A Festive Roost session

There are few common species which pose more challenges for trainees and licenced ringers than starlings. They are difficult to extract from mist nets, and ageing is never easy. Therefore this is a perfect species to target for a training session while also acting as a good refresher for everyone.
We are finding that a track on a Swedish collection of bird songs, is extremely effective at attracting starlings on their way into roost. Belvide reserve has a large reedbed with a regular pretty large starling roost-estimated at 15,000 in recent days--sounds perfect?!
This however, poses a couple of potential problems. First and foremost it is imperative that we maintain good positive relationships with the birders at the reserve and with members and guests who come to see the murmuration. Second, it's potentially too risky in the centre of such a roost that too many birds could be caught--especially when we are using the event as a training exercise.
There is a very neat solution at Belvide in that there is a smaller offshoot of the reedbed slightly out of the way, where we can operate without disturbing the main roost or those gathered to watch it.
Last night was particularly successful in that we had a good team--and time for plenty of banter. The smaller number of the gathering birds that were attracted to the sound came in relatively early giving us plenty of time to extract and close the nets before the main roost started. And finally some great teamwork gave the trainees plenty of opportunities to get to grips with starlings and reed buntings-and a bonus winter chiffchaff. 40 starlings; 8 reed buntings and 1 chiffchaff were the final totals.

Prior to Kev's first starling roost--which is why he

is still smiling..............

Ageing/sexing/ringing etc is an added challenge in a

dark hide

One of the target species

In-service training session

We hope you all had a good Christmas? Like most of us I guess I was suffering from spending far too much time sitting on my backside eating too many chocs! So a last minute decision on 27th, to have a thermo-lamping session was a suitable antidote. In truth I was feeling a tad embarrassed by my poor recent rate of locating birds with the torch after finding them in the thermal imager--I needed some in-service training on my own without the pressure of having expectant guests.
It turned out to be just what I needed. After a short session-20.00-22.00 at a farm near Belvide, I managed to ring 1 of two woodcock seen; 1 of three snipe seen and 4 of about 50 skylarks seen. I learned some important lessons about handling all the kit you need (growing an extra arm would be a superb improvement...) and I've come up with some cunning plans to improve my next performance-- I hope! However, spotting skylarks in dense stubble is still a challenge but I'm getting there. Col

On behalf of the team here at Belvide Ringers I would like to wish a very Merry Christmas to all our readers

Not only horses at Dunstall Park!

Gareth and Kev at Wolverhampton Racecourse Monday am: 40 new birds & 4 retraps: 2 Nuthatch (new for site as only control before), 4 Redwing, 1 Coal Tit, 7 Lt Tit, 16 & 2r Great Tit, 10 & 1r Blue Tit & 1r Dunnock

Redwings a-plenty

Ever since the ‘Latvian love song’ recording of redwings became evident as sooo attractive to redwings, the group has been catching quite large numbers. None more so than our founder—Pete, who has access to a large walled garden on the Chillington estate within which are some conifers being nurtured for Christmas trees. Over the last few years Pete has seen large variations in numbers caught, with the highest; around 2000 (!!);  a couple of years ago. Numbers have been more modest this year; but Pete, with regular help from PaulT and some of our trainees, has put in the hard yards with attempts made on most suitable days since he started on 16^th October. His reward has been a total of 455 redwings ringed to date. Such large numbers would have been unthinkable a few years ago when we used to spend hours setting roost nets in sometimes really hostile cold conditions and were chuffed if we caught double figures at a session!!

Pete has also found a regular pattern in that around Christmas time, for some strange reason, the redwings seem to start ignoring the sound and it becomes pointless carrying on. It looks like he has reached that stage with recent catches being in single figures so toady was his last session of the winter. I guess the only real disappointment is that with so many ringed over the years—and ringers now being able to catch so many more redwings than previously—we rarely get any controls or recoveries. Why that is remains a mystery, although it’s easy to come up with a few, as yet not proven, theories! But as ever, we remain hopeful!

Although redwings are the target species, several other bonus birds have been ringed during this year’s sessions such as fieldfare, blackbird, song thrush, goldcrest and a stunning adult green woodpecker. We hope you enjoy the pics.

Starling Roost Netting...........

Dave and Col spent a couple of pleasant and useful hours at Belvide yesterday at the Starling roost. we again tried the Swedish starling call and again it was very successful. Mindful of the fact there were only two of us we almost certainly went in too early, but we called it right and a catch of 20 starlings and 4 reed buntings was just about right.
It's useful that there is a smaller offshoot of the main reedbed in the SE corner which doesn't disturb the main roost and any members who come to see it.
We will be trying again--probably over the holiday period.

A Snipe saves the night

Gareth and Kevin Clements went lamping on one of the farms near to Belvide last night. It was a waxing moon with broken cloud, so not the ideal conditions. However, it was dry and with a moderate breeze, and the birds were relatively well-behaved - those that were there.

Disappointingly, Kevin and Gareth only suspected having seen one probable Woodcock, but it flew before getting close enough. There were again no passerines on the fields, but there were at least 15 Common Snipe seen and a few Red-legged Partridge.

Fortunately, we managed to catch and ring one Common Snipe, which was a first for us and the site.

We think it helps if the net holder has the sound system to keep the noise going as they approach the bird.

We are also finding that in pasture fields with relatively long grass snipe species are very good at hunkering down as soon as they see you, which makes them very difficult to find even with the thermal imager. Bring on the next time!

Common Snipe caught and ringed by Belvide Ringers

This is our first posting and the site is still in development, so please continue to watch this space!