Stanstock VI: Outrageous Ringing!

Readers from previous years will know that Stanstock is our annual celebration of bird migration, ending on the August bank holiday, or thereabouts. Thanks to the kindness of Park Farm we camp out on the railtrack which butts onto Stanford Reservoir and ring for essentially one solid week. This year it actually started early, as MJT was ringing on Friday 15th when a number of us arrived to put up our tents, so we incorporated his session too. Unlike last year, the weather was pretty decent, although typically getting to be quite windy in the afternoons, so we did ring every day! Nets were put up between Safari ride and the Northants Reedbed at Point, a total of 34, although not all were open every day, depending on the wind. Two ringing stations were in operation. 

 Brief relaxation and refreshment for the Railtrack team. 

 

Loafing at the Point with a few birds to ring

 

A grand total of 3,660 new birds were ringed during the week as follows: Blackcap 1397, Sedge Warbler 633, Whitethroat 407, Reed Warbler 366, Willow Warbler 365, Garden Warbler 119, Chiffchaff 109, Lesser Whitethroat 91, Grasshopper Warbler 50, Robin 39, Redstart 18, Wren 18, Blue Tit 17, Reed Bunting 11, Long Tailed Tit 8, Mallard 7, Goldcrest 5, Dunnock 4, Goldfinch 4, Great Tit 4, Coal Tit 2, Mute Swan 2, plus singles of Barred Warbler, Grey Wagtail, Linnet, Moorhen, Pied Flycatcher, Song Thrush (who seem to be having a wretched year) and Wood Warbler.

So, some notable birds, such as:

 Nice juvenile male Pied Flycatcher, only four ringed at Stanford since the dawn of time.

 

Getting rarer, Wood Warbler only three ever ringed at Stanford. Imagine a Willow Warbler that has been plugged into the mains!

Blimey! A first for Stanford! 

This is a first year Barred Warbler. With a wing of 88 mm, in the world of warblers, this is a really big bird; Blackcaps for example have a wing of c. 75mm. 

So that is 2025's Stanstock over, but there are still birds being ringed every week, so do keep track of us via this blog, and look out for the annual report posted by the end of January.  

PMN