Just a quick post today as I have been rather busy since moving down to Greater Manchester last week. Since finishing university for the year I have moved down to spend the summer nest recording and to continue with my ringing training. My main job whilst here is to monitor a number of reedbeds for breeding Reed Warblers which so far has been going rather well although after this recent spell of heavy rain I am a bit worried about a number of the nests.
Our little nest recording team (Brides, Bridge & Dinsmore) has been busy finding and monitoring nests. We have also been continuing to monitoring the Tree Sparrows at Martin Mere who are now well into their second broods with most now on eggs.
We have also now finished monitoring the boxes in Atherton Woods where most of the chicks have fledged although we will still continue to monitor the site for open nests. An unexpected find last week was a pair of Goldcrests building their tiny nest high up in a fir tree!
As well as monitoring boxes at WWT Martin Mere and Atherton Woods we have also been general nest finding and have so far had some great finds including Oystercatcher, Song Thrush, Greenfinch and my first Reed Bunting (two of them!).
Reed Bunting nests, both found well hidden amongst thick vegetation.
My Dad has also been keeping an eye on our nests back in the garden in Stranraer along with his Herring Gull nest in Mallaig harbour. The gulls in the harbour have now successfully hatched 2 out of the 3 eggs and the chicks are doing well, well fed on chips I presume!
We’ve had a great season in the garden back home with our first record of Coal Tits breeding in one of our bird boxes that have now successfully fledged 7 young. Rather excitingly a pair of Swallows have begun nesting in one of our sheds. This is the first time they have ever nested in our garden after a failed attempt 11 years ago, we have lived in that house for 23 years!
As well as nest recording we have been out ringing at the weekends and have had some amazing catches lately but I will blog about these very soon, watch this space but for now it’s time to go out nesting again!
