150,000 Birds - Wintersett

Wintersett Ringing Group was formed in 1974 by John Armitage.

2016 was a momentous year for the Group as the 150,000th bird was ringed, during the late summer.  Over the years we have had plenty of exciting recoveries, from countries far and wide, such as:

Swallows in South Africa, Mauritania and Morocco, Sand Martin in Senegal, Reed Warbler in Ceuta on the NW coast of Africa, Lesser Whitethroat in Turkey, Garden Warbler in Ghana, Fieldfare in Finland and Redwing in Russia, east of the Ural Mountains.

Our latest batch of interesting recoveries are detailed below:

A juvenile Reed Warbler ringed on 7th August 2015

was caught by ringers,
at Caminha, Viana do Castelo, Portugal on 14th August 2016

at a distance of 1,417 kms to the SSW.

A first year Reed Warbler ringed on 7th September 2016

was caught at Icklesham, East Sussex on 14th September 2016

at a distance of 334 kms to the SSE.

A first year Lesser Redpoll ringed on the 3rd October 2015

was caught at Copeland Bird Observatory, Down, Northern Ireland on 9th October 2016

at a distance of 292 kms WNW.

Amazingly, a first year male Lesser Redpoll ringed on 20th October 2015

was also caught at Copeland Bird Observatory on 8th October 2016

at a distance of 292 kms WNW.

Had they travelled together?

A recovery, only just received, was of

a first year male Siskin ringed on 13th March 2003

found stunned, under a window

at Putten, Gelderland, Netherlands on 26th February 2004

at a distance of 498 kms ESE.

Many thanks go to all the ringers who contributed their time and efforts over the years to achieve this phenomenal ringing total.

Peter Smith