Redwings a-plenty

Ever since the ‘Latvian love song’ recording of redwings became evident as sooo attractive to redwings, the group has been catching quite large numbers. None more so than our founder—Pete, who has access to a large walled garden on the Chillington estate within which are some conifers being nurtured for Christmas trees. Over the last few years Pete has seen large variations in numbers caught, with the highest; around 2000 (!!);  a couple of years ago. Numbers have been more modest this year; but Pete, with regular help from PaulT and some of our trainees, has put in the hard yards with attempts made on most suitable days since he started on 16^th October. His reward has been a total of 455 redwings ringed to date. Such large numbers would have been unthinkable a few years ago when we used to spend hours setting roost nets in sometimes really hostile cold conditions and were chuffed if we caught double figures at a session!!

Pete has also found a regular pattern in that around Christmas time, for some strange reason, the redwings seem to start ignoring the sound and it becomes pointless carrying on. It looks like he has reached that stage with recent catches being in single figures so toady was his last session of the winter. I guess the only real disappointment is that with so many ringed over the years—and ringers now being able to catch so many more redwings than previously—we rarely get any controls or recoveries. Why that is remains a mystery, although it’s easy to come up with a few, as yet not proven, theories! But as ever, we remain hopeful!

Although redwings are the target species, several other bonus birds have been ringed during this year’s sessions such as fieldfare, blackbird, song thrush, goldcrest and a stunning adult green woodpecker. We hope you enjoy the pics.