We started the study in September 2015 . The main focus is Jerry and Barbara's woodland edge garden at Silverdale. To date we have ringed 29 Nuthatches in their garden.Only 2 and very occasionally three birds are ever seen at once in the garden. Just got the colour ring sightings for November. These total 107 sightings recorded over 27 days and involve 11 different birds plus at least one un-ringed bird. Five are birds ringed for the first time this late summer /autumn including two originally ringed as nestlings in the same nest box ca 3 km away.
One bird, white/blue has been recorded on 26 days this November. Birds seem to fall into two groups those that visit regularly with two other birds recorded on 18 and 19 days and two on 11 days, and those that visit only infrequently, usually under five days.
We have spent a morning ringing on two occasions each month and it is fascinating to compare the survival rates from colour ring sightings and from retraps in mist nets. Of 16 birds colour ringed in August/September 2015 no fewer than 11(69%)have been re-sighted a year later, but only 2 (12.5%) have been re-trapped. Shows the value of colour ringing and of course the value of dedicated re-sighting.
John
