I stayed home yesterday and did a little garden ringing, saving energy for the evening job. At 5pm Ian and I met up with members of North Lancashire Ringing Group for a session at their biggest Sand Martin colony on the River Lune, a location with approximately 600 nest holes in the river bank and where the group has captured over 1000 birds already this year.
The colony is on the other side of the river from the access point so entailed a walk across the river to the opposite bank where, after emptying flooded wellies, we set up shop. If I say that we caught 380 Sand Martins it might explain that the evening was too busy to take many photographs. From an initial breakdown from Richard Du Feu (thanks Richard) the 380 Sand Martins were made up of 293 new birds, 82 recaptures and 5 controls (birds ringed elsewhere). Two of the controls came from Icklesham, Sussex and Merseyside, the others are as yet unknown.
Already this year the group have captured a breeding Sand Martin with a Spanish, Madrid ring and the same bird was recaptured again last night.
Read more about Sand Martins and North Lancs Ringing Group here.
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6 comments:
Hi Phil: I get the impression that Sand Martin & Swallow have done reasonably well,but that Hse Martin & Swift are not doing as well,just personal observations.JWB.
Hey Phil...You didn't hoe out the Foxgloves did you?????? lol
Now that was quite a catch of Sand Martins ...I bet that did keep you busy!
I haven't seen them in a long time ,but haven't been where they nest either!
I remember a abandoned gravel pit where they nested in the sides ..amazing to watch these birds!!
Great post and photos Phil! Love the capture of the band on that tiny leg.
En pleno trabajo de anillamiento de aves, preciosas y explícitas fotografías, un abrazo Phil
How cool is that to find a bird that was rung..is that correct...rung in Madrid, and wow, what a lot of birds to ring in one evening. Wading across a river in the wellies, that would be fun too. Have a great week Phil~
A nice close-up of the Sand Martin. Both Ians - G and H - look totally immersed in their work. It must be exhilirating to find birds that are visiting from near and far, banded by others with the same interest. Thanks!
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