09.07.2006 - retrapped at Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire on 17.07.2006 - duration 10 days, distance 107 km

2008 Season

2379624 - adult storm petrel ringed at Kilnsea Clays, Humberside on 14.07.2008 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 19.07.2008 - duration 5 days, distance 179 km


2495551 - adult storm petrel ringed at Isle of May, Scotland on 15.08.2004 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 18.07.2008, duration 1433 days, distance 157 km

2559172 - adult storm petrel ringed at Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire on 15.07.2008 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 19.07.2008 - duration 4 days, distance 107 km

2581444 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 11.07.2008 - retrapped at Fife Ness, Scotland on 23.07.2008 - duration 12 days, distance 166 km

2581449 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 12.07.2008 - retrapped at Isle of May, Scotland on 03.08.2008 - duration 22 days, distance 157 km

2581458 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 19.07.2008 - retrapped at Dunbeath, Highland Region, Scotland on 25.07.2008 - duration 6 days, distance 387 km


2581469 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 19.07.2008 - retrapped at Fife Ness, Scotland on 08.08.2008 - duration 20 days, distance 166 km

2581487 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 25.07.2008 -

retrapped at Craig Stirling, Grampian Region, Scotland on 03.08.2008 - duration 9 days, distance 235 km
retrapped at Craig Stirling on 04.08.2008 - duration 10 days


2581491 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 25.07.2008 - retrapped at Isle of May, Scotland on 14.08.2008 - duration 20 days, distance 157 km

2589841 - adult storm petrel ringed at Fife Ness, Scotland on 13.07.2008 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 19.07.2008 - duration 6 days, distance 166 km

2581465 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 19.07.2008 - retrapped at Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland on 27.07.2008 - duration 8 days, distancve 32 km

2628316 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 01.08.2008 - retrapped at Isle of May, Scotland on 03.08.2008 - duration 2 days, distance 157 km

2628323 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 01.08.2008 - retrapped at Tres Ness, Sanday, Orkney, Scotland on 09.08.2008 - duration 8 days, distance 479 km

2628328 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 01.08.2008
retrapped at Low Hauxley, Northumberland on 04.08.2008 - duration 3 days, distance 43 km
retrapped at Craig Stirling, Grampian Region, Scotland on 20.08.2008, duration 19 days, distance 235 km

2628330 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 02.08.2008 - retrapped at Low Hauxley, Northumberland on 30.08.2008 - duration 28 days, distance 43 km


2628334 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 02.08.2008 - retrapped at Craig Stirling, Grampian Region, Scotland on 04.08.2008 - duration 2 days, distance 235 km

2628340 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 02.08.2008 - retrapped at Sanda Island, Kintyre, Scotland on 08.08.2008 - duration 6 days, 271 km


2630643 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 18.07.2008 - retrapped at Craig Stirling, Grampian Region, Scotland on 15.08.2008, duration 28 days, distance 235 km

2637720 - adult storm petrel ringed at Craig Stirling on 13.07.2008 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 25.07.2008 - duration 12 days, distance 235 km

2009 Season

2559167 - adult storm petrel ringed at Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire on 31.07.2007 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 03.07.2009 - duration 703 days, distance 107 km

2581460 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 19.07.2008 - retrapped at Eilean nan Ron, Highland Region, Scotland on 27.07.2009 - duration 373 days, distance 439 km

2589899 - adult storm petrel ringed at Fife Ness, Scotland on 05.08.2008 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 04.08.2009 - duration 364 days, distance 166km

2594527 - adult storm petrel ringed at Isle of May, Scotland on 08.08.2007 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 20.06.2009 - duration 682 days, distance 157 km

2594595 - adult storm petrel ringed at Isle of May, Scotland on 03.08.2008 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 06.08.2009 - duration 368 days, distance 157 km

2594601 - adult storm petrel ringed at Isle of May, Scotland on 03.08.2008 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 03.08.2009 - duration 365 days, distance 157 km

2628340 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 02.08.2008 - retrapped at Tres Ness, Sanday, Orkney on 07.08.2009 - duration 370 days, distance 479 km

2628374 - adult storm petrel ringed at Souter Bird Observatory on 04.07.2009 -
retrapped at Fife Ness, Scotland on 11.07.2009 - duration 7 days, distance 166 km
retrapped at Craig Stirling, Grampian Region, Scotland on 22.08.2009 - duration 49 days, distance 235 km

2637767 - adult storm petrel ringed at Craig Stirling, Grampian Region, Scotland on 03.08.2008 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 31.07.2009 - duration 362 days, distance 235 km

2649167 - adult storm petrel ringed at Eilean An Taighe, Western Isles, Scotland on 03.07.2009 - retrapped at Souter Bird Observatory on 04.08.2009 - duration 32 days, distance 448 km

Monday 3 May 2010

Sunday 2nd May


Raven chicks (c) John Brown
Dipper (c) John Brown
Another good days ringing with the second brood of ravens for the year, an adult dipper, a brood of 5 dipper pulli and 3 swallows.

April Totals

( ) = retraps

Souter

Sparrowhawk - (1)
Grey partridge - 1
Woodpigeon - 1
Meadow pipit - 6
Wren - 1
Dunnock - 5 (3)
Robin - 2
Blackbird - 9
Whitethroat - 1
Blackcap - 1
Chiffchaff - 2
Willow warbler - 9
Blue tit - 1
Great tit - (4)
Starling - 5
House sparrow - 4
Chaffinch - 3
Greenfinch - 2
Goldfinch - 10
Linnet - 12
Yellowhammer - 2 (1)
Reed bunting - 7

Elsewhere

Raven - 4