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Daves Garden

Daves Garden, Highley, Shropshire 

sparr.jpg
Male Sparrowhawk trapped 9th. March 2008

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Dave's garden is a medium sized suburban garden within a large housing estate. Peanuts, Sunflower Hearts, Nijer Seed, mixed seed and fat cakes are provided throughout the year. In addition, most plants in the garden have been chosen with birds in mind: Hawthorn, Holly, Pyracantha, Mountain Ash for berries plus lots of smaller bird friendly shrubs and flowers.
Nijer seed has only been provided for the past 6 years and has had an enormous effect on the numbers of visiting Goldfinch.
 
 
 
 
 

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Birds ringed in the garden

Species
2003
2004
2005
2006

 
 2007

 
2008

  • Collared Dove
  • G.S.Woodpecker
  • Wren
  • Dunnock
  • Robin

0
1
1
14
4

1
1
5
6
4

1
1
1
6
1

0
2
6
9
9

0
2
0
7
2

3
0
3
0
5

  • Blackbird
  • Song Thrush
  • Goldcrest
  • Long Tailed Tit
  • Coal Tit

19
1
3
0
12

16
1
5
10
4

12
1
1
1
9

3
0
2
2
5

15
2
0
1
3

22
1
3
4
3

  • Blue Tit
  • Great Tit
  • Starling
  • House Sparrow
  • Chaffinch

95
7
14
10
18

164
20
7
7
4

102
30
23
8
6

132
14
26
25
21

49
6
17
10
7

37
9
29
46
22

  • Greenfinch
  • Goldfinch
  • Siskin
  • Lesser Redpoll
  • Sparrowhawk

135
235
848
0
0

105
363
664
1
1

258
163
2
2
0

116
216
585
7
0

68
122
0
0
0

77
135
234
23
1

  • Blackcap
  • Brambling
  • Bullfinch
  • Woodpigeon
  • Chiffchaff

0
0
0
2
0

1
1
1
0
0

3
0
0
0
0

4
7
2
0
1

9
0
0
1
0

8
19
0
1
0

  • Marsh Tit
  • Treecreeper
  • Yellowhammer

0
0
0

0
0
0

0
0
0

1
2
2

0
0
0

0
0
0

TOTALS

1424

1393

636

1302

321

685

2008 The House Sparrows have been very productive this year.  Each of the 3 nestboxes have had 3 successful nestings with a total of 29 young fledging.
Blackbirds have also had an exceptional year judging by the numbers of young birds visiting the garden.
 
Alas, another poor season for Blue Tits who have been effected by poor weather conditions for a second year running. 
 
The highlight this year so far has been a Swedish Siskin, trapped on 3rd. March.  One other Siskin ringed 11th.Feb.06 has just turned up in the Isle of Skye. (details below).
 
2007 An abysmal year for local bird populations due to extremes of wet and cold weather in June. This made breeding success of tit populations very poor, reflected by low numbers of tits ringed.
2007 was again a Siskin free year, keeping fingers crossed and awaiting their arrival in February 08!!!!
 

brambling.jpg
Male Brambling ringed 19th.Jan



SISKIN   The majority of Siskin are caught in February to April. As can be seen from the table, Siskin failed to arrive during 2005/2007. The 2 trapped in 2005 were caught in the December, early birds for the 2006 season.
 

Selected Recoveries/Controls      
 
V091917 Siskin ringed Highley 14/04/06 retrapped 12/03/07 Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland 332 days 322km
 
VS26224 Greenfinch ringed Highley 24/03/99 found dead  09/06/05 Wigan, Grt.Manchester 2269 days 123km
 
R612819 Goldfinch ringed Highley 25/10/03 retrapped 02/10/05 Selby, N.Yorks
708 days 173km
 
R654972 Siskin ringed  Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland 27/03/05 retrapped 11/02/06 Highley 321 days 327km
 
VT79877 Greenfinch ringed Highley 25/01/03 dead, hit window 13/01/06 Ludlow
1084 days 24km
 
R034782 Siskin ringed Merseyside 26/03/04 retrapped 11/03/06 Highley 
715 days 116km
 
T698093 Siskin ringed Inverarnie, Scotland 02/06/05 retrapped 17/03/06 Highley
288 days 560km
 
V091761Siskin ringed  Highley 25/03/06  retrapped  16/04/06  Tongeren, Netherlands  
22 days 565km.
 
V091689 Siskin ringed  Highley 19/03/06 retrapped  10/04/06  Llangollen, Clwd, Wales 
22 days  83km.
 
P402296 Siskin  ringed Axminster, Devon 12/03/02  retrap  14/04/06  Highley  
1494 days  192km.
 
R998848 Siskin ringed Highley 27/03/04  retrapped  20/05/06  Highland Region, Scot.
784 days  683km.   
 
V091527 Siskin ringed Highley 09/03/06  retrapped  07/05/06  Highland Region, Scot.  
59 days  599km.
 
V091754 Siskin ringed Highley 25/03/06 retrapped  22/06/07 Strathclyde, Scotland.    
454 days  416km.
 
V981715 Siskin ringed Highley 08/02/08 retrapped 03/04/08 Boyton, Suffolk.    
 55 days 263km.
 
V981657 Siskin ringed Highley 06/02/08 retrapped 08/04/08 Onehouse, Suffolk.    
62 days 229km.
 
T989934 Siskin ringed Highley 04/03/06 hit window 18/02/08 Tarporley, Cheshire.   
716 days 87km.
 
CD39550 Siskin ringed Blekinge, Sweden 02/10/06 retrapped Highley 09/03/08.    
524 days 1238km
 
T989707 Siskin ringed Highley 11/02/06 retrapped Hallin, Isle of Skye 25/05/08 
834 days 626km
 

This website is maintained by Dave Fulton.  Please forward any questions or comments via email to:  ChelmarshRG@aol.com