Sunday saw me inching towards Birkdale on the A565. Driving in Fog is bad enough during daylight but this was an early start - 6.15am. Fog light on and eyes on stalks, there were points in the journey when I thought I may have been better off pulling up into lay-by than carry on, I persevered and arrived late. The rest of our intrepid band was already on site, Chris and Richard the Ringers in training, John the expert. I was the bag lady.
I was duly collected from the car park and taken to our Cosy nook in the shrubbery. Almost immediately I was handed an bow saw and put into hard labour, you try a spot of bramble hacking. Yes, surprisingly Ringing pitches don’t come ready prepared, someone has to hewn through undergrowth, cutting alleyways through trees, shrubs, brambles, nettles and worse for approx 25ft, this gives us the space to hang the mist nests.
Hard labour over, saw us sitting in the nook drinking tea from our flasks whilst listing to the rave music hanging on the air from Pontin’s, (until the police arrived then it went strangely quiet) and watching the sun pierce through the lifting fog. But what about the birds I hear you say, well the birds were plentiful and varied, 57 were recovered from nets, 12 had rings already - retraps, 45 new. Starting with a female blackbird, a flurry of Wrens (7) or should that be a chime or herd and several Robins (5). Subsequent trips to the nets gave us Goldcrest (4), Blue Tit (7),Great Tit (3),Chaffinch (4), Dunnock (2), a Goldfinch, Blackcap (3), a beautiful Song Thrush, a couple of handsome Bullfinches (2), a stunning Brambling(very pleased with that one) and a whole flock of 15 lollipops - long tailed tits. See video of release from the bag at: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=202746901
Bird ringing is a great way of getting up close to birds, too appreciate their plumage and marvel at how light and tiny Wrens and Goldcrests are :- 5-7 grammes in the Goldcrest’s case equivalent to 2 pennies! The ringing process is deliberately very quick to reduce any stress – if we have several birds waiting to be ringed they are kept in cloth bags which help relax the waiting bird – now you know why I was the bag lady!! Bird ringing is essential if we are to learn about how long they live and when and where they move, questions that are vital for bird conservation. Liverpool RSPB members interested in joining us on a trip should contact Group Leader Chris Tynan. For more information on Birding see our web page and links: http://www.rspbliverpool.org.uk/ringers.htmhtm
Laura 
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