Belvide Ringers 2023 Full Report

Another pioneering step !

 From 2016 when our group got the first thermal imager (loaned to us by the West Midland Bird Club) which has started a growing trend of using these machines in ringing, birding and general wildlife study, we have been looking for another major project to carry on similar pioneering work.

So it was that a few weeks ago we became the first group to attach GPS''ultra'' tags onto Jack Snipe at our study sites. Unfortunately tags which are small enough for deployment on Jack Snipe, don't yet have the technology to send a continuous signal to a satellite to enable us to follow the birds as they move around and migrate. However they do collect GPS data from satellites and so they are very accurate; the main issue being that we need to re-catch the birds in order to take off the tags and and download the data.

We are still working on this, and sorting out some red tape around data storage--but as soon as I can I will publish this really innovative work; and give a flavour of what we have found. Below is a picture of one tag which gives an idea of how small ( 1.2 gm) they are--how on earth do they get all that technology into a tag that size?? It's even got a solar panel to charge it's battery!!

In another unexpected turn, Gareth finally got details of a Sedge Warbler he caught in the summer at his new ex quarry site. Here is a photo of the recovery form we get via the BTO....

It's probably difficult for you to read but in essence the bird was ringed on 8th August 2024 at a site on the estuary of the river Seine in France. Astonishingly the bird then flew NORTH for 386 km to be recaptured by Gareth on 20th August 2024! Quite why it flew the 'wrong' way is anyone's guess but it's just one of the mysteries of migration which so fascinates us. We hope it managed to re-orientate and find it's way to Africa--but we'll probably never know; unless it's caught again......

Group members have been working hard again and we have managed some good catches this month--especially of finches as their natural food runs out and feeding stations become more important to them. I hope to provide more information next time on this, but for now I want to show a couple of pictures of Siskins, which are starting to visit feeders around here ( as well as at Pat's Siskin City in mid-Wales!!). These pics show the difference between males ( top) and females....

We are noticing a big imbalance between lots of adult birds compared to very few juveniles This often means they have had a poor breeding season--we will need to see the wider data from around the country before we can be definitive about this. More news as I get it.

 

 

2024 up and running!!

 Another year with plenty of plans and enthusiasm is up and running, with over 600 new birds ringed during January. This number is yet again testament to the efforts of group members. We have not been blessed with good weather, evening thermal sessions have been hard work, and there seems to have been a general lack of birds available, so it's even more significant that we've done so well.

The main players have again been Paul at BPFarm with regular sessions for trainees, Pat out at Siskin City in mid Wales, Ben with a big catch at his parents' cottage; with Kevin, Gareth, Liz, Roy, Colin and Emma chipping in from their sites.
Liz has put in sterling work to get our 2023 annual report ready; which it is now and we will be making this available very soon.

Now for a few pictures......

I may have given the impression that Pat's mid Wales garden is only about Siskins--but although this is his main species, he is having a broader spectrum of birds calling at his feeders...

For instance this lovely male Brambling....

And this smart male Redpoll..

and just to show it's not only finches he attracts, this delightful Treecreeper has been a regular visitor, over the last 3 years

Paul has started to get a few Siskin at his feeders, as well as the more regular Yellowhammers that are a significant catch of this red data, declining species.....

Last but not least for now. It's always exciting when you manage to ring a bird of prey--but this is even more so when you're relatively newly qualified and it's on your own new site. Roy was ecstatic to catch this Sparrowhawk last week....

I've deliberately focussed on the bird's head because it shows 2 features. First you can see the brown feathers on the breast, which is a sign of an adult male bird, And the adult nature is further confirmed by the orange colour of the iris. Young Sparrowhawks have a yellow iris which mellows to this orange colour as the bird gets a bit older. Fabulous bird!.

We hope you enjoy reading the annual report which I hope will be available here very soon.