Latest Ringing Totals

We, that is Fylde Ringing Group, have ringed 2,545 full grown birds and 520 pulli so far this year making this our best year since 1997 when we ringed 3,181 full grown birds and 807 pulli! Those were the days. The year of course isn't over yet, so there is still time to ring a few more. I realise that in comparison to some individuals, groups, observatories etc that these totals might look paltry, but it is quite an achievement for our small band of dedicated ringers.

I just thought that I would list below some of the totals that I think are interesting/noteworthy so far:

Tufted Duck - 1. caught by hand at Stanley park whilst colour ringing Coot.
Kestrel - 5 pulli
Coot - 48 full grown birds. Mainly due to Craig's hard work.
Ringed Plover - 4. The first brood to fledge at Rossall Point for over a decade!
Woodcock - 2. Including a bird caught in Ian's chicken coop!
Little Owl - 6 pulli and 1 full grown. Down to Phil and Will's hard work.
Tawny Owl - 5 pulli. Unusual for us to ring so many tawny chicks.
Swallow - 50 full grown and 78 pulli. Most of our Swallow pulli are ringed by Phil at one site.
Tree Pipit - 9 full grown. Phil and Will's efforts this summer on Rawcliffe Moss.
Dipper - 3 pulli. A brood of three found by Ian. The first time Dipper has appeared on our totals for some years.
Blackbird - 119 full grown.
Fieldfare - 29 full grown.
Sedge Warbler - 40 full grown
Reed Warbler - 54 full grown and 8 pulli. Most of our Acros were ringed at Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park.
Whitethroat - 127 full grown. Our main site for this species is Rawcliffe Moss with good support from   Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park.
Goldcrest - 30 full grown. Demonstrating that they have perhaps had a good breeding season and bounced back from last winter.
Pied Flycatcher - 25 pulli. Occupation rates are reducing at our boxes giving us cause for concern.
Coal Tit - 33 full grown. A good year for this species.
House Sparrow - 58 full grown. The majority from a site of Will's near Garstang, plus a few in my garden.
Tree Sparrow - 119 pulli. Three nest box sites; 2 on Rawcliffe Moss and one near Singleton.
Chaffinch - 535 full grown. The majority of these were tape lured on Rawcliffe Moss in September.
Greenfinch - 292 full grown. The majority of these were tape lured at Rossall in October.
Goldfinch - 177 full grown. Will's garden is responsible for the majority of these.
Siskin - 48 full grown. As per Goldfinch.
Common Redpoll - 1 full grown. tape lured with Lesser Redpolls at Rossall in spring.
Lesser Redpoll - 51 full grown. The majority of these were tape lured in spring at Rossall. Other birds have been caught on Rawcliffe Moss and in Will's garden.
Reed Bunting - 117 full grown. Most of these have been tape lured during October on Rawcliffe Moss.

I didn't get out birding this morning unfortunately, but I did take the pictures below of a caterpillar on an Apple in my garden. Any ideas to its identification please?