Ringing recoveries

Hello

A wet and windy day and consequently there were few reported sightings in the county.

Two Avocets were at Clifford Hill Pits again this morning and Eyebrook Reservoir attracted five Sanderling and twenty-two Ringed Plovers. At Stanwick Pits there was a drake Mandarin Duck, four Ringed Plovers and a hepatic female Cuckoo.

A Ringed Plover was at Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon and two Yellow-legged Gulls were off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this morning with three Kingfishers and a Cuckoo at Stanford Reservoir.

Recent ringing recoveries associated with Northants Ringing Group activities are as follows:-

1. A nestling Sand Martin was ringed at Lax Hill, Rutland Water on 8th July 2022 and caught in a mist net at Pitsford Reservoir on 24th April 2025 when believed to be a breeding female. Although the two sites are only 37km apart this small hirundine will have visited and wintered in Africa on three occasions;

2. A first year male Blackcap was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 18th August 2024 and found dead in a garden, perhaps having collided with a patio window, at Harpenden, Hertfordshire on12th April 2025, 237 days later and 42km away;

3. A nestling Barn Owl was ringed at a confidential site in Northamptonshire on 8th August 2024 and watched hunting at Piddington on 11th April 2025 when the ring was successfully read in the field, 246 days later and 10km from where first ringed;

4. An adult male Blackbird was ringed in Scaldwell village on 8th June 2024 but was found dead after hitting a window in the same village on 12th April 2025, 308 days later;

5. A juvenile female Starling was ringed at Hanging Houghton on 15th September 2021 and photographed feeding on a Kingsthorpe lawn 9km to the south on 26th April 2025, 1319 days later;

6. A juvenile male Starling was ringed at Hanging Houghton on 26th June 2020 and it's remnants were found in a Peregrine pellet at Kettering on 19th April 2025, 1758 days later and 14km to the north-east. Starlings are a favourite Peregrine prey item;

7. An adult Reed Warbler was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 30th August 2020 and it was seen at Bradville, Milton Keynes on 21st April 2025 1695 days later when amazingly the ring was read in the field;

8. An adult Reed Warbler was ringed near Brixworth on 17th July 2020 and re-trapped again at Stanford Reservoir on 30th April 2025, 1748 days later with at least six visits to Africa under it's belt;

9. Three Goldfinches ringed in Northants have been re-trapped in Scotland as follows...

(i) A bird ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 27th December 2024 was caught again at Barsalloch Point near Monreith, Dumfries and Galloway on 13th April 2025, 107 days later with the finch having travelled 362km to the North West;

(ii) A first year male was ringed at Greens Norton on 16th November 2024 and caught again at Leswalt, Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway on 15th April and 21st April this year, 410 km away;

(iii) A first year male was ringed at Courteenhall on 12th October 2023 and caught again at Sliddery, North Ayrshire on 14th April 2025 550 days later and 466km away on a North West trajectory.

Regards

Neil M

Reed Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Pied Wagtail courtesy
of John Tilly.

Starling courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Goldfinch courtesy
of Robin Gossage.