NLRG was formed in 1957 to help in the study of birds in the Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society area. There are currently 12 active ringers. Species currently being studied include: Pied Flycatcher, Bearded Tit, Sand Martin, Twite, Goosander, Oystercatcher and Grey Wagtail. Migration has been studied for 28 years at Heysham. We welcome anyone who wants to observe, help or perhaps wish to become a ringer. Photo: A Heysham-ringed Twite on the Mull of Kintyre (thanks to Eddie Maguire)

Tuesday, 13 July 2010

never-ending excitement

For those of you who think ringing is guaranteed non-stop fun, this next item will come as a big surprise.

Richard and I tried out a new tactic yesterday evening: choose a level field on a floodplain away from a colony, wait for a calm, dull evening, put up four 60 ft nests in the shape of a cross and play a tape of Sand Martins or mixed hirundines.

The result? No birds in two and a half hours.

Still, we learnt something: two of us can put up this pattern of nets quite quickly (but three people or more would be better) and the tactic doesn't work in the Lune Valley in July but it might be worth doing again sometime (maybe in passage time?)

Now, what can we try next?

paul

No comments: