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)

Thursday 4 March 2021

Pied FlycatcherFamilies

 Have spent some time during the lockdown looking at our Pied Flycatcher data.  In total the group has ringed 10,153  nestlings from around 1650 broods. Return rates since we started the RAS in 2012 has been around 9%.

 Most of the birds returning  as adults are the only one which survives from a brood of 6 or 7. However I discovered that  two birds from 37 broods had survived to  return as breeding  adults. However a brood of six ringed in  2012 was exceptional as four nestlings returned  to breed in our nestboxes in the following years.

Adult birds usually have a survival rate of ca 45%. But this exceptional brood also had a good adult survival rate. One survived for two year another for three years  with another at four years and most amazing one for six years. This  was  just a year short of our oldest  Pied Flycatcher. So an amazing brood.

The parents though were not exceptional, the  female was only in its first breeding season and the age of the male was  unknown as it was newly  ringed that year. We never retrapped either of them in the following years.

Looking forward to this coming spring to seee how many pairs return. Last year we had a record numer of 120 occupied boxes. At the moment we are planning a visit to repair and replace some of the older nest boxes.

John