Oystercatcher
| NOS 5157624 | 1 | 23.06.02 | Kvaloyvag, Tromso, Troms, NORWAY | 69 50’N 18 45’E | ||
| R | 23.07.05 | Heacham | 2108 KM | SSW | ||
| NOS 5139543 | 1 | 19.06.03 | Kvaloysletta, Tromso, Troms, NORWAY | 69 42’N 18 35’E | ||
| R | 23.07.05 | Heacham | 2099 KM | SSW |
Oystercatchers using The Wash and bearing Norwegian rings are not uncommon, but the majority come from south of the Arctic Circle. These two, both ringed as nestlings near Tromso, were caught together at Heacham, and are the two northernmost controls notified during the year…
| FA46711 | 3 | 21.08.93 | Holbeach | |||
| X | 30.07.06 | Sortland, Nordland, NORWAY | 68 41’N 15 22’E | 1935 KM | NNE |
…Whilst this individual was the northernmost recovery notified during the year of an Oystercatcher ringed on The Wash.
| FA39362 | 8 | 01.08.00 | Friskney | |||
| VV | 06.06.06 | Randoya, Vest-Agder, NORWAY | 58 05’N 08 07’E | 748 KM | NE | |
| FA40143 | 6 | 10.04.93 | Heacham | |||
| VV | 06.06.06 | Randoya, Vest-Agder, NORWAY | 58 05’N 08 07’E | 751 KM | NE |
Although ringed at different sites on The Wash, these two had paired, and were raising young, when spotted by a Norwegian birdwatcher.
Ringed Plover
| NW13306 | 1 | 01.06.03 | Willington, BEDFORDSHIRE | |||
| R | 20.10.05 | Heacham | 105 KM | NE |
The first Ringed Plover to be controlled on The Wash since 1991, and, as a nestling-ringed bird, a valuable record too. Our first from Bedfordshire.
Knot
| XR77029 | 6 | 09.03.96 | Heacham | |||
| VV | 17.01.97 | Strandpaal 1, Den Helder, Noord-Holland, NETHERLANDS | 52 57’N 04 43’E | 285 KM | E | |
| VV | 04.02.06 | Strandpaal 1, Den Helder, Noord-Holland, NETHERLANDS | 52 57’N 04 43’E |
One of only two overseas Knot recoveries during the year (the other being reported from Germany). This individual, wintering at the same site in The Netherlands, has now twice had its ring read in the field by diligent birdwatchers.
Sanderling
| NT75176 | 4 | 17.10.04 | Heacham | |||
| XF | 27.12.05 | Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Algarve, PORTUGAL | 37 10’N 07 26’W | 1855 KM | SSW | |
| NT74561 | 3 | 30.10.03 | Heacham | |||
| XF | 06.02.06 | San Fernando, Cadiz, SPAIN | 36 27’N 06 13’W | 1899 KM | SSW |
As a consequence of particularly successful Sanderling catches in recent years we continue to be rewarded with some notable recoveries. Hot on the heals of as similar recovery reported in Highlights 2005 comes only the sixth British-ringed Sanderling to be found in Portugal, and this is complimented by the ninth to Spain (only the third from The Wash). Both these birds are likely to have been from the Greenland population and caught on passage through The Wash. The Portuguese recovery was probably from it’s wintering grounds, whilst the Spanish bird is likely to have been on return passage from Africa or southern Iberia.
| CIJ X23306 | 4 | 30.01.05 | Le Haule, Jersey, CHANNEL ISLANDS | 49 12’N 02 10’W | ||
| R | 25.08.05 | Heacham | 452 KM | NNE |
The first Sanderling bearing a Channel Isles ring to be caught on The Wash, and only the fifth from anywhere in France and The Channel Isles to be found in Britain. It is likely to be from the Siberian population, spending winters along the coasts of NW Europe, and being recaptured on The Wash upon it’s arrival for winter in 2005.
| NT48574 | 6 | 01.03.02 | Coast Guards, Walney Island, CUMBRIA | |||
| R | 25.08.05 | Heacham | 281 KM | ESE | ||
| NT12421 | 5 | 22.02.97 | Heacham | |||
| R | 01.04.06 | Panbride, Carnoustie, TAYSIDE | 449 KM | NNw |
The third Cumbrian Sanderling to be found on The Wash, and the first either to or from Tayside.
Dunlin
| SVS 3493521 | 5 | 21.07.04 | Ottenby, Oland, SWEDEN | 56 12’N 12 24’E | ||
| R | 22.07.05 | Terrington | 1104 KM | WSW | ||
| SVS 3498435 | 6 | 24.07.04 | Ottenby, Oland, SWEDEN | 56 12’N 12 24’E | ||
| R | 22.07.05 | Terrington | 1104 KM | WSW |
Dunlin caught on passage at Ottenby are regularly controlled on The Wash. These two demonstrate an earlier arrival in Norfolk in 2005 than the year before.
| NT02661 | 4 | 02.08.96 | Leverton | |||
| R | 05.12.04 | Near Iwik, MAURITANIA | 19 54’N 16 17’W | 3944 KM | SSW | |
| NT54147 | 4 | 03.09.04 | Terrington | |||
| R | 28.11.05 | Near Iwik, MAURITANIA | 19 54’N 16 17’W | 3930 KM | SSW |
Controlled on their wintering ground, these are the seventh and eighth Wash-ringed Dunlin to be found in Mauritania, although ringing expeditions to this area have resulted in 15 records of birds from there having made the reverse journey.
