Recent Dunlin Recoveries and Controls

RECENT DUNLIN RECOVERIES AND CONTROLS

Although other people were involved outside of our unofficial ringing group it has been decided to publish these and other Wader recoveries on our blog where some of our team has been involved. Distances and direction of travel have been omitted where time is greater than 50 days.     The time referred to below is the approximate date between the two handling occurrences in years.
SPECIE                   RING NO    RINGED                   CONTROLLED                        TIME
Calidris alpina        SB49705    Moeze    France                 Bardsea ,Cumbria                   3
Calidris schinzii     NT48863    Bardsea ,Cumbria              Leverton,Lincolnshire            8   
Dunlin                    NR93148    Tummerhill,Cumbria         Snettisham,Norfolk               13
Dunlin                    NS18903    Tummerhill,Cumbria         Terrington,Lincolnshire         9
Dunlin                    NS18942    Tummerhill,Cumbria          Holbeach,Lincolnshire          9
Watch this space more to follow. Please note this is not a response to the latest omissions in Ringing and Migration.

 

Reduced Activity

Our main ringing site being out of bounds until recently due to security clearance problems, the groups activities have been much reduced.  The  following is a summary of our activities during April, May and June,
a total of only 137 birds processed of which there were 25 species. They were as follows (retraps) :
Peregrine 2, Tawny Owl 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker (2), Tree Pipit 3, Wren 1, Dunnock 2(1), Robin 5, Blackbird 5, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Garden Warbler 2, Blackcap 3, Chiffchaff  9, Willow Warbler 6, Goldcrest 1, Pied Flycatcher 10, Long-tailed Tit 1(1), Marsh Tit 15(11), Coal Tit 1(2), Blue Tit 11(1), Great Tit 9(12), Nuthatch 11, Treecreeper 1, House Sparrow 1, Chaffinch 3, Greenfinch 2.

 Nest and eggs of a ground nesting Tawny Owl against a large conifer. Two pulli ringed and survived as the nest was in the middle of a fox proof  pheasant pen.

Some people spend money on fibre optic endoscopes. This photograph through a mirror shows a correctly designed nest box and a mirror is all you need. 

One of two ringed with a Schedule 1 Licence.  A very poor year in our area for this species. 

March - Ringing Totals

Present RG, CG, LH, JS, AM and KH
The highlight of the month was a returning Chiffchaff that was ringed and re-trapped on two occasions last year, therefore, it would be reasonable to say it is returning to breed. The other thing worth mentioning was the Blackbird with the de-formed bill, was re-trapped and does not appear to be losing any condition, see earlier blog for photographs.  A total of only 13 species was processed during the month. They were as follows, re-traps being the second number shown.
Wren 4,4; Dunnock 4,1; Robin 1,0; Blackbird 0,2; Song Thrush 2,0; Chiffchaff 7,1; Marsh Tit 0,4; Coal Tit 1,1; Blue Tit  9,3; Great Tit 1,5; Treecreeper 1,0; Chaffinch 6,0; Bullfinch 0,2.

September Ringing Totals and Colour Flagged Tunstone

The group totals for September were lower than average  due to the weather and holidays  They were as follows with retraps shown (**) : Wren 2, Dunnock 5(4), Robin 11(1), Blackbird 2(1), Song Thrush 1, Blackcap 5, Chiffchaff 8, Goldcrest 13, Long-tailed Tit (2), Coal Tit 3 (3), Blue Tit 11 (4), Great Tit 2 (2), Chaffinch 5, Greenfinch 2, Bullfinch 19 (1).

A Ruddy Turnstone was seen on 23/03/2011 at one of our ringing sites (Foulney Island) .  The white flag, it probably had another on its other leg, indicates it was ringed in Autumn 1994 at Nunavut, Ellesmere Island CANADA.  We saw another on Foulney in 2007 and I would strongly suggest that this is the same bird.

If you wish to see where Ellesmere Island is click on the location below the comments

Photograph  K Hindmarch

Photograph  K Hindmarch