2024 Hawfinch and General Ringing Report New Forest Ringing Group

Marcus Ward, Andrew Colenutt, Tommy Saunders, Willow Bloomfield, Rob Farnworth, Elliot Frost, Emily-Louise Griffin, Katiana Saleiko, Tara & Amy Squire, Felix Walker-Nix, Jamie Ward

Introduction

This blog covers our tenth year of participation in the BTO RAS (Ringing Adults for Survival) scheme. Four main study sites were in operation from late February through to June. Despite the bumper mast crop of 2023, it was an atypical season, most likely due to prolonged periods of poor weather experienced in April and early May. Many of the Hawfinch processed were underweight, and breeding productivity in the study areas was poor. As a result, we limited ringing sessions and opted to carry over the GPS tagging of juveniles to the 2025 season as it was felt any data generated this season may not reflect typical post fledging Hawfinch behaviour. Overall, 27 new Hawfinch were ringed and 894 re-sightings of 97 individuals were recorded via the trail cameras. Unfortunately, we had to cease ringing for a period of around 10 days in May due to the ringing equipment being stolen while nets were being checked at Bolderwood. Much of the kit was re-found having been scattered in an area of gorse.

Observations and key species

As mentioned above the RAS was disrupted by poor weather which led to a poor breeding season. Although the totals of new birds were our lowest since the project started in 2015, the total of re-sightings was the highest with 96 individuals recorded visiting the bait station. The bait stations were packed up early due to the low numbers and poor weather.

Table 1: totals from the Ringing Adults for Survival Study

Figure 2: Secondary 'steps' of an adult female Hawfinch, depth of step and extent of gloss on the primary tips indicate that this is an adult. The grey inner secondaries show that this is a female.

Notable records included the adult female Hawfinch originally ringed in the Wye Valley on 14 April 2016 was recorded in the area for the second year running. As documented in the previous report, when originally ringed in the Wye Valley she was showing a brood patch, confirming that she has bred both in the Wye Valley and the New Forest. Adult male NV82764 which was the first Hawfinch ringed as part of the scheme on 25 June 2015 was again recorded throughout the season, continues to be our oldest ringed bird, ringed as a full adult in 2015 so now over 10 years old.

Trichomonas gallinae testing

No further testing for Trichomonas gallinae was carried out in 2024. However, of the five birds that tested positive in 2023, three were resighted in 2024. This suggests that the disease has had limited negative impact on the individuals tested.

2023 Ringing Recoveries

In addition to the Hawfinch recoveries noted above, other notable recoveries included a Siskin first ringed at Bolderwood in 2022 controlled in Shropshire and a long-lived Dunnock first ringed in 2018. Notable Hawfinch records included two birds that moved from Fritham to Bolderwood. An excellent sight record and photograph of a colour-ringed Hawfinch originally ringed at Bolderwood, was recorded feeding Anses Wood was a great record by Michael Coleman.

Table 3: Controls and selected re-traps recorded in 2023

Roost monitoring

Roost monitoring carried on throughout 2024; no new roosts were located. With 50 permanent new roosts now located in the New Forest it is no longer practical to get around all roosts annually. Due to other commitments fewer roosts were monitored in 2024, concerted effort will be made in 2025 to monitor those that haven’t been covered in 2023 & 2024. A full paper documenting Hawfinch roosting behaviour and roost site selection is now in preparation with a view to publishing later in 2025.

Future plans

As mentioned earlier, the tags purchased with grant funding from New Forest Biodiversity Forum will be deployed on juvenile Hawfinch in spring 2025. In addition the core study sites will remain, as will the RAS scheme at Bolderwood. Roost monitoring will continue through 2025, and we are looking to build a full library of Hawfinch songs and call to support the acoustic monitoring work being led by BTO.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Andy Page and Andy Shore (Forestry England) for their help and support and the New Forest Ringing Group team comprising Andrew Colenutt (A), Tommy Saunders (A), Willow Bloomfield (T), Rob Farnworth (T), Elliot Frost (T), Emily-Louise Griffin (T), Katiana Saleiko (T), Amy & Tara Squire (T), Felix Walker-Nix and Jamie Ward (T) along with the many ringers and trainees that joined us on site throughout the year, all of whom have committed a lot of time to studies in the New Forest. Thanks also due to Martin Bennett who put in many hours in addition to Will Kirby (RSPB) for ongoing support. We are also grateful for funding and support received from RSPB, BTO, HOS, Barker Mill Foundation, Lush Cosmetics, New Forest Biodiversity Forum, Ornitholidays and New Forest Bird Foods for supplying the seed.