Outlaw Pete 2,224 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 God almighty! I'm only really telling ye this because of the one catch I'm gagging to mention. But, aside from that though? Terrible day! My boss (Trainer) was up, today. First time virtually this entire year. (I've got my C Permit and rings. He's been working his arse off, while it was available) We always run the mist net over my back gate. Only, this time, I've removed the field gate and am installing a 'garden gate' which we'll be able to open and run the net through. And, this time he'd brought a longer net. Deep joy! We could now cover right through the hedge, both sides. And go higher and lower. Nothing was getting past us today! He set the net and came back into the kitchen. I looked past him and saw a brown lump rocket into the net! Far side of the hedge and quite away from it. Song Thrush! How I've craved this bugger! Been seeing him out there for some time now. Was gagging to get him in hand. Net's up two minutes and here he is! Christ! And the state of him! Screaming his head off (They do, apparently) and with a stump for a bum. I took one look and suggested ~ somewhat daftly, in retrospect ~ he must be a young'en Like; Song Thrush fledglings? This time of year?! Boss was nice and didn't call me a four lettered name. He instead pointed out that the bird was moulting his tail feathers like crazy. Which, indeed he was. So, I got to apply my first ever 'CC' ring to my first ever, if somewhat scruffy, song thrush. What a great start to the day! And there it about petered out! In the course of the next four hours, plus, we got a coal tit. Dunnock. And three wrens. Oh well. There it is. Just goes to show that even a day with the best of gear and situations, environmental factors can conspire against ye. Birds are moulting. Wild food's in abundance. It's been a pretty duff season, all told, round here yet. Today was just a counterpoint to what we'd normally expect here. That being birds queued up for processing. It was good to see the boss again though. We had some savage craic. Both ended up doubled over with laughter, talking about recycling beer cans Oh, and he told me about ringing the Choughs!!! FFS! One of his Trainees was with him and got to ring Choughs! Envious? Me? Naaaaah! 'Course not! (The lucky b****!!! ) 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob58 1,581 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 To haveThose little wrens in your hands must have made your day though ? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Outlaw Pete 2,224 Posted August 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Rob; Wrens? I've rung a fair few wrens. Bold and feisty little buggers, in the hand. They just exhibit this determination to get away. No fear. Just a tight lipped impatience at the fact that you've delayed them on their busy little ways. Try a Firecrest, for something a little bit more exotic! Had them too. Treecreeper still remains my all time belter though. It was a young bird and the tones of its colours nearly stopped my heart! Bosses latest 'Red Letter' jobby was recently, when a Merlin hit the bloody net!!! I said to him, today; " We'll get a sparrowhawk here, one of these days! What a great shot that'll make, for the forum; My hand, holding up a sparrowhawk ..... Blood streaming down my lacerated wrist. " Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bootsha 1,306 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 you wont have blood running down your wrists pete....it'll be stout lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Wilkes 2,915 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Wey-hey you got the song thrush (good on ya)..the birds coming on the feeders look as rough as feck at this time of year. im just starting to make out the "cock" sparrows" their bib is just coming through and the adults are missing most tail feathers, there is at least 50 sparrows coming in.. I cant believe you've rung a firecrest..wow what a beautifull little bird and a fecking tree creeper ive only ever seen one in our local wood (I thought it was a mouse ).....Roll on September Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,214 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 I can't remember last time ,I seen a hedge sparrow/dunnock.so I think you done well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Outlaw Pete 2,224 Posted August 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 you wont have blood running down your wrists pete....it'll be stout lol Dark Ale, at the moment, Boots I cant believe you've rung a firecrest..wow what a beautifull little bird and a fecking tree creeper ive only ever seen one in our local wood (I thought it was a mouse ).....Roll on September How I envy you those sparrows! Barely seeing them here, now. Boss suggested I might get a cheap MP3 Player and speaker. Play sparrow chirriping to draw them in. He also mentioned needing to build a load of nest boxes for his newly expanding lot. And I never thought to mention the shit load of suitable boxes clogging up my work room. Just need the holes expanding. I'll have to email him about that. I can't remember last time ,I seen a hedge sparrow/dunnock.so I think you done well. Rung a brood last year. Found another nest just too late. Young were jumping ship as I came down the hedge. I like to see them about the place. Lovely little bird There's an in depth article in the last Ringing & Migration. Looks like the absolute Dogs! All about ageing dunnocks by plumage. I must get round to studying and digesting that one. Nice bit is that it cites my boss as a source! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fireman 10,794 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 It's always well worth the wait for your posts OP and well done on the songie,i brought some back down from Scotland for a lad one time and they did catch a bit of me and one day i'll try a pair for sure,Wrens another one on the wish list to .I had a Black bird in one of my flights i'm not using and had left the door open on it and i did think OP would have a ring on the bugger in no time but it was shown the way out and then flew straight into my shed and landed in a bucket .A quick chuck over with a jumper and a check over it was ok and away down the garden it went . Did manage to ring a few birds myself today in the shape of 3 Bullfinch chicks,so not such a piss poor day really . 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jeppi26 1,855 Posted August 30, 2013 Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 Nice to hear you got the song thrush pete. Do you have a season for catching birds? Thought you would stop this time of year with the moult going on with the stress of the birds n all that? Sorry if the question as been asked mate ;-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Outlaw Pete 2,224 Posted August 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 Rex the levels of stress we inflict on the birds is so slight that, if we were to kill them, then so much as the far sight of a sparrowhawk would finish them off too. Over a hundred years of experience has well enough proven to us that we may catch birds in the moult. Then keep retrapping them for years afterwards, raising broods and generally doing very well for themselves. Indeed, my boss actively monitors moult condition in his birds. He notes exactly which feathers are doing what and notes it all down, in some esoteric code, in his own log book. That's all a bit above my head. But, I'm sure it's all adding to the greater understanding of moult in wild birds. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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