The Spring of 2020

With the current situation we are following guidelines and not travelling to ringing sites. Some of the group have been able to continue long running ringing in their gardens, one of which is a RAS study site for Siskins.

The BTO staff are working from their homes and continuing to process recoveries and we were pleased to receive the following interesting movements..

Woodcock  EZ52428
Ringed near Ffarmers,, Carmarthenshire  03/01/2020
Shot  Kursk, Russian Federation  28/03/2020 85 days 2750 km E

We have had several reports of Woodcock ringed on their wintering sites shot in Russia when they returned to breed. The locations of some of the finding reports are shown on the map

Goldfinch APJ0130
Ringed Bancyffordd, Carmarthenshire 04/11/2019
Re-encountered Poyntzpass, Armagh, Northern Ireland  10/04/2020 158 days 287 km NNW
by Belfast & Down Ringing Group

This is the first recorded movement of a Teifi Ringing Group to Northern Ireland.


As well as resident birds some migrants appeared in gardens. The first to return were Chiffchaffs, some with pollen horns picked up in warmer countries as they migrated back north. Research has shown that the pollen is mostly from Eucalyptus or Citrus trees.

This is a Blackcap, also with a pollen horn.

We

Willow Warblers and most recently a Garden Warbler added to the migrants.

Breeding of our resident birds is well under way and this week saw the first juvenile Siskins being brought to the feeders by the adults.

Adults from previous years are being re-encountered providing good data for our Siskin RAS (Retrapping Adults for Survival) project.

We will continue with our garden ringing and at least two of the Group may try the newly announced "Garden CES"  project ringing.
We are prepared and ready to start ringing at our established sites once the current situation allows.