A record year for Manx Ringing Group

Well that's it for 2011, my first full year on the Isle of Man and what a year.

Manx ringing Group have ringed 5044 new birds in 2011

with 74 Species ringed

and 2 species with sightings of rings

(Whooper Swan and Brent Geese)
a full report will be out soon but for now

Top Ten Species 2011

                                      1.  Linnet          676   new birds ringed

     2. Goldfinch    641  

     3. Blue Tits     589

    4. Gt Tits        507

    5. Chaffinch   279

            6. House Sparrow  264

         7.  Sand Martin  216

     8.   Coal Tit     165

      9. Herring Gull  143

      10. Meadow Pipit 141

Species ringed this year

1. Fulmar
2. Manx Shearwater
3. Storm Petrel
4. Cormorant
5. Mute Swan
6. Canada Goose
7. Mallard
8. Eider
9. Sparrowhawk
10. Oystercatcher
11. Ringed Plover
12. Knot
13. Sanderling
14. Dunlin
15. Whimbrel
16. Curlew
17. Turnstone
18. Black-headed Gull
19. Common Gull
20. Lesser Black-backed Gull
21. Herring Gull
22. Great Black-backed Gull
23. Kittiwake
24. Arctic Tern
25. Little Tern
26. Guillemot
27. Woodpigeon
28. Collared Dove
29. Great Spotted Woodpecker
30. Sand Martin
31. Swallow
32. House Martin
33. Meadow Pipit
34. Rock Pipit
35. Pied/White Wagtail
36. Wren
37. Dunnock
38. Robin
39. Black Redstart
40. Stonechat
41. Wheatear
42. Blackbird
43. Song Thrush
44. Redwing
45. Grasshopper Warbler
46. Sedge Warbler
47. Whitethroat
48. Blackcap
49. Chiffchaff
50. Willow Warbler
51. Goldcrest
52. Long-tailed Tit
53. Coal Tit
54. Blue Tit
55. Great Tit
56. Treecreeper
57. Magpie
58. Chough
59. Jackdaw
60. Rook
61. Carrion Crow
62. Hooded Crow
63. Starling
64. House Sparrow
65. Tree Sparrow
66. Chaffinch
67. Brambling
68. Greenfinch
69. Goldfinch
70. Siskin
71. Linnet
72. Twite
73. Lesser Redpoll
74. Reed Bunting

A great year with our first Cormorant Colour Ringing project getting underway

and some good re sightings of our birds as they leave the nest and start to move.

some went as far north as Aberdeen some went South to Hampshire??

Also our Large Gull colour ring project turned up some great re sightings

we only ringed 11 Lesser Black backed Gulls this year and 4 have already been spotted down

 in Spain and Portugal.

Some  great ringing memories for me were ringing Whimbrel and Little Tern

and a week we spent on the isle of Flatey in Iceland with Kane and Chris ringing

Puffin, Red necked Phalarope Arctic Terns so on 

Thanks to all the landowners, farmers and home owners who have allowed us to ring on their properties throughout the year.

Special thanks go to Ronan and Hazel Crellin, Sue and Steve Colvin, Christine and Barry, Manx Wildlife Trust, Island Aggregates, Manx National Heritage, Dept. of Infrastructure (Waste management), DEFA Forrestry division

A big thanks to Kev Scott for all the laughs and good times we have spent this year here's to many more

also to Chris Sharpe and Kaye and Mark Fitzpatrick and Dave Sharpe

 A big thanks to Kane Bride who visited us this year and Chris Bridge for a great week in Iceland and for 

such enthusiasm they bring to the ringing scheme.

and to my old mate Andy Jowett who visited twice this year and never fails to crack me up
Also thanks to Pete Hatfield Brian Liggins and John Donnelly for there sighting and info over 
the last year

Hopefully if this wind ever stops we will be able to "get a net up!!!!" in 2012


To everyone I hope you have a happy 2012

Siskin to Douglas

The last few weeks Brian has noticed a ringed Siskin coming to his feeders in Douglas

he has tried to get the ring combination and today we think we have it 

The last two numbers were 53 and the first 3 were 983 we have just seen another picture and it contains 

a 7 now as well

Siskin L983753 was ringed at the St Johns feeder site on 28/09/2011

nice one

good old digital Photography

all photos Brian Liggins

Starlings

After the Xmas festivities and the gale force winds AGAIN. A little visit to Ramsey Harbour this aft.

