PRIORY COUNTRY PARK – 2009 REPORT ON BIRD RINGING BY IVEL RG. This year, the weather was more favourable for our ringing activities than last year, apart from February which was distinctly cold and December, which went from bad to worse. We handled 1295 birds of 30 species and ringed 840 new birds. A breakdown is given in Table 1 and the totals list for this year is given in Table 2. This is the best annual total since 1993, if you exclude nestlings ringed at nest boxes or birds caught at a Swallow roost. Many species did well and multi-brooded species were able to attempt up to three broods. An updated comparison chart of new birds ringed each year since 1989 is available on request as an off-line file. Of note, we caught the first Sparrowhawk for six years, three Woodpigeon (making eight in five years), our fifth Green Woodpecker and ninth Magpie. We also ringed the highest number of Dunnock, Robin, Chiffchaff and Goldfinch in any calendar year. For the first time since 1989, we did not catch a single Sedge Warbler. There are now 13 species in the ‘400 Club’, i.e. we have ringed over 400 of a particular species. These are: Sand Martin, Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird, Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Blackcap (the outright ‘winner’), Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit & Greenfinch; Robin and Whitethroat are closing. We made some 51 visits to the park, 36 of them to ring in the core area, the ‘Rough’. The Long Hedge plantation (8), the Crescent/Spit (6) and the area around the VC (1) were the main alternative choices. A feeding station was in operation in the ‘Rough’ until the end of March and was reinstated at a different sub-site from the beginning of October. The feeders, peanuts, finch seed and black sunflowers were purchased from Group funds. Jan Visits 3 Ringed 39 Species 11 Caught 81

Feb 1 6 8 29

Mar 3 35 14 77

Apr 4 31 16 66

May 7 82 18 122

Jun 3 81 15 93

Jly 6 120 19 158

Aug 6 118 20 146

Sep 7 151 20 226

TABLE 1 – Activity by month

Oct 8 147 17 231

Nov 2 18 11 34

Dec 1 12 11 32

All 51 840 30 1295

The 18th consecutive Constant Effort Survey was conducted over four months from May to August; all 12 visits were accomplished plus 2 extra ones (pre-season & August). The table of results for the last three years is given below [Table 2]. Changes that have become apparent over time These are:a) there have been slight, steady increases in the populations of – Wood Pigeon, Gt. Spotted Woodpecker and Chaffinch (a consequence of maturing plantations, etc). b) there has been a significant increase in the populations of – Green Woodpecker, Chiffchaff and Goldfinch over the last six or seven years (a regional phenomena). c) following dips in their populations around the turn of the century, the following are making good or exceeding their original levels of the early ‘nineties – Blackbird, Song Thrush, Reed Warbler, and Blackcap (linked to wetter summers). d) the following are currently benefitting from the recent run of mild winters:- Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blue Tit and Bullfinch (increased survival, especially during 1st winter). e) the following are benefitting from an earlier onset of spring:- Robin, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Great Tit and Long-tailed Tit (thereby able to out-compete rival species) f) the following are “losing out” to competitors:- Blue Tit (thunderstorms wash prey off the trees; the Great Tit nests earlier and bullies its congener for nest & food resources) g) there has been a significant decrease in the populations of:- Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, and Garden Warbler (African migrants, subject to tropical weather patterns) h) there has been a significant, long term drop in the populations of:- Greenfinch and Reed Bunting (low over-winter survival of immature birds, also disease in the Greenfinch) Three species that seem not to be fazed at all are:- Magpie, Whitethroat and Treecreeper. There are continuing resources for their needs, perhaps?

Nets 1 & 2 (looking NNW), 30th May 2009 (showing the result of management the previous winter)

TABLE 2

Priory Country Park – Annual Totals Summary Printed on: 29-Dec-09 (IPMR) Fully

Pulli

Grown

Retraps/

Total

Recoveries

2009 Priory Country Park Mute Swan Sparrowhawk Woodpigeon Kingfisher Green Woodpecker Great Spotted Woodpecker Wren Dunnock Robin Blackbird Song Thrush Redwing Reed Warbler Lesser Whitethroat Whitethroat Garden Warbler Blackcap Chiffchaff Willow Warbler Goldcrest Long-tailed Tit Blue Tit Great Tit Treecreeper Magpie House Sparrow Chaffinch Greenfinch Goldfinch Bullfinch Reed Bunting

0 1 3 1 1 4 49 49 53 54 16 19 45 3 18 13 88 62 9 3 20 84 125 5 1 2 24 14 52 19 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

