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)

Friday, 18 July 2014

Where are the Sedge Warblers?

To date we have only caught 21 Sedge warblers in our study of reed bed birds  at Leighton Moss RSPB. This compares to 61 up to the same time last year. The good weather has allowed us to make more visits and this reflects in the catch of Reed Warblers on our RAS study- 329 compared with 182 in the same period last year. So in theory the Sedge  Warbler catch should be higher

Judging from recoveries, most of our catch of Sedge Warblers are migrants as opposed to Reed Warblers which are mainly birds bred on the reserve so it will be interesting to see how the season unfolds. Lets hope the weather continues  good.

We have now equaled the total 2013 catch of 48 young Bearded Tits with some of the best time for catches to come. All the recent catches have been of later broods and the first brood young have started to moult making them difficult to catch. Bearded Tits are one of those species which renews their flight feathers in their first  year.

John

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