153
BIRD REPORT
BIRD RINGING AT WALBERSWICK — DINGLE BIRD CLUB BIRDS TRAPPED Species Sparrow Hawk Corncrake Little Owl Green Woodpecker Greater Spotted Woodpecker House-Martin Jackdaw Great Tit Blue Tit Marsh-Tit Willow-Tit Long-tailed Tit Mistle Thrush Song-Thrush Ring-Ouzel Blackbird Redstart Nightingale Robin Reed-Warbler
Species 1953 1954 Total 1 Sedge-Warbier 0 1 1 0 1 Blackcap 0 1 1 Garden-Warbler 1 0 1 Whitethroat 2 7 9 Lesser Whitethroat Willow-Warbier 0 1 1 Chiffchaff 0 1 1 Goldcrest 0 1 1 Spotted Flycatcher 0 3 3 Pied Flycatcher 0 13 13 Hedge Sparrow 1 41 42 Meadow-Pipit 1 2 3 Tree-Pipit 0 1 1 Pied Wagtail 0 3 3 Yellow Wagtail 12 22 34 Red-backed Shrike 0 3 3 Starling 8 23 31 Greenfinch 1 1 2 Goldfinch 11 85 96 Linnet 1 2 3 Bullfinch 0 2 2 Chaffinch 1 23 24 Yellowhammer 4 30 34 Reed-Bunting 0 4 4 11 31 42 T O T A L S 13 20 33
1953 1954 Total 32 1 33 1 15 16 1 5 6 23 195 218 3 26 29 0 52 52 1 17 18 0 2 2 0 3 3 2 3 5 9 49 58 0 15 15 u 1 1 0 4 4 U 3 3 0 5 5 0 44 44 1 30 31 1 13 14 2 20 22 + 0 4 4 22 26 0 2 2 5 43 48 122 926 1048
(N.B. 1953 Covers the period Aug. - Oct., a period of experiment. Nestlings, of which few were ringed, are not included in the above figures). RECOVERIES. Ringed
Species
2.9.53 Whitethroat 15.8.54 Wilow-Warbier 13.9.54 Whitethroat 21.10.54 Blackbird
Recovered
Re-trapped where ringed Zamudio, Bilbao, Spain Nr. Valenciennes (Nord), France Listowel, Co. Kerry, Eire
On
20.8.54 1.9.54 23.9.54 —.1.55
TRAPPING DÜRING 1954 AND SOME NOTES ON MIGRATION. SPRING.—-The traps were manned from April 2nd to June Ist. A few Chiffchaffs and Wilow-Warblers were caught at the beginning of April, but the only definite coastal passage of nocturnal migrants occurred during thefirstweek in May. Species involved included Redstarts, Sedge-Warblers, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Wilow-Warblers and Chiffchaffs : from 60 - 70 were caught and ringed.
154
BIRD REPORT
AUTUMN.—With the exception of six days the traps were manned from July 30th to Oct. 5th, but, apart from week-ends, rarely by more than one person at a time, which is quite inadequate ; as a result the trapping log gives the impression that birds only arrived in any number at week-ends ! Winds were almost continuously unfavourable for migration, apart from a short period of light S.E. winds towards the end of August, which unfortunately coincided with the worst undermanning of the traps. Wheatear.—A very noticeably poor passage, but not significant from a ringing angle, as, at the time there were no traps capable of dealing with Wheatears. Düring September the few birds passing through appeared to have the characteristics of the Greenland form, and the one bird trapped was a Greenland from the measurements taken. Whinchat.—A good passage from Aug. 28th, when at least 20 present, to Sept. 28th : numbers caught were disappointing, as this species, at least on passage, is just as happy sitting on the tops of the reeds as on the tops of the bushes around the traps. Redstart.—A very poor migration : trapped at irregulär intervals from July l l t h to Oct. 9th, most on Aug. 22nd : the July birds were immatures and probably bred locally. Reed-Warbier.—A very poor passage : from Aug. 16th to Sept. 19th.
caught at intervals
In view of the remarks below on the difficulty of driving SedgeWarblers, it is curious to note that the present species was found to be far easier to drive, and a very much higher proportion of those present were trapped : as this species is normally far more confined to the reed-beds than the Sedge-Warbier it was a surprising discovery to make. Sedge-Warbler.—From Aug. 14th to Sept. 13th; one of the few species which showed signs of an appreciable passage, numbers often being present on the hills : unfortunately found to be difficult to drive into the traps, probably due to the large area of reeds offering a more inviting alternative. Peak passage appeared to be from Sept. 5th - 12th. Blackcap.—Twelve were trapped from Sept. lOth to 30th, but as this species does not lend itself to visual estimates of numbers, and comparisons with previous years are of necessity based on this, it is not possible to give an opinion on the quality of the migration. Garden-Warbler.—Most were trapped on Aug. 20th, numbers too small to have any significance.
but
BIRD REPORT
155
Whitethroat.—163 were trapped from July 17th to Sept. 27th, but there is no reason to think it other than a poor year, as with most other species. There were no noticeable peaks, most being caught between Aug. 8th and Sept. 18th, when passage died off very sharply. Lesser Whitethroat.—25 were trapped from Aug. 14th to Sept. 19th : passage was thought to be a poor one, as the area is generally regarded as a good one for this species : again, movement died away very early. Willow-Warbier.—Caught from July 30th to Sept. 9th, again finishing far earlier than expected. Chiffchaff.—From Sept. 4th to Oct. 2nd, but numbers too small to have much significance. Spotted Flycatchers.—Most were noted Aug. 28th - 29th, and Sept. 20th - 22nd, but as the most favoured locality is some distance from the traps few were caught. Pied Flycatcher.—Noted Aug. 28th - 29th, Sept. 24th and Oct. 3rd—a very poor season. The ringing Station is on two small hills almost completely encircled by the extensive reed-beds of the Walberswick and Dunwich marshes, and within a few hundred yards of the sea. A Heligoland trap is sited on each hill. Five automatic funnel traps were also in use, but not until rather late in the season. 173 species were recorded in the area during the year.