Tuesday 17 February 2015

Ffynnon Finch Fest

The latest ringing session in my Garden at Ffynnon Gro yesterday produced four species of Finch. It was mild and warm with hardly any wind at all until about midday when the weather changed. In the ringing session I caught 48 birds of 4 species of Finch


Species
New
Re-trap
Control
Totals
Siskin
19
2
1
22
Lesser Redpoll
4
1

5
Chaffinch
1


1
Goldfinch
16
4

20
Totals
40
7
1
48

In the last week the numbers of Siskin on my feeders have increased significantly and whilst Goldfinch have been around for a while their numbers have also increased


This adult male Siskin is the control subject to confirmation. One of the Re-traps was first caught in my garden on 30/05/2013.
The last Siskin to be processed before departing in 2014 was 11th July and the first bird returning this year was 22/01/2015. A six month period without any at all.


This female Goldfinch has a slightly extended upper bill.


Male Lesser Redpoll first caught on 22/01/2015 in my garden.

The chart below are the numbers processed last year in total by species.


Species 2014
New
Re-trap
Control
Totals
Siskin
163
52
9
224
Lesser Redpoll
5
6

11
Chaffinch
58
5

63
Goldfinch
100
22

122


Friday 13 February 2015

Is it a Genetic Mutation?

We have had some calm weather over the last week until this morning when the rain and wind came. One of the birds I caught before today over the previous sessions held in my garden was this Blue Tit below.


This picture shows discolouration of feathers on the wings, including the Primary and Secondary feathers and discolouration of the tail feathers as well


On the wing you can see the last 2 Greater Coverts, all the Primary Coverts and the Alula feathers, which are all coloured this peculiar brown. Presumably the last 2 Greater Coverts, Primary Coverts and Alula feathers are all old and could be from the bird being born last year, which would age it as a 5. I did however consider ageing it as a 4 but concluded since all feathers had a tinge of brown (the new green) except for the replaced Greater Coverts which were blue it was indeed a 5, as you would expect to see from a juvenile having moulted these feathers and in this case retained the 2 brown ones. If it was a bird from last year, presumably the replaced Greater Coverts would have originally been brown as well? In addition the Primaries, Secondaries and Tail Feathers tinged brown are probably the same age as the Coverts and Alula.

I do not know what causes the discolouration. Could it be a genetic mutation? I thought it could have been at first but then I thought if it was, then the Greater Coverts that have been replaced would still retain the brown colouring. Therefore could the change in colour pigment be associated with a past health issue or diet issue of the Tit. If anyone has any knowledge of this I would love to hear about it.

The birds health seemed fine too me, feisty as all Blue tits are and flew away with no problems after being processed and photographed.