6 1 0 0 0 1 23 64 22 35 4 0 15 0 5 5 18 11 0 0 38 87 90 6 0 0 3 0 1 18 2

6 2 3 1 1 5 72 114 75 89 20 19 60 3 23 18 106 73 9 3 58 171 215 11 1 2 27 14 53 37 4

Total for: Priory Country Park

839

1

455

1295

Report Data Selection:

Year: 2009; Place: Priory Country Park;

TABLE 3 CES Summary – 2007, 2008 & 2009 (excludes additional nets/visits) Species

PCP 07

PCP 08

PCP 09

Comments (09)

Ad

Juv

Ad

Juv

Ad

Juv

WOOD PIGEON

0

1

0

0

2

0

OK

KINGFISHER

0

0

0

1

0

0

OK

GREEN W/PECKER

0

0

0

0

1

0

OK

GT SPOT WPECKER

0

1

0

0

0

0

OK

WREN

5

17

10

18

10

18

3 good year

DUNNOCK

13

10

11

7

14

29

V good year

ROBIN

2

12

0

14

1

37

V good year

NIGHTINGALE

0

0

0

0

0

0

(Lost)

BLACKBIRD

13

9

8

3

10

17

Excellent year

SONG THRUSH

3

5

7

4

3

6

3 good year

SEDGE WARBLER

1

0

0

1

0

0

Poorest ever, Lost?

REED WARBLER

11

6

9

4

7

14

Average

LES WHITETHROAT

1

3

2

2

0

2

Low numbers

WHITETHROAT

5

6

7

8

4

13

Good year

GARDEN WARBLER

12

16

7

5

6

9

Low numbers

BLACKCAP

25

37

16

22

13

50

Excellent

CHIFFCHAFF

5

9

4

19

7

27

Excellent

WILLOW WARBLER

3

3

1

5

2

3

Recovering slightly?

GOLDCREST

0

0

0

1

0

0

(Winter bird)

LONG-TAILED TIT

2

6

0

5

0

0

Poor season

MARSH TIT

0

0

0

0

0

0

(Lost)

BLUE TIT

4

8

2

6

3

7

Below average

GREAT TIT

0

1

0

5

4

19

Good year

TREECREEPER

0

1

0

0

0

2

Average

MAGPIE

0

0

1

0

0

1

(Steady?)

CHAFFINCH

2

1

1

0

2

4

Good year

GREENFINCH

12

9

2

3

1

1

Poor again (2

GOLDFINCH

5

10

0

9

2

12

Increasing slowly

LES REDPOLL

0

0

1

0

0

0

(Occasional)

BULLFINCH

6

3

3

0

6

2

Average (holding up)

YELLOWHAMMER

0

0

0

0

0

0

(Lost)

REED BUNTING

0

0

0

0

1

0

(Predated, Poor)

Total

130

186

91

143

99

273

rd

rd

nd

year)

2009 was the best year for juvenile production since the early 1990s for the majority of species. Adult survival was better than expected for residents after February’s cold spell. Given a fair wind, adult numbers should really bounce back next year.

Main recoveries and recaptures of note: MUTE SWAN Z95726 [Or.426]

6F Bedford 26-10-92 R Bedford 13-10-01 c-r added Rb Bedford 09-07-03 Rb Bedford 22-07-08 R Bedford 01-10-09 local, 6183 days Note: This 19 year old (or more) ‘lady’ is the second oldest on our books at 16y.11m.5d. Our oldest, White KKX, was a male that came from the R. Thames to Radwell GP & was last seen in 2002.

Z79052 [Or.590]

4 Bedford 24-08-93 R Bedford 18-07-09 c-r added R =M Bedford 01-10-09 local, 5881 days Note: The history of this bird is unknown. It is difficult to explain why this bird has evaded capture and never had a colour ring added until this year.

Z75684 [Or.273]

7F Bedford 01-03-94 RRb Priory CP (RS) 29-02-96 RRb Priory CP (RS) 13-03-03 RR Willington GP 05-01-09 5km ENE, 5419 days Note: This bird was nesting every year at “Tescos Pond” from 1996 until at least 2003. Her partner was Orange 252 (Z76473), but a “divorce” took place during winter 2001/02, after which he nested 1km away upstream with a new partner. Who is she with now? And where?

