Recent Recoveries

The latest batch of recoveries included some interesting movements-
A Willow Warbler ringed near Carlisle at 08.45 on  on 6th of August was caught at Leighton 80 km south 25 hours later while a Chiffchaff ringed at Heysham on 28th September was caught at Orfordness in Suffolk eight days later, a distance of 370 kms.

A little more usual were two Sedge Warblers in France bringing our total of Sedge Warblers reported on migration through France to 43. A juvenile had traveled 705 kms in 13 days.

This late summer/autumn has been exceptional for the numbers of Mediterranean Gulls frequenting especially the Heysham power Station Outfalls. The rings or colour rings were noted on four birds. Three had been ringed as nestlings in The Netherlands and one in Germany. These now bring the totals of birds reported in our area to The Netherlands 6, Belgium 4, France 2, Germany 1  and Poland  4. All except two of he Polish birds were ringed as nestling's.  Many of them have returned in successive years with others moving to other wintering areas.

Our ringing of both Siskin and Lesser Redpoll has increased recently with Mark and Dave contributing good numbers in Bowland. A Lesser Redpoll ringed there on May 5th was caught in Glen  Clova in Aungus on 8th of October a movement of 342 km North. We have ringed similar numbers of these two species over the years but this is only our 4th Lesser Redpoll in Scotland. By contrast we now have 35 Siskin from Scotland including one in this batch in Lanarkshire.

A Goldfinch ringed here on 15 of October was caught, presumably in its wintering area at Ascot 330 km SSE on the 3rd of March. We have several other similar recoveries.

John