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Daves Garden

Daves Garden, Highley, Shropshire 

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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

 
2009

2010

  • 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

5
0
7
8
7

0
2
1
6
4

0
0
0
4
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

31
1
7
10
19

16
0
0
3
3

27
1
0
0
2
  • 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

119
21
34
61
25

32
7
33
15
5

47
4
15
22
11

  • 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

113
173
234
23
1

49
0
26
5
0

43
3
0
0
0

  • 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

0
0
1
0
0

0
1
0
0
0

  • Marsh Tit
  • Treecreeper
  • Yellowhammer

0
0
0

0
0
0

0
0
0

1
2
2

0
0
0

0
0
0

0
2
0

0
0
0

TOTALS

1424

1393

636

1302

321

927

210

185

2010 No Siskin or Redpoll appeared in the garden this year, although we have had reports that very large flocks were seen in Wyre Forest. We must presume that the natural food was abundant and they did not have to resort to garden feeding.

2009 Totals for this year were very low. Siskins failed to appear in any numbers, but this is not abnormal, Siskins seem to alter their movements here and abroad depending on food availability.
What is worrying was the total lack of Goldfinch 

2008 A reasonable total this year (927). Small birds seemed to have fared well this year, notably Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tits, and the Coal Tit population has increased dramatically.
Blue and Great Tit numbers are on the increase following the abysmal breeding season in 2007.  Starling and House Sparrow continue to improve, the latter being helped by 3 nestboxes which each gave 3 broods (29 chicks).
Siskin numbers were reasonable in Feb/March, yielding some interesting recoveries, including one from Sweden, and, Lesser Redpolls, in keeping with most other sites in uk, also increased.

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!!!!

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House Sparrow



House Sparrow.  Trapped and ringed recently. Her offspring have been sighted and have more white feathers than mom.
 

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
RETRAPPED AGAIN IN SAME LOCATION 30/04/09
 
V981947 Siskin ringed Highley 28/02/08 retrapped Hollesley Heath, Suffolk 27/03/08 
28 days 264km
 
R998953 Siskin ringed Highley 08/04/04 retrapped Honiton, Devon    27/03/09 
1814 days 195km
 
 

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