Z85458 [Or.357]

5 Bedford RR =M Bedford RR Bedford

15-01-00 29-07-04 03-03-09

local, 3335 days

Z95705 [Or.405]

5 Bedford 09-09-01 VV Bedford 20-04-02 VV =F Bedford 09-07-03 VV Priory CP (FL) 04-11-03 VV b Priory CP (RS) 05-07-04 VV Priory CP (RS) 27-10-05 RR Priory CP (RS) 07-02-09 XF Priory CP (RS) 14-12-09 2.5 km E, 3018 days Note: produced at least 40 cygnets; cause of death unknown (probably wires in fog)

Z95754 [Or.454]

5 Bedford 19-01-02 RR Bedford 09-07-03 RR =(M) Priory CP (ML) 18-05-08 RR Bedford 22-07-08 RR Bedford 01-10-09 XF Priory CP (FP) 20-12-09 Note: This bird showed signs consistent with being caught by a fox.

W01929 [Or.500]

Note:

5 Bedford 09-07-03 VV Fenlake, Bedford 28-04-04 VV =F Priory CP (CM) 14-03-05 VV Priory CP (FL) 13-09-07 RR Priory CP 16-08-08 RR Priory CP 31-03-09 local, 2092 days 2004 – with male Z95730 [Or.430] on Fenlake Meadows 2005 – with male Z95768 [Or.468] at Cardington Mill 2007 – paired with male Z85487; attempted nesting on Finger Lakes 2008 – mate un-ringed?; hatched 7 cygnets of which 6 survived 2009 – hatched 3 cygnets, all survived

[23 adults (9 females), 30 juveniles]

WREN 4D3488

2U8414

local, 2600 days

5Fb Rb

Priory CP Priory CP

3J Priory CP X Wyboston Note: Our furthest for this ‘non-mover’ of a species.

31-05-07 02-07-09

local, 763 days

12-07-08 04-04-09

11 km NE, 266 days

DUNNOCK

[32 adults (9+ females), 41 juveniles]

H597265

4M Priory CP 09-06-03 R Priory CP 17-04-04 R Priory CP 12-05-07 R Priory CP 29-05-08 R Priory CP 27-10-08 R Priory CP 11-05-09 local, 2163 days Note: this is our fourth ‘oldest’, behind K240865 (2173 days), J030044 (2272 days) and K240447 (2552 days, which was last caught one week short of 7 years from first capture).

N344935

3J R =M R R R R

Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP

07-08-04 01-05-05 04-06-06 11-10-07 16-10-08 22-09-09

local, 1873 days

[5 ad. males, 4 ad. females, 52 ‘birds of the year’]

ROBIN V064449

3J R =F

17-06-06 14-01-09

local, 942 days

[Apr-Sept – 18 males, 13 females, 10 juv. males, 10 juv. females]

BLACKBIRD RP77271

Priory CP Priory CP

4M R R

Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP

15-10-03 03-09-05 19-09-09

local, 2166days

RP77333

3J Priory CP 21-08-04 R =Fb Priory CP 11-07-09 Rb Priory CP 15-08-09 local, 1820 days Note: The bird above was not recaptured between the first two dates (4y.10m.20d).

RP77352

5M Priory CP 01-05-05 R Priory CP 03-09-05 (in heavy moult) R Priory CP 31-03-07 R Priory CP 31-05-07 R Priory CP 23-05-09 R Priory CP 30-09-09 local, 1613 days Note: First and last dates each year are shown. Where does this bird spend the winter? It also seems to frequent the ‘Rough’ every other year.

SONG THRUSH

[1 male, 6 females, 12 young]

RW29043

3F Priory CP 20-09-03 R Priory CP 16-05-04 Rb Priory CP 04-07-09 local, 2114 days Note: At 5y.9m.14d, this ‘lucky lady’ is still some 14 months behind the IRG longevity holder.

REED WARBLER N344820

P546866

4M R R

Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP

09-06-04 09-07-07 25-05-09

local, 1812 days

6Fb Rb Rb Rb

Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP

24-06-04 19-07-05 31-07-07 04-07-08

local, 1471 days

GARDEN WARBLER H597248

[15 males, 11 females, 22 young]

[9 adults, 9 young]

4M Priory CP 03-05-03 R Priory CP 03-05-04 R Priory CP 23-05-09 local, 2212 days 2009 – At just over six years, this bird is second only to N327530 Note: Where do these birds “disappear” to? Why do we not re-trap them more often?

WHITETHROAT BLACKCAP

[3 pairs, 17 young] [Ratio of males : females (all ages) = 7 : 4]

P546841

5M Priory CP (R) 04-04-04 R Priory CP (R) 24-07-04 R Priory CP (LH) 15-05-08 R Priory CP (LH) 19-04-09 local, 1840 days Note: This bird is actually 7 months older than H597297 (both hatched in spring 2003)

N344841

5M Priory CP (R) 17-06-04 R Priory CP (R) 18-07-06 R Priory CP (R) 29-05-08 R Priory CP (LH) 14-09-08 R Priory CP (R) 25-07-09 Note: This bird is even older than either of the birds above!

