Recent recoveries.

A few recoveries have trickled in recent weeks and while some of the birds involved hadn't gone very far they are interesting nevertheless.

S552233       first year      Coal Tit   (black pin on map)
Ringed          22/10/2016  Billinge Hill, Merseyside.
Controlled     21/01/2017  Woolston Eyes, Warrington. 18 km SSE, duration 91 days.
A total of 52 Coal Tit were ringed at Billinge Hill last autumn with the majority being ringed in September and October when there was an obvious southward dispersal/movement. The recapture of this bird at Woolston Eyes is the first recovery to show the destination of any of these birds.

HPV497        full grown     Long-tailed Tit   (blue pin on map)
Ringed          05/10/2014  Billinge Hill, Merseyside.
Found dead  04/03/2017  Prescot, Merseyside. 13 km SWW, duration 881 days.
This is the first movement away from the ringing site and it was found dead under a window.

JDH819       adult male    Goldcrest   (yellow pin on map)
Ringed         01/10/2015  Billinge Hill, Merseyside.
Controlled    29/10/2016  Hilbre Island, Wirral, Merseyside. 38 km WSW, duration 394 days.
This bird will have moved much further than the 38 km between the two sites. It was caught when on passage at Billinge and similarly when controlled on Hilbre Island the following year and probably originated from northern England or Scotland.




A couple of recovery reports for Siskins were also received and illustrate the mobility of the species.

D874496      first year female   Siskin
Ringed         18/03/2014   near Orrell, Greater Manchester.
Controlled    14/02/2017   Witton-le Wear NR, Durham. 143 km NNE, duration 1064 days.

S192064       first year male     Siskin
Ringed          11/04/2016   Peebles, Scottish Borders.
Controlled     07/03/2017   near Orrell, Greater Manchester. 293 km S, duration 330 days.




Siskins are an variable migrant and move further in some years than others in response to fluctuations in natural food supplies. There was a major irruption of Siskins in autumn 2015 but fewer were on the move last autumn and that is now being reflected in the numbers coming to the feeders in my garden. In 2016 I ringed 118 up to 11th March but have only ringed 64 over the same period this year. It will be interesting to see how numbers compare later in spring although I expect numbers will remain about 50% down on those of last year.