April - summary

Well, it's been a poor month for waterfowl - partly expected though as the wintering birds have declined and the breeding birds are nesting, but the ringing totals have also been driven largely by the floods during the second half of the month.

We only managed 31 waterfowl for the month, but an impressive 740 for the year! 19 new waders were also caught, and they were all colour-ringed excluding the Oystercatcher. We also re-trapped 2 additional Redshank and added colour-rings, and managed to read off 5 colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwits, and controlled one of them (details still to come). Since the Whimbrel arrived, between April 20th and the last day of the month we've re-sighted 17 birds from previous years and caught two which now have colour-rings - hopefully they'll return and be sighted next year!

2012 colour-ringed Whimbrel

A few noteworthy additions for the month - 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Little Owl and 2 Skylark. So only 54 birds birds ringed but some really good data generated this month, especially all the re-sightings of colour-ringed birds - and that's why we do it - to get the data which we can then direct back at reserve management and conservation programmes. Thanks to all the local birders who've also put the time and effort in this month looking for Whimbrel and sending us their colour-ring sightings.

c/r Whimbrel (from above), photographed in the field

Tim Jones

Below is a summary of April and the year totals so far, here's hoping May is just as good for quality if not quantity! 

                                  April                        Year 

WATERFOWL
Grey Heron	10		10
Mute Swan	0		2
Greylag Goose	0		3
Brent Goose	0		1
Shelduck	1		78
Wigeon	2		112
Teal	2		281
Mallard	9		220
Pintail	0		5
Gadwall	4		4
Moorhen	3		11
Coot	0		4
Little Grebe	0		1
WADERS
Whimbrel	2		2
Snipe	14		24
Ruff	0		1
Redshank	1		2
Lapwing	1		1
Oystercatcher	1		1
RAPTORS/OWLS
Red Kite	0		1
Tawny Owl	1		2
Little Owl	1		1
PASSERINES
Skylark	2		4
	54		771