Red-ring

The last ringing session of the year and it was a blast of birds.  Easily the best session so far any winter I have been ringing around Pembury.
It reminded me of the heady days of winter ringing at Northiam when we used to catch big numbers of both Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris and Redwing, Turdus iliacus.  Er...well....without the big number of Fieldfare though!.

A frosty morning is always greeted with good cheer in the ringing world.  Until you try opening the nets (I leave mine on site all winter, securely furled till needed).  However, although frosty the nets opened quite nicely, though a criss-cross of white frost.

The Redwings poured in.  Having ringed 50 in the last two sessions, and around 60 in total this winter, I was certainly hoping for a good number this session.  I was not to be disappointed.  67 in total today.  This figure alone beating the 62 I ringed last winter in total.  Wow.

It was quite nice to see 3 Fieldfare in the net too.

It was also nice to see a good number of Greenfinches, Cardeulis chloris.

Greenfinch, Cardeulis chloris, male

Greenfinch, Cardeulis chloris, male

Greenfinch, Cardeulis chloris, female

Greenfinch, Cardeulis chloris, female

A few Goldfinch, Cardeulis cardeulis, also presented in double figures.

Goldfinch, Cardeulis cardeulis

Goldfinch, Cardeulis cardeulis

This Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, was one of just a few that turned up.  Ive highlighted this bird, and species, for a couple of reasons.  This bird is probably from the Continent.

Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, male

Birds with a wing measurement of over 90mm are considered to be Continental birds.  This one has a measurement of 92mm.  Of course, not all birds will return to the Continent at the end of Winter thereby mixing the genetic pool that bit more.

Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, male

In the picture above the colouring on the tertials is quite wide and vivid, ageing it as an adult.

Although I have caught a number of Chaffinch at various sites not all get ringed.  This is due to the Papillomavirus that causes cells to grow massively.  Eventually the legs become paralysed and of little use.  Quite how they survive is anyones guess, but many seem to survive for some time with quite grotesque growths.  Go here:  

http://btoringing.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/papilloma-in-chaffinches-not-for-faint.html

Once the Papillomavirus has its grip a ring cannot be placed on the bird.

I have seen other people write that it mainly seems to affect males rather than females, and this is the experience that I have had.  Females do seem to present with this occasionally, but males are more regular contaminated birds.

There seems no logical reason for this as it should affect both sexes similarly

There is also a dedicated website: http://pave.niaid.nih.gov should you be interested in further reading.  Through this site you can read scientific papers about the problem.