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 23 January 2015

Garden Ringing

We have made four visits this autumn and winter to Jerry and Barbara's garden on the edge of Silverdale. It is ideally situated on the edge of a large block of woodland and very well provided with a variety of  feeders. Using just two nets we have caught 307 birds of these 34 were retraps so involved 273 different individuals over the four visits.

The woodland setting is reflected in the species caught with 99 Blue Tits, 32 Great Tits, 32 Coal Tits, 6 Marsh Tits, 5 Nuthatch and 7 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Surprisingly also 13 Dunnock and 8 Robins. These figures  are for the total individual birds. Jerry tells me that when doing Garden Bird Watch the most Blue Tits they have seen at once is just 8 along with 6 each of Coal and Great Tits but our ringing gives some idea off the numbers visiting their well stocked feeders.

Several of the retraps show movements between our other ringing sites in the area. Outstanding is a Blue Tit ringed 2 km  away at Leighon  Moss and re-trapped  7 years and 177 later. It had not been re-trapped in the intervening period.

John

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