29/12 Snelsmore Common

Location: Snelsmore Common Feeder CES2024/25.05

Session: 29/12/2024 07:45 to 11:10hrs

Notes: The session started off with a Wood Pigeon that stayed in the net, so we had to ring it. We usually avoid ringing these as we have few rings left of the size required. These rings are made of strong corrosion resistant Incoloy are expensive and we rarely ring birds requiring this size – mostly marine and estuarine habitat birds. An 8 year old Blue Tit (ringed 24/12/2017) is probably one of the oldest we have re-trapped for a few years maybe ever since the group started in 1967. The matching visit, although about a week later than this visit 05, is a further indication that this winter (2024/25) birds numbers, particularly the tit family, are much reduced, probably affected by the storms mid-Dec.

Present: JL,IW,JHW,LC.

Weather: overcast, misty, calm, cold

Nets: 2x6M nets, one each side of feeder up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs

Lures (Feeder): Fat Balls, Sunflower Hearts, Peanuts.

Recaptures: (28) (nest box ref CP,WH = Snelsmore Common)

Blue  Tit  ringed:. 24/12/2017, 24/10/2021,  20/11/2022, 19/11/2023, 10/12/2023x2,

                            15/12/2023 (BAG-FDR), 07/01/2024x2, 03/11/2024x4, 17/11/2024, 15/12/2024x2.

                pulli ringed: 16/05/2022 box CP26,

Coal  Tit   ringed: 15/01/2023, 03/11/2024,17/11/2024

Great Tit   ringed: 17/11/2024, 15/12/2024

                 pulli ringed: 14/05/2024x2 boxes CP23 & CP32.

Marsh Tit ringed: 15/12/2024

Robin      ringed: 19/11/2023

Sighting: Ian’s list, not much activity other than at the feeder. Raven usually are active this time of

year as they prepare to breed but this year none recorded here since November 2024 as far as I

am aware and I visit two or three times a week to top the feeders up.