Bird Ringing - CES 10

On Friday, staff and volunteers went off site to ring a family of Mute Swans.  The adults had been ringed previously and using the BTO data base, we found that one of them had been processed at Thorpe Perrow, 16 years ago.  The three cygnets were rounded up and given their own unique ring and identification number.

Once all the swans had been checked and ringed they were released.

Volunteering involves so many different aspects, but each one is vital to Foxglove and ensures that the reserve is always well looked after and ready for visitors and the activities that take place.  Staff and volunteers have worked hard over the last week or so to get net rides and paths ready for CES10.  They looked magnificent!!  Many, many thanks to everyone involved in this.  Due to a poor forecast for Sunday bird ringing took place today, starting at 0445.

The early net rounds returned many birds.  Adam 1 is very good at bringing back some of the more unusual species and his first was a Sparrowhawk.  Its sharp claws are essential for catching prey, so it had to be held carefully to avoid damage to the bird ringer!  Tony explained to Michaela how to hold the bird safely.  It was ringed last year as a juvenile and was going through its moult to adult plumage.

Adam's second special bird was a Kingfisher, caught near the weir.  If you visit the hide at the lake, keep a look out for a brilliant flash of blue as these birds return to feed.  They are often seen sitting on the green rails in front of the hide.  The bird today was a stunning male ringed initially last year.

The ringers were kept busy with net rounds, processing birds and talking to the many visitors who came into the ringing room.  It was a very busy day with 20 species ringed including an amazing 56 Bullfinches, 60 Chaffinches, 11 Siskin and 11 Chiffchaff. Towards the end of the afternoon some children returned and were allowed, under supervision to release some of the birds.  Tony explained why the birds were ringed and how to hold them and let them go.  He also gave pointers for identifying the birds.

While the nets were taken down the bird bags were cleaned and counted and the support team were ready to tidy up the ringing room.

By the end of the ten and a half hour session 273 birds had been processed, 204 of them new.

Thank you to everyone involved today.