Tuesday, 3 July 2012

Ringing Recovery

An interesting recovery has just been received that confirms how early some of our summer visitors leave our shores on autumn migration to West Africa.  A juvenile Sand Martin ringed at Wintersett Reservoir on 20th June 2011 was caught by ringers 864 kilometres to the south at Hiers-Brouage (Charente-Maritime) FRANCE on 25th July 2011.
Sand Martins appear at Wintersett from late June into July in varying numbers each year.  We now know, from ringing recoveries, that these juvenile Sand Martins are dispersing away from breeding colonies up to 200 kilometres away.  These initial dispersive movements, in various directions, are then followed by an early, and fairly rapid departure southwards out of the country, as the above recovery shows.

P. Smith

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