A new year

A new year starts and the Linnets keep coming. Another 24 new birds ringed at Ramsey Harbour this week with2 Starlings and a Black Headed Gull Colour ring as part of Kane Brides North West study on them.

Today I was back up to the Point of Ayre site have not been feeding there over the Xmas holidays as the site was shut and the gale force winds was just blowing the Nyger everywhere. I went up on Sunday and placed a little down . On Monday visited again  put a load down which I had just bought and was pleased to see 30 Linnets. Decided to set up and waited 2 hours and had nothing so I packed up and covered the ground in seed.

I set up at 0800 today and straight away had 18 Twite and 1 Linnet land.

11 New Twite ringed with this years colours

Right Leg=BTO Metal    Left Leg =White above Red Blue 

White=Isle of Man

Red/Blue = Jan/June 2012

6 of the retraps were from Nov/Dec last year 2011

The picture below is of the first Twite we have re tapped from winter

2010/2011 We ringed 54 Twite during that winter period and I thought we would get a 

few birds returning for this winter. 56 new Twite have been colour ringed so far this season.

Just checking records and this bird was first caught on 10 January 2011 and was

 re trapped today 10 January 2012. Exactly a year ago you couldn't make it up.

I noticed on the Barrow in Furness ringers site http://www.01229group.blogspot.com/

they controlled an Isle of Man Twite back in November

i am trying to get in touch with them to get some details, this again is the first 

re sighting of one of our birds off island.

I waited another 2 hours and caught another 3 Linnets and packed up and went to Ramsey

Very quite there today with only a few Linnets and none coming to food.

A few Rock Pipits with colour rings on were kicking about so got camera out

and took a few shots. Then saw one which interested me 

Blue White on right leg and  Carmine yellow on left leg

This bird was first ringed at Port Mooar on 03/08/2010 as a young bird before we started

colour ringing them, it was re caught  on 16/02/2011 at Ramsay and colour rings added

it was caught again today to get my eye in on ageing criteria knowing that this bird is now an adult bird

other birds about

Ringed Ramsey Harbour 16 September 2011

Ringed 25 November 2011 Ramsey Harbour