The Last Day of 2013
No change with the weather this morning as the flower hunters set off in the wet! The Red Route was walked initially and Daisy was added to the list. Unfortunately the Greater Spearwort had not survived. Ann went hunting and she found a bud, which can't really be counted, but it may open during January so it will be checked regularly!
Five flowers were recorded, Gorse, Daisy, Ragwort, Sowthistle and Creeping Thistle, not as many as last December.
A decision was made not to put the moth trap out last night, due to the low temperatures, but this morning there were five Early Moths on the front verandah. These moths have a flight season of January and February and sometimes into March. The larval food plants are Blackthorn and Hawthorn. As yet I am unable to find what the adults feed on, if anything!
Before lunch volunteers carried out a variety of small tasks, nothing too energetic, as it is still holiday time. Whilst we were lunching, talking and drinking tea we were able to watch many finches feeding in the back garden.
Chaffinch.
Bullfinch.
Goldfinch.
The wind dropped, the rain stopped and even a little bit of sun made an appearance, so the back garden nets were put up. Out of all the finches seen earlier only one was caught! We think they had watched the nets go up and decided to go elsewhere to feed!!
After the chicks had been ringed in the nest boxes, early indications suggested that Blue Tits had not had a good breeding season. The ringing results for 2013 have actually shown that they have not done badly at all, with 438 being ringed. Today several came into the ringing room.
Two Great Tits ringed in the nest boxes were retrapped. It is good to see that these birds are thriving.
As it started to get dark so the birds headed to roost for the night. A question - where do they go?
Several young birds were processed and they are recorded as age 3, meaning that they were hatched this year. Tomorrow they will be aged 5, meaning that they were hatched last year. (The numbered code refers to when they were hatched not an actual age.)
As this year draws to a close the Foxglove Team send best wishes for 2014 to Friends and volunteers. And also a huge thank you for all your support and work during 2013.
Happy New Year to you all.