On the March!

March was mostly made up of ringing sessions at Kings Moss and Crosby Hall although towards the end of the month, we started operations at Brook Vale once again. The middle of March brought the first migrants of the year in the form of Chiffchaffs - by the end of the month, we had ringed 15. By the end of March, the first spring Blackcaps had also started to arrive with two ringed at Kings Moss and one at Brook Vale. Despite the first Willow Warblers of the year arriving in the last days of the month, there were none ringed in March.

In total, 327 birds were ringed in March, bringing the grand total for 2012 to 922 birds ringed which is a higher total than at this point last year. The species of particular interest at this point in the year is Yellowhammer. March saw a significant build up in their numbers at Kings Moss and the switch in feeding regime that we made in February seems to have paid off. Prior to 2012, the ringing group had only ringed 258 Yellowhammers so the progress we have made so far this year is quite a big deal. It remains to be seen how many of these birds will actually breed at Kings Moss, but Steve and Natasha are prepared to monitor the activity.

1. Blue Tit - 258
2. Chaffinch - 126
3. Goldfinch - 123
4. Greenfinch - 73
5. Great Tit - 72
6. Goldcrest - 44
7. Robin - 41
=. Yellowhammer - 41
9. Dunnock - 23
10. Coal Tit -   20

TOTAL: 922

Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)