Meisen Wood: Feb’s Figures

Ringers:  CS and EB

After January’s poor weather, February’s aberrant warm weather allowed us to fit in a full set of ringing sessions.  Fitting in all scheduled sessions is important because it allows purposeful year on year comparisons, and for us to identify variations in local population dynamics. 

February’s totals (in table below) were essentially in line with year on year expectations, with two exceptions: the Brambling and Siskin numbers.

Species	Ringed	Re-trapped	Control	Total
Blackbird	10	8		18
Blue Tit	47	67		114
Brambling	69	5	1	75
Bullfinch	1			1
Chaffinch	20	2		22
Coal Tit	2	6		8
Dunnock	3	1	1	5
G S Woodpecker	2	4		6
Goldcrest	1	1		2
Goldfinch	1			1
Great Tit	35	72		107
Greenfinch	23	3		26
Long T Tit	3	2		5
Marsh Tit	1	7		8
Nuthatch		3		3
Redpoll	2			2
Robin	3	6	1	10
Short T Treecreeper	2			2
Siskin	8	1		9
Wren	2	3		5
Totals	235	191	3	429

This year’s Brambling figures, combined with those from last autumn, mean we have this autumn-winter ringed 416 Brambling; hopefully this will generate some good control data.  These above average numbers reflect the current Brambling invasion. 

Conversely the Siskin total is low particularly given that last February we ringed 435 Siskins.

Despite small, delightfully noisy flocks in the tree tops they are not descending to net level; clearly they are finding sufficient food amongst the larch cones to meet their requirements.  In certain ways this is to be expected as Siskin numbers and movements fluctuate widely on an annual basis; essentially a response to breeding success and food availability.

It is always a joy to add a new species to a site’s ringing list, particularly when that species is a gem in the form of a Goldfinch; we are not a hundred percent sure but we think this was a first for EB.

Three controls: a Swedish ringed Brambling, a Dutch ringed Robin and a Dunnock ringed elsewhere within the Heligoland region were most welcome and will contribute to our knowledge of the birds which use Meisen Wood or simply pass through.  The controlled Dunnock, along with a co-specific, were large birds for their species.  Extracting them from the net they felt like plump, feathery sausages.  Both birds’ masses were a tad over 23g while their fat and muscle scores were 5 and 2, such biometrics indicate these Dunnock were simply passing through.

Sadly we caught a Chaffinch whose right leg had a thick warty encrustation probably caused by an infection of the fringilla papillomavirus, while its left leg was incomplete - the length below the tibia-tarsus joint was missing.  Some of the literature states that a consequence of this infestation is the natural amputation of the infected limb – this may then contribute to the bird’s demise through affecting its foraging abilities.  Whenever we catch a Chaffinch with these symptoms we immediately release the bird and disinfect our hands.

We were intrigued by a new Blue Tit whose mandibles were like crossed scimitars.  The bird was ringed and fully processed with its computer entry noting its bill deformity.  This was done because we both have vague memories of a friend, a veterinary nurse, to our incredulity telling us that such birds often develop a weak point where the bill’s excesses will drop off and then re-grow normally.  If we ever re-trap this Blue Tit we will be able to check that statement out and have our doubts dismissed.  Apart from the deformed bill all the bird’s other biometric were what would be expected of a Blue Tit in mid-February.

Towards the end of the month the Brambling numbers were gradually declining, presumably these beautiful finches are winging their way back to their northern homelands.  Meanwhile the numbers of Greenfinch and Chaffinch were slowly increasing.  Through March and into early April we normally catch good numbers of these later two finches.  Sadly, looking at weather maps for the western Atlantic many low pressure systems are being generated there with those being replaced with more of the same.  Therefore the weather prognosis for early to mid – March is looking decidedly stormy and wet which means few, if any, ringing opportunities.  As they say here: schade (pity)!