More Pied's, But Not All Flycatchers

It was another trip to the Boar Park and Barnacre for Gary and I today. At the Boar Park we were greeted with the usual symphony of Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Pied Flycatcher but not Sedge Warbler this week! So the bird we had by the river was obviously a migrant.

The occupancy of the boxes has changed slightly since last week, mainly because of Pied Flycatchers prospecting certain boxes and the occupancy looks like the following; possible Pied Flycatcher 5, Blue Tit 5, Great Tit 5, definite Pied Flycatcher 2, Tit sp. 1, Coal Tit 1 and empty 16. A number of the Tits will be ready to ring next week as in some boxes we had naked and blind chicks; namely Blue, Coal and Great Tit.

Great Tit chicks

Coal Tit chicks

We checked the Pied Wagtails that had a nest in a pig building and there were five large, healthy young that we ringed. See below.


We also checked two additional nests. A Chaffinch with a nest in some leylandii that had 2 cold eggs (not finished laying yet) and Goldfinch with small young that the owner of the Boar Park told us about in a Bay leaf bush. I will go back in the week to ring the Goldfinch.

Goldfinch nest

Chaffinch nest

We also checked the Chaffinch nest in the children's play area and the female was still sitting.