Northamptonshire Birding: More ringing recoveries

Hello

Quite a number of ringing recoveries have come through recently, reflecting the efforts of Northants Ringing Group members and those nearby and in surrounding counties...

1. An adult Reed Warbler was ringed at Marston Vale Millennium Country Park in Bedfordshire on 16th April 2017 and re-trapped at Linford Lakes on 30th July and 8th August this year. The two sites are only 17km distance but of course this bird will hopefully be on it's way for at least a fifth winter spent in Africa!

2. A juvenile Reed Warbler ringed at Linford Lakes on 8th August this year was re-trapped at Icklesham, East Sussex on 19th August, a distance of 166km within 11 days in a predicted south easterly direction;

3. A Reed Warbler caught and ringed as a juvenile at Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire on 13th August 2017 was found in a mist net at Pitsford Reservoir on 30th July this year, 1082 days elapsing between the two records. This bird will hopefully make it to Africa for a fourth successive winter!

4. A Blue Tit ringed as a first year male at Hanging Houghton on 31st October 2019 was caught again on 4th September this year by Colin Graham of the Rockingham Forest Ringing Group. Colin operates a ringing site at Southwick and this bird was re-trapped in a mist net there, some 33km from Hanging Houghton;

5. Another Blue Tit which was ringed at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate as a first year female on 9th March 2020 was re-trapped on 10th September at Rectory farm, Tingewick in Buckinghamshire, this being 185 days later with the bird having traveled 46km in a SSW direction;

6. A juvenile Blackcap initially ringed at Hillesden, Buckinghamshire on 14th July this year was re-trapped 21km away at Linford Lakes on 24th August, the bird having traveled 21km in a north-easterly direction;

7. A Garden Warbler caught and processed at Linford Lakes on 8th August this year was first trapped and ringed on 1st September 2018 at Bolea, Huesca in Spain when assessed as a juvenile bird. There is a distance of 1093km between the two sites but of course this bird has traveled thousands of miles during the 707 days between;

8. A male Sparrowhawk was ringed as a nestling by John Woollett on 1st July 2010 at Eastcote near Towcester. This bird was then caught in a mist net by Chris Payne at Greens Norton on 25th November 2015. More recently this bird was reported as freshly dead at Towcester on 5th May 2020. Ten years is a good age for a Sparrowhawk, the evidence suggesting it remained close to it's natal area during much of it's life.

At Hollowell Reservoir this morning there was a Great White Egret, a Dunlin, a Snipe and a Stonechat and this evening new birds in included a Little Stint, five Dunlin and two Ringed Plovers.

At Pitsford Reservoir birds on the reserve this afternoon included at least four Great White Egrets, a Garganey, a possible Caspian Gull, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Hobby, a Green Sandpiper and a Dunlin.

Stanwick Pits again held nine Cattle Egrets, two Great White Egrets and a Common Tern this morning and this evening there was an adult Caspian Gull and seven Yellow-legged Gulls present on the Visitor Centre Lake.

A Spotted Flycatcher was located at Daventry Country Park and a pair of Stonechat were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M