8th May 2017
Staff: Daniel Wade (DWE), Carles Durà Franch (CDF), Laila Aranda (LAR), Gintaras Malmiga (GMA) and Mariana Lapa (MLA), Cris Sellarés del Pedro (CSP)
Weather: A week of ups and downs. Snow and Sun, Shorts and coats.
Projects: Marsh Harrier, Ortolan Bunting, Penduline Tit, Starling nestboxes, GRW.
So we finally have internet again, somehow we have survived in this post apocalyptic landscape and have managed to continue the hard work in the field too.
On the 1st May we welcomed Cris to the Kvismaren team, who will be working with DWE and CDF for the rest of the season.
In summary of the last weeks work, 19 Marsh Harrier nests have now been located, 16 of which have confirmed female and male at the nest. The nest building has slowed significantly over the past couple of days as the season progresses with at least 2 females already incubating clutches. Now in the area around Åslasholmen we intend to identify males and get a good idea of any polygamy occurring in the area, though our current observations indicate there is none present this year.
Team Ortolan has begun its season with 3 bird’s arriving on the 1st May. Magnus Persson has been assisting us closely in this venture and we have identified 2 of the birds as the males ringed in the 2015 ringing season (V5-92 and H5-89) both returning to the same territories as last year. A successful effort was also made to catch and colour ring a male at Segersjö outside the Kvismaren area.
An unringed male Penduline Tit has appeared around Åslasjön and though a female was seen early on, she seems to have disappeared, this seems to have been confirmed by the nest building, he has built the main of the nest but not the entrance tube, this is built when the male has attracted a mate.
Starling nestboxes that were down at the beginning of the season has also been replaced, (only 2 boxes) and soon a full clutch count will be conducted.
The Great Reed Warbler Team has welcomed there first few male so far, with 3 in Åslasjön and 1 in Sörbysjön. An unringed male was ringed in Åslasjön yesterday.
DWE