Friday 8 December 2023

Early winter - update

Now that the 2022 ringing stats have been published by the BTO, a look at some of the numbers for WALES

20 % of all new Reed Warblers

40% of all new Sedge Warblers

50% of all new Reed Buntings

... in WALES were ringed by the TRG...mostly on the Teifi Marshes. The importance of this cross county site for population studies is immense. 

91% of all new Linnets in Wales were ringed at Chris's Whoosh net RAS study site.

26% of all new House Sparrows in Wales were ringed at Andy's RAS study site

With the REEWA,  REEBU,  LINNE and HOUSP RAS projects and the colour- ringing of REEBUS and HOUSP...

Quite an achievement...👍


Online Ringing and Nest Recording Report Robinson, R.A., Leech, D.I. & Clark, J.A. (2023) The Online Demography Report: bird ringing and nest recording in Britain & Ireland in 2022. BTO, Thetford

A few pieces to update our results whilst some of us have been away...

Controls and movements....

During a short session in Wendy's Llechryd garden to sort nets after being away, a Goldfinch with a French ring was caught.

Goldfinch 8647938
Ringed Vienne, France 17/02/2023
Re-encountered Llechryd, Ceredigion 01/12/2023 287 days 743km NNW



Goldcrest PPN133
Ringed Teifi Marshes, Pembs 15/10/2023
Re-encountered by John Hayes, Pembs RG at St Twynnells, 25/10/2023 10 days 54km SSW

Sedge Warbler 9807521
Ringed Donges, Loire Atlantique, France 20/08/2022
Re-encountered Cors Caron, Ceredigion 25/06/2023 309 days 565 km NNW

Sedge Warbler BBB2276
Ringed Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 14/08/2023
Re-encountered at Nanjizal, Lands End, Cornwall 12/09/2023    236km SSW Kester Wilson

Sedge Warbler AAZ7550
Ringed Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 19/07/2023
Re-encountered   Skokholm Island, Pembs 23/07/2023 4 days 62km SW

Sedge Warbler movements


Storm Petrel 2739430
Ringed  Strumble Head, Pembs 19/07/2023
Re-encountered   Bardsey Island, Gwynedd 16/08/2023 28 days 86km NNE

Storm Petrel 2739409
Ringed Strumble Head, Pembs 17/07/2023
Re-encountered Skokholm Island, Pembs 07/08/2023 21 days 40km SSW  This was for the second time as it had already been re-encountered there on the 19th July, 2 days after being ringed at Strumble


Weather continues to hamper our ringing efforts. A couple of small Redwing roost catches this month has increased our total since their return to 149 including 1 retrap from a previous year, 1 same year retrap and a control from Holland.

Thanks to Nathan and the Thursday work party on the Teifi Marshes for some management work in our net rides. 


On a tidying up session this week we caught the first December Firecrest and only the 6th December Chiffchaff

Andy's total of 108 Greenfinch  since the beginning of September is very impressive and maybe showing signs of an increasing local population, or maybe of migrants ..... 


The fields are saturated but Arfon has had success on a few nights of lamping, teaching two of our trainees new skills


3 retrap Woodcock from last year and 39 new plus 11 Golden Plover and a Snipe.

With a favourable moon we hope to visit  4  more nightime survey and lamping sites over the next 10 days. Day time ringing when ever the weather allows.

(Rich D and Wendy J)