Black-Tailed Godwit
| EP85366 | 4 | 09.09.02 | Holbeach | |||
| R | 27.03.03 | Alftafjordur, Sudur-Mula, ICELAND | 64 34’N 14 30’W | 1545 KM | NNW | |
| ES28085 | 4 | Holbeach | ||||
| R | 03.05.03 | Alftafjordur, Sudur-Mula, ICELAND | 64 34’N 14 30’W | 1545 KM | NNW |
Colour-ringing has shown that the majority of the Black-Tailed Godwit using the Wash originate from the Icelandic breeding grounds. Many records are of colour-ring sightings, however these two records are of birds actually recaptured.
| EL09217 | 6 | 22.08.05 | Holbeach | |||
| + | 28.11.05 | Baie de Somme, Somme, FRANCE | 50 14’N 01 33’E | 311 KM | SSE | |
| EK94359 | 4 | 02.09.04 | Terrington | |||
| VV | 08.12.04 | Locquenole, Finistere, FRANCE | 48 37’N 03 51’W | |||
| VV | 15.12.05 | Plouezoch, Finistere, FRANCE | 48 38’N 03 51’W | |||
| X | 16.03.06 | Ile aux Dames, Finistere, FRANCE | 48 41 ’N 03 51’W | 548 KM | SSW | |
| EP85142 | 4 | 10.08.96 | Holbeach | |||
| VV | 08.04.98 | Weiringen, Noord-Holland, NETHERLANDS | 52 55’N 04 57’E | |||
| + | 10.01.06 | Bouin, Vendee, FRANCE | 46 58’N 01 59’W | 673 KM | SSW |
The Icelandic breeding population of Black-Tailed Godwits winter mostly in Britain, Ireland and western France, and these three demonstrate onward movement from The Wash to France in winter - colour-ringing resulting in multiple sightings, with the latter also being seen in The Netherlands on a return migration.
Bar-Tailed Godwit
| DN20623 | 3 | 12.08.87 | Terrington | |||
| R | 21.08.05 | Wainfleet | 34 KM |
Still going strong 18 years after being ringed. The Wash (and national) longevity record is 32 years.
Curlew
| FA97141 | 4 | 02.09.00 | Terrington | |||
| + | 30.01.06 | Pont l’abbe, Finistere, France | 47 52’N 04 13’W | 636 KM | SSW |
Only the sixth Wash-ringed Curlew to be recovered in France. Not all Curlew using The Wash in autumn spend the winter; this bird clearly wintering further to the southwest.
| FP43050 | 4 | 01.08.77 | Terrington | |||
| XF | 17.05.05 | Harkamaentie, Pyhajarvi O, Oulu, FINLAND | 63 39’N 26 03’E | 1919 KM | NE |
This bird sets a new longevity record for a Wash-ringed Curlew; taken by a predatory bird 27 years 9 months after being ringed, this bird beats our previous record which was set back in 1995, but is still two years short of the national record holder.
Greenshank
| DB61241 | 4 | 28.08.03 | Terrington | |||
| VV | 15.07.06 | Ruidhorn, Uithuizen, Groningen, NETHERLANDS | 53 27’N 06 40’E | 429 KM | E |
Only 212 Greenshank have been ringed by the group so, not surprisingly, we have had few recoveries, this being our first to The Netherlands.
Turnstone
| NOS 7363956 | 3 | 31.08.98 | Revtangen, Klepp, Rogaland, NORWAY | 58 45’N 05 30’E | ||
| R | 24.08.05 | Leverton | 721 KM | SSW |
Only the twelfth Norwegian-ringed Turnstone to be found on The Wash, this bird will likely have been on passage from its Finnish breeding grounds when caught in Norway, and also when caught on The Wash, en route to African wintering grounds. Note: when ringed as a juvenile it was still in Norway at the end of August, but seven years later as an adult it had already reached The Wash at least week earlier in the season.
Lesser Black-Backed Gull
| GC16219 | 1 | 26.06.05 | Inner Westmark Knock | |||
| XL | 02.10.05 | Lagos de Obidos, Leiria, Estremadura, PORTUGAL | 39 25’N 09 11’W | 1657 KM | SSW | |
| GC16070 | 1 | 26.06.05 | Inner Westmark Knock | |||
| VV | 18.11.05 | Sesimbra, Estremadura, PORTUGAL | 38 26’N 09 06’W | 1755 KM | SSW |
The second and third recoveries of Lesser Black-Backed Gulls from the Outer Bund breeding colony. Recoveries from ringing elsewhere in Britain have demonstrated that British bred Lesser Black-Backed Gulls generally migrate southwards, with most wintering in Iberia, and these fit in with this pattern of behaviour.
Herring Gull
| GG88576 | 7 | 01.08.00 | Friskney | |||
| S | 16.06.02 | Kirkcaldy, FIFE REGION | ||||
| X | 10.07.04 | Inchkeith, FIFE REGION | 394 KM | NNW |
Whenever one hears of a bird being found sick but then released it is easy to assume that the bird’s chances of survival are slim. This bird, however, survived another two years before being found elsewhere, on it’s breeding grounds in Fife Region.