During the last week as a result of lots of hard work and help from local birders, we've had another fantastic number of colour-ringed Whimbrel spotted around their favoured fields in the Storwood area and elsewhere on the reserve. A total of 13 'new' birds for this year have been seen during the last seven days, including 11 birds still present that have been seen previously this year - some numerous times, inparticular Yellow/Yellow-Orange! This bird has been with us since April 20th, the average stay for a Whimbrel in the valley is just 8 days, however this one remained in the area for 14 days (we think) as it was last seen on May 3rd.
Whimbrel at Storwood - phone scoped
What has also been noticeable towards the end of the roost period is that some of the new arrivals have been the birds that were caught in the last catches of 2010 and so it fits with them arriving back now in subsequent years. Indeed it appears that 'early' birds arrive back early each year and those caught or present later in the spring also come back later each year (see previous post on just how arrival dates are so specific).
We've now also had two birds sighted that were originally ringed seven years ago during 2005, when the project was only in its second year. How far it's come since then, with over 100 birds now colour-ringed, and with 30 of those sighted during the last three weeks. It's been a great effort this year which has furthered our understanding of staging Whimbrel in the UK.
Below are the histories of the 'new' birds sighted between 30th April - 6th May:
Whimbrel: White/White-Red
2008 - Ringed on 25th April.
2009 - Re-sighted by PR on 24th April & CR on 29th April.
2010 - Re-sighted by PR on 22nd April.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 30th April.
Whimbrel: Yellow/Yellow-Pink
2010 - Ringed on 19th April, re-sighted on 24th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 30th April & by LM on 1st May.
Whimbrel: White/White-Yellow
2009 - Ringed on 29th April.
2010 - Re-sighted by PR between 22nd & 30th April.
2011 - Re-sighted by PR between 24th & 29th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 30th April & by LM on 1st May.
Whimbrel: Blue/Blue-Blue
2010 - Ringed on 2nd May.
2011 - Re-sighted by PR between 25th & 27th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 30th April & by LM on 1st May.
Whimbrel: White/Pink-Pink
2010 - Ringed on 26th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 30th April & by LM on 1st & 2nd May.
Whimbrel: Yellow/Yellow-White
2007 - Ringed on 22nd April, re-sighted on 9th May.
2008 - Re-sighted by CR on 25th April & by PR on 1st May.
2011 - Re-sighted & re-caught on 26th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by LM on 1st May.
Whimbrel: White/Lime-Pink
2010 - Ringed on 26th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by LM on 1st May.
Whimbrel: Orange/Orange-White
2007 - Ringed on 27th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 2nd May & by CR on 6th May.
Whimbrel: Red/Red-Orange
2006 - Ringed on 28th April, re-sighted on 4th May.
2007 - Re-sighted by PR on 26th April.
2011 - Re-sighted by CR & DT on 20th April & by PR on 25th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by RS on 2nd May.
Whimbrel: White/Blue-Pink
2010 - Ringed on 26th April, re-sighted on 2nd May.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 5th & 6th May.
Whimbrel: Blue/White-Pink
2010 - Ringed on 2nd May.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 5th May.
Whimbrel: Lime/White-Lime
2005 - Ringed on 25th April, re-sighted on 7th May.
2006 - Re-sighted on 2nd May.
2007 - Re-sighted on 6th May.
2009 - Re-sighted on 25th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 6th May.
Whimbrel: White/White-White
2007 - Ringed on 23rd April, re-sighted on 6th May.
2010 - Re-sighted on 26th April.
2012 - Re-sighted by CR on 6th May.
Thanks to everyone who has worked alongside us to make this project happen this year and over the course of the last 8 years - those that have helped catch and ring the birds, those that have monitored the roost site to obtain counts and identify where to put the nets, those that have read colour-rings and tracked birds in the field and all our partners who have had a role in making it happen in one way or another alongside Natural England - Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Carstairs Countryside Trust, BTO and the RSPB. Only the last handful of birds remain now and many of the birds listed here will already be in Iceland or northern Scandinavia. We're already looking forward to them coming back next year - but hopefully we'll get some re-sightings away from the valley this year aswell.
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