Thanks to the hard work of Keith Kellet , the Gallagher family and other helpers we have achieved coverage of the grit trays on almost every suitable morning since the season started on September 29th. To date we have recorded 230 sightings of 35 different colour ringed birds using the trays. Of these 23 are adults and 12 birds of the year. This year has followed the usual pattern of adults coming early in the period and young birds waiting mainly until the end of October.
This year we have been recording how long each bird stops on the tray sorting through the grit.This has varied between two and 15 minutes with an average of about 7.5 minutes. One bird seems quite addicted, it has been recorded visiting the tray on 19 days so far this year, and on some days it has visited on up to three occasions. It is a three year old female and in 2010 it was recorded as visiting on 21 days and in 2011 on 22 days just two days short of the record. On nine occasions it has been accompanied by a two year old male.
This year for the first time since 1997 irruptive behavior has been recorded. This involves excited calling from the reeds, then the birds take off gaining height up to ca60 feet above the reeds. On two occasions they were seen to drop back into the reeds but on one occasion on 20th October 4 appeared to leave. Two theories have been put forward to explain this behavior. One that it is a reaction to a high population. The other that it occurs in years when there is a poor reed seed crop. Certainly the first theory does not apply this year for the productivity has been very low due to the wet summer and the resulting high water levels. This may also have affected seed production so in-line with the second theory.
John
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