A Trial Run

Saturday, April 21st 2018

At the beginning of May we start CES (Constant Effort Scheme).  Today was a trial run to ensure that all the net poles were in the correct place, the guy ropes were where they should be and the nets could be raised easily.  Once this was achieved attention turned to the elevator net.  These are the nets that are used in Dividalen and the ringing teams who visited there last summer, were impressed with them, so one was purchased for Foxglove.  You can see from the photograph that there are two nets, one on top of the other, on the poles.

The nets are raised and lowered on pulleys.

Taking it down requires more people than the usual mist nets.

Once everything was dismantled it was packed back into its carrying bag.

As we move into spring the birds pair and begin breeding.  Females begin to sit on eggs so the number of birds caught is reduced.  There was a mixture of birds processed including a Great Tit ringed in a nest box in June 2013, at Primrose Gill, 13km from Foxglove.  Other older birds included a Long-tailed Tit that was at least two years old and a Blue Tit that was coming up to four years old.  Unusually for this time of year, Willow Warblers out numbered Chiffchaffs at least 3 : 1.

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped during the session.  The next time we meet will be a dawn start, around 0600!

It was another sunny day and the flora is responding quickly, everything seems to be blooming all at once.  Common Dog Violets are now to be found across the reserve.

A splash of yellow through the Scrapes is Marsh Marigold.

Tiny white specs show along path edges and  hidden away in vegetation, but there is no mistaking Barren Strawberry.

Wood Anemones can be seen in the deciduous wooded areas, only opening its petals when the sun shines.

Blackthorn always flowers first along Risedale Beck.  From one or two flowers on Wednesday, the shrubs are now covered in white blossom.

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