Bird catch up – part 1

I’ve not blogged much about birds on the island lately, so this is a bit of a catch up. For better information on species and numbers see Ben Porter’s excellent updates on the Bardsey Wildlife blog.

Ringing here at Cristin has been pretty slow on account of the weather, few birds being about and those that are here being already ringed and knowing their way around the heligoland. However, I netted this interesting Chaffinch on 23 December. It has Knemidocoptic mange or ‘canker’. Chaffinch, Sedge Warbler and Dunnock are occasionally caught with it. We do not ring them in case the disease spreads and envelopes the ring. Bar extreme cases, the birds do not seem unduly bothered by it.

Jim