NLRG was formed in 1957 to help in the study of birds in the Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society area. There are currently 12 active ringers. Species currently being studied include: Pied Flycatcher, Bearded Tit, Sand Martin, Twite, Goosander, Oystercatcher and Grey Wagtail. Migration has been studied for 28 years at Heysham. We welcome anyone who wants to observe, help or perhaps wish to become a ringer. Photo: A Heysham-ringed Twite on the Mull of Kintyre (thanks to Eddie Maguire)

Monday 30 January 2017

A Successful Year for the Group

2016 was quite a successful year for the group. We handled 17,302 birds made up of 10,843 full grown, 1,746 nestlings and 4,713 retraps or sightings involving 83 species. This is 2544 up on 2015.We hope to shortly publish our annual report online, but this short report gives details of some of the features of our ringing in 2016.

The only species to be ringed for the first time was Long-eared Owl, caught while working a Swallow roost at Middleton. Stuart's outings on dark nights dazzling for Woodcock produced 15 but also 5 Jack Snipe and a Short-eared Owl.It was a good year for Great Spotted Woodpeckers with 41 ringed compared to our best previous catch of 23. Mark did extremely well with Tree Pipits catching 32 compared to just 11 in 2015. Meadow Pipits at 688 ere well up on the 194 in 2015 and was the second highest annual total. Redwing(458) and Fieldfare (52) were our highest annual totals for both species.Sedge Warblers (245)continued their downward spiral of recent years in the mid 2000's we were ringing 7-800, but it was our best year in recent years for Whitethroat at 196.

We shared in the Yellow-browed Warbler bonanza with 11 ringed, bringing the Groups all-time numbers to 26. The775 Willow Warblers was our best annual catch since 1976! Finches have featured in recent years. This year Goldfinch (1055) and Siskin (632) were both records but Lesser Redpolls (488)were down somewhat with a smaller than usual autumn passage.Finally the highest re-trapped species was Nuthatch with 1021 mainly re-sightings by Jerry and Barbara as part of our study on this species.

John

Wednesday 4 January 2017

A Record Breaking Marsh Tit

The highlight of a one net experimental session in a fallen apple strewn orchard was the catching of 4 Marsh Tits. One had been ringed just 150 m. away, 8 years and 163 days ago making it a group record for longevity, beating the previous one by 160 days but still well behind the national record of 11 years and 92 days.

The groups record for Blue Tits is 8 years and 15 days, behind Marsh Tit despite ringing nearly 39000 Blue Tits but only 540 Marsh Tits! Great Tit comes in at 11 years 97 days a national record. The Group holds another national record with a Bearded Tit at 7 years 42 days.

The other interesting news is the sighting by Javier of a colour ringed Waxwing in Lancaster which had been ringed just 20 days previously by the Grampian Ringing Group at Ballater Deeside Aberdeenshire. Part of the drift south of this winter visitor.

John