Thursday, 18th July 2013

The most numerous ringed bird at the obs is Swallow with 10,231 ringed up until the end of 2012. The first Swallows were ringed at a roost at the obs on 29th August 1984 and this evening nearly thirty years later we had our first Swallow roost ringing session in the same reedbed.

 

Also of interest were two Reed Warblers that we recaptured at the Swallow roost this evening that were ringed at the obs in 2005 and 2006 respectively. The 2005 bird had been subsequently retrapped in 2011 and 2012, but this was the first time that the 2006 bird had been retrapped! The 2005 bird was at least nine years old based on its age when originally ringed and the 2006 bird eight. 

 

Offshore

53 Common Scoters west, 9 Eiders west, 8 Manx Shearwaters, 10 Gannets, 1 Kittiwake east, 1 Common Tern east and 9 Sandwich Terns east. Also 4 Harbour Porpoise and 3 Atlantic Grey Seals.

 

 Atlantic Grey Seal

Visible Migration 

1 Golden Plover west, 11 Swifts east, 6 Sand Martins south and 29 Swallows south.

Others:

1 Knot, 13 Sanderlings, 7 Dunlins, 1 Snipe, 4 Turnstones and 1 Grey Wagtail.

Ringing

1 Sand Martin, 56 Swallows plus 4 controls, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warblers and 1 Reed Bunting.

 

 Sedge Warbler