I have been placing dried meal worms at the whoosh net site for Rock Pipits and Wagtail. As soon as i set up this aft 9 Starlings landed and started to gobble up the worms. 

10 Starlings ringed and 1 Pied Wagtail this aft.

The Starling is in my opinion a very underestimated Bird

the feathers and plumage are spectacular.

Starling

Festive Crane in Ramsey Harbour

Another great morning

Me and Kev met up at the St Johns feeder site at 9 this morning.

Another great morning with over 80 new birds ringed.

Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Gt Tits, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch

Siskin, Robins, Blackbirds, Dunnock, and House Sparrow.

The last 3 mornings have been great with over 250 new birds being ringed at our feeder sites.

We started to ring at The Sartfield site and the St Johns site back in July this year

and we had planned to ring at them once a month. 

The wind has stopped us doing that these last few months but with over 800 new birds ringed since we started we will try and keep this up.

Thanks to Christine and Barry for the umpteen cups of Tea and the good company today

and for letting Manx Ringing Group ring in their garden.

Male Siskin ringed today

Ringing Book

Also two Mallards ringed at St Johns Arboretum this aft

Two good mornings

Yesterday i was out at the Sulby garden Feeder site with Chris and Kaye.

63 new birds ringed 

17 Blue Tits

21 Gt Tits

5 House Sparrow

11 Chaffinch

2 Robins

1 Long Tailed tit

1 Greenfinch

5 Coal Tits

Retraps

22 Blue Tits

12 Gt Tits

2 Robins

4 Coal Tits

this morning me Kev and Ffyn met at the Colvins Garden Site 

102 New Birds ringed

46 Blue tits

14 Goldfinch

28 Gt Tits

1 Robin

 Chaffinch{ waiting for numbers}

1 Sparrowhawk

 Coal Tits{waiting for numbers}

another great morning a big thank you to Mr and Mrs Crellin and Mr and Mrs Colvin 

for letting us set up and ring in their gardens.

Kev getting to grips with Juv male Sparrowhawk

 Up to the Point of Ayre this aft to check on the whoosh site, as i pulled up 10 Linnets seen feeding.

The site has been very quite for the last 3 weeks maybe because of the gale force winds or the Merlin and Sparrowhawk that constantly patrol the area for food

14 Linnets Ringed and 1 Twite this aft

Twite

local Rock Pipit movement

Just recived a photo of Brian Liggins of one of our colour ringed Rock Pipits seen at Rue Point this weekend.

This Bird was ringed in Ramsey on the 20 September this year and is the first one of our colour ringed birds to be seen at the north of the island. If it had flown along the coast it is a  distance of 11 miles. Also the habitat is some what different from the coves and rocky bays around Ramsey and Maughold where it was ringed. 

The northern part of the island is flat sand and dunes. Nice record cheers Brian.

Out and about in Peel

I decided to go to Peel to day to see what the gale force winds had 

blown in. Me and Niki watched the sea crash in at Fenella beach and took a walk around the castle. 6 Purple Sandpipers were sheltering from the wind right next to the archway by the cafe.

After a brisk walk we walk back to the car where a load of Gulls were sat.

A Greater Black backed Gull took my eye as i saw a Blue ring on its leg.

Got the camera out and took a few shot.

GBBG 1JN

I think this bird was ringed on Ireland's Eye, Howth Ireland by Chris Honan

and am waiting for conformation.

Distance of around 80 Miles and in these force 10 westerly winds probably got here in 10 minutes.

Rock Pipit Fun

8 Rock Pipits Caught today at Port Mooar

3 New birds 5 retraps 1 bird caught 3 times in half an hour in same spring trap

with same meal worm

Ramsey Harbour

Last two afternoons spent at Ramsey Harbour where i have set a whoosh net, hopefully for Rock Pipits

Wagtails Linnets and Gulls.

34 Linnets Ringed

2 Pied Wagtails

1 Rock pipit

1 Meadow Pipit

1 Black Headed Gull Colour Ringed