Trip reports

Nightingale Wood Ringing Report - 2007

Friday, 8 February 2008

If members wonder what the most common bird in Nightingale Wood was in 2007, they may be surprised that blackcap comes out on top with over 500 individual birds ringed. The majority of these were migrant birds caught during August/September and show the importance of the woodland to migrant warblers (willow warbler, chiffchaff, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat & garden warbler) which all pass through in good numbers during the late summer.

Greenfinch is the second most numerous - they used to be number one, but the population has seriously declined over the last 3 years.
Next on the list comes blackbird followed by chiffchaff, chaffinch and meadow pipit, all over 100 individuals. Blue tit (93), great tit (75) and lesser redpoll (65) come next. At the other end of the scale, a single long-eared owl at Brook Meadow pool was a delight.

Along with the usual woodland and farmland birds were snipe, jack snipe, barn owl, grey wagtail, redstart, brambling, siskin and bullfinch.

More unusual species, seen rather than caught, were green sandpiper, raven, red kite, peregrine, hobby and whinchat.

A total of 46 species were caught during the annual ringing programme, clearly showing that Nightingale Wood and Brook Meadow is a quality site.