Thursday 21 July 2011

Garden ringing

Having received my 'C' permit, ordered rings, nets and equipment I was at last ready to start some independent ringing.

Arriving home from the morning session with Colin at Kessingland I was greeted with a Sparrowhawk surveying our small garden domain; intimidating the population of House Sparrows that inhabit the sprawling Honeysuckle clinging to the fence on each side. The small raptor sat patiently for several minutes before launching itself into the woody climber and departing with a sparrow in its talons. Then it rained!

Missed this one - Male Sparrowhawk

Rain finally stopped early evening and the time had come to test out the new 6m mist net purchased with the garden in mind. One, two and then a third were removed from the net and at the next look a further five House Sparrows were patiently awaiting extraction. Before dinner was ready a grand total of ten House Sparrows and a Dunnock had been ringed. A pleasing start to solo ringing!

Male House Sparrow

Over the course of the next week or so a few more garden sessions have produced a pleasing number and variety of birds for a garden no more than 30' long.

July Garden Totals - 33 New
Dunnock - 3
Blackbird - 1
Coal Tit - 1
Blue Tit - 2
Great Tit - 2
House Sparrow - 24

'Baldy' the Dunnock

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