All About The Birds

During the fourth visit of CES bird ringing, there was an unusual find in one of the nets; a juvenile Dipper. These beautiful birds are unique among passerines for their ability to dive and swim underwater. This one must have come from a nest somewhere on the reserve.

The first Curlew chicks of the year have been ringed out on the training area. These are now on the red list. Red is the highest conservation priority, with species needing urgent action. This means that they are classed as an endangered species. Monitoring these young birds will help the BTO to target conservation measures in the future.

Many Kestrel chicks have also been ringed. This species is currently on the amber list as is the Dipper shown at the top of this page.

It was a productive day with over 160 birds ringed in total. The day began at 04:00 hrs as the team have to be up and ready before the dawn chorus! Our sincere thanks to all of the bird ringers and volunteers who made it possible. Scribing, making tea and coffee and helping to tidy up all makes a big difference to the running of the day. The collection of this data about the breeding bird population is extremely valuable for conservation. Finally, a special thank you to Ken and Linda for the amazing pie!