Wader Ringing.........

With the first of the 3 main sets of autumn high tides out of the way, I thought I’d post an update on results so far. Despite some very big day-time high tide counts at Ynyslas there have been very few birds present at the point in the evening - where do they all go? However, over the 6 nights that the conditions were right for catching, the combined efforts of Tony, Jane and myself managed to catch and ring over 160 passage waders:

Dunlin 107
Ringed Plover 55
Turnstone 2
Oystercatcher 1
Sanderling 1
Curlew Sandpiper 1

As with most birds ringed, only a very small proportion of them will ever get recovered, which can be quite disheartening with all the effort put in, but when you do get that one recovery it makes it all worth while, as I discovered recently. One of the juvenile Dunlins that I ringed on the 12th August last year was re-trapped just 22 days later (on the 3rd September) 1,707km away in the southwest of Spain!!



Most birds move through very quickly. We have only had 2 re-trap Dunlins at Ynyslas so far this year, one which was re-trapped the following night, and the other which I originally caught and ringed on the 20th August further down the coast at Llanon which seems to be moving the wrong way!

Anyone interested in finding out more or wanting to coming along to see what goes on after dusk, please don't hesitate to contact me.