End of the week.

I'm not going to be around over the next few days, so I decided to go back to the Collard Dove nest today, to see whether the chicks were big enough to hold rings. Unfortunately they were still too small ! I had a scout around though and managed to find 2 x Blackbird, 1 Song Thursh, 1 Robin and 1 Blackcap nest - all on eggs.

Week totals (Atherton, Grt Manchester) -

Blackbird - 5
Blue Tit - 4 (4 recaps)
Goldfinch - 1
Great Tit - 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Mistle Thrush - 2
Song Thrush - 3
Starling - 6
Stock Dove - 1
Tawny Owl - 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker caught in the garden today, it's broodpatch below. Think this bird maybe nesting on the bowling green, just a few minutes away from the garden.

6 Starlings colour ringed as part of the RAS project.

Siskin

A total of 23 birds caught this week - 20 new and 3 retraps.

8 new Goldfinch (1 retrap), 4 Siskin, 3 Blackbird (1 retrap), 1 Starling, 1 retrap Dunnock, 1 Collard Dove, 2 House sparrows and 2 Canada Geese.

A handful of Siskin dropped into the garden feeding station this week, resulting in four being caught.

We also had our first session in our local heronry, but unfortunately, no birds ringed as all the young were too small.