31/05 May Update

May 2019 Update

Nest Monitoring
May is the month I concentrate on nest box monitoring; between three to nine visits made to each box depending on occupation and progress.
This year I checked 134 nest boxes at: The Bagnor Estate (39), Greenham Common (32), Snelsmore Common (34) and Winterbourne Holt (29)
Generally most nesting appears to be between seven and ten days in advance of the “normal” late May peak. Pulli ringing usually extends into the first and second week of June, this year I ringed the last brood on the 29th May. I only monitor first attempts; I don’t check for late (replacement) broods. As well as being more advanced the number of large Broods is higher than for recent years.

Nest Box Status

30 were unoccupied or did not pass the nest construction stage.
Blue Tits occupied 56 boxes, four failed at egg/pulli stage, largest brood was 19 ringed plus four dead eggs. It involved three birds, two females brooded, pulli were arranged in two layers, presumably shuffling downwards/upwards when being fed. Largest brood from a pairing is 16. One box had two eggs the size of peas that were incubated for 27days before being deserted; normal incubation period is from 12 to 16 days. The female had been ringed at the Bagnor feeder Feb 2016 and was there again Jan 2018. She attempted to nest in the same box in 2018 and laid two normal size eggs that did not hatch.
Great Tit occupied 40 boxes, two failed at egg/pulli stage, largest brood 13
Nuthatch occupied 8 boxes, two failed, the female died at one box trapped in the entrance hole; possibly attacked by something. Largest brood 8.
Little Ringed Plovers also nested, and one nest could be monitored. The pair persisted until around hatching stage. I searched using a scope trying to find if there were any chicks. Just a lone adult was found, and I presume the attempt failed probably due to predation or human/canine interference. The pair or another were seen displaying a couple of days later in the same area and the female is now sitting on a scrape very near where the first attempt was.
Pulli Ringed: Blue Tit 519, Great Tit 319 and Nuthatch 31 (one brood missed, the safe date for ringing passed) it will be interesting to see how many fledge.

General Ringing

I tried to visit the Western Enclosure weekly, weather etc permitting, to keep in touch with events. This time of year I don’t expect to capture much since I don’t use lures, it being the breeding season. So far this month I have done three sessions all from 08:00 to 10:00hours. Captures are as expected low as follows:
02-05-2019 Robin 1, Whitethroat 1, Willow Warbler 2

16-05-2019 Blackbird 1, Whitethroat 2

21-05-2019 Blue Tit 2, Whitethroat 2, Willow Warbler 1
I have only made one visit here in the past during in May, visit date 04-05-2018 when the following were captured: Garden Warbler 1, Goldfinch 1, Greenfinch 2, Whitethroat. As can be seen ringing here is very hit and miss in May.

Otherwise: I am doing the visits to two BBS sites, walking Greenham & Crookham Common, and occasional visits to Lower Farm GP also doing the CES at Thatcham Marsh LNR (see separate reports) with some of the group.

JL sometimes with IW