Quartet of radio-tracked Ospreys

Four out of the five radio-tracked adult Ospreys have passed over our area this spring - the other one, Beatrice, flew north just east of Settle.

Morven (female) and Talisman (male) are a breeding pair. Morven roosted at Kirkby Lonsdale on the night of 6/7th. Talisman was recorded either over or just to the west or east of Morecambe/Heysham at c1400hrs on 7th, whilst Red 8T went over upper Roeburndale (Wolfhole Crag) the previous weekend. Nimrod was later on and roosted near Garstang before passing over the Bowland Fells and then Kirkby Lonsdale

Check out the Highland Foundation for Wildlife site for more detail

Pete Marsh

Variation on the two bird theme

The two bird theory was turned on its head with the following Great White Egret which was recorded in Lancashire and South Wales at the same time, as well as an apparitional lengthy stay at a site which is covered 24/7! These have been excluded/resolved and here is the amended account of its travels with the first of April final date having no ulterior significance! Thanks to Chris Batty for sorting most of this out.

Metal CA 69229 & CRs
Ringed: Pullus: Besné (in Brière, Loire Atlantique, France) 06/05/2009

Seen at the following sites:
Banks Marsh, Lancashire 24/09/2009
Brockholes Wetland, Lancashire 25/09/2009
Hesketh Out Marsh, Lancashire 26/09/2009
Crossens Marsh, Lancashire 26/09/2009
Banks Marsh, Lancashire 27/09/2009
Leighton Moss, Lancashire 30/09/2009 until 07/11/2009, then 10/11/2009 until 04/12/2009
Crossens Outer Marsh, Lancashire 08/11/2009 (location unknown on 09/11/09)
Bolton-le-Sands, Lancashire 12/12/2009
Crossens Outer Marsh, Lancashire 13/12/2009 until 28/12/2009
Churchtown Moss, Lancashire 29/12/2009
Marshside, Lancashire 01/01/2010
Churchtown Moss, Lancashire 08/01/2010
Hendre Lake, St Mellons, Cardiff, Glamorgan 19/01/2010 until
10/03/2010
Peterstone Wentlooge, Gwent 21/02/2010
Peterstone Wentlooge, Gwent 26/02/2010 until 27/02/2010
Peterstone Wentlooge, Gwent 11/03/2010
Ashleworth Ham, Gloucestershire 17/03/2010 until 27/03/2010
Frampton-on-Severn, Gloucestershire 28/03/2010
Slimbridge, Gloucestershire 28/03/2010 until 31/03/2010
Ashleworth Ham, Gloucestershire 01/04/2010

Record Breaking Reed Bunting

An adult female Reed Bunting ringed by Paul Robinson at Helton Tarn on 11 May 2009 was caught by Bill Jones at Kingsnorth Power Station, Hoo St Wexburgh in Kent 0n 2 February 2010. This is a movement of 392 km and the longest movement recorded for a Reed Bunting within our area. We have one other similar movement to Dorchester in Dorset a movement of 386 km. It also was a female but was found in early October.

We have seven recoveries in winter within the Merseyside/Cheshire area suggesting this is the more usual wintering area for our birds also one a little further afield near Nottingham.
Possibly the severe winter had forced this bird to move further south than usual, although it would find much more snow in Kent this past winter than at Helton Tarn, although there was less on the Grain Peninsula than even the only slightly upland downland nearby!

John Wilson

On the same species, here is a slightly more informative pic of the peculiar ?female Reed Bunting recently trapped at Heysham - see previous posting