CHIFFCHAFF 5F8448

CJA010

local, 1864 days

[Adults, male 9, female 8; Juveniles, male 25, female 24] 3JF Rb

Priory CP Priory CP

09-07-07 04-07-09

local, 726 days

3J R =M

Manor Farm, Cardington Priory CP,

21-06-09 04-07-09

5 km NNW, 13 days

LONG-TAILED TIT 4G9203

2 Priory CP 15-10-00 R Priory CP 22-09-01 R =M Priory CP 16-03-02 R Priory CP 13-04-03 R Priory CP 04-03-06 R Priory CP 14-01-09 local, 3013 days Note: This is a new longevity record for IRG and, at 8y.3m, close to the national record of 8y.8m

2U8180

2 R R R R R=M R

Priory CP, Bedford Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP (R-FS) Priory CP (LH)

20-09-03 01-02-04 15-10-05 04-03-06 02-10-07 21-02-08 21-03-09

local, 2008 days

BLUE TIT A761442

3JM Priory CP 29-06-02 R Priory CP 12-09-03 R Priory CP 01-02-04 R Priory CP 04-03-06 R Priory CP 14-10-07 R Priory CP 25-03-08 R Priory CP 19-11-08 R Priory CP 14-10-09 local, 2664 days Note: in 2009 - this 7 year old is currently the Ivel RG’s longevity record holder.

N344657

3JF Priory CP 17-09-03 R Priory CP 09-12-09 local, 2340 days nd Note: Now our 2 oldest Blue Tit, 324 days (11.6 months) behind A761442 above. Another case of a female ‘living’ well away from the ‘Rough’, returning only in winter.

KK09289

1 R =M R R R R R R

Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP Priory CP

24-05-03 11-10-03 26-10-04 27-08-05 29-04-06 25-10-07 03-04-08 06-11-08

local, 1994 days

rd

Note: Now in 3 place and 672 days (96 weeks) short of the IRG record holder above, but 6 days ahead of the previous record holder (KK09101 – first ringed in 1994 at Priory).

GREAT TIT VX36122

1 Priory CP (LH) 17-05-03 R =3J Priory CP (R) 09-06-03 R Priory CP 15-10-05 R =M Priory CP 17-06-06 R Priory CP 30-10-07 R Priory CP (R) 21-02-08 R Priory CP (VC) 20-08-08 R Priory CP (R-FS) 20-02-09 local, 2106 days Note: 2008 – in August overtook P547525 to become the third oldest in our database, Now 2.4 years behind H010733 (Priory) and 1.5 years behind E303802 (Gamlingay Cinques).

N344708

4F Priory CP 11-10-03 R Priory CP 21-02-08 R Priory CP 25-03-08 R Priory CP 04-03-09 local, 1971 days Note: Not “seen” between the first two dates (breeds/summers away from “the rough”?) Now the fourth ‘oldest’ in our records (but actually older than VX36122 above, at 6 years or more)

MAGPIE EL36068

6Fb Priory CP 03-04-08 XF Bedford 23-07-09 local, 476 days nd Note: our 2 recovery of this species; found with injury (shot?) & destroyed by vet.

CHAFFINCH R471649

[11 adult, 16 juvenile] 5F R

GREENFINCH TK43561

3F R

BULLFINCH R986829

Priory CP Priory CP

25-04-04 18-04-09

local, 1819 days

12-10-08 15-03-09

10 km ESE, 154 days

[5 adult, 9 juvenile] Priory CP Beeston, nr. Sandy

[Adults: male 12, female 2; juveniles: male 5, female 7, unsexed 1] 4F R

Priory CP Priory CP

04-09-07 19-09-09

local, 746 days

R986837

3JF Priory CP (R) 05-09-07 R Priory CP (LH) 12-07-08 R Priory CP (R) 18-09-09 local. 744 days Note: This bird was also caught at the ‘crescent’ (FL) and in the ‘rough’ in 2008.

REED BUNTING R987277

4Fb Priory CP(FL) 09-07-07 4F Priory CP 29-04-09 XF(b) Priory CP 11-07-09 local, 733 days Note: Picked up close to reed-bed nest site; believed to have been taken by an avian predator



Prepared by Errol Newman 29-12-2009 Accompanying ringers were – Guy Anderson, Jason Chalk, Andrew Cristinacce, Mark Fitzpatrick, Ed Green, David Howes, Mick Reed and Sabrina Weitkamp.