Saturday 7 December 2013

Catching up

I'm playing catch up in more ways than one today. Firstly I've posted some pics that I took on Wednesday before the storm started building Wednesday  night and Thursday. It was a lovely morning and there had been a touch of frost, so it was quite firm under foot  and no mud, ideal for the Westies as they keep themselves clean and don't trail mud into the house when we get back home.

Kyfer and Misty clean !!

Misty trailing behind as usual.

View of the old flash, sad now to think we have had nearly 100 different species in this area alone.
And a couple of views looking over to the big house.





As regards the storm Penrith got off lightly, there was damage, a chimney pot came down in our yard, narrowly missing a neighbours car, a few slates off here and there and the odd tree down, but nothing compared to some parts of the country where houses have been lost to the sea.
  
And now for the second catch up, something I was reminded of yesterday when I was showing a friend of mind up from Oxford round the patch
 Also looking over the patch was a nice young lady birder, with whom  we entered  into conversation, long story short, She asked about some waders she had seen earlier in the year, which after swapping descriptions turned out to be the 7 Black-tailed Godwits that dropped in for a short stay on the reserve.
 Now my regular reader, may remember, way back in in July, the 22nd to be exact I posted photos of said birds and it was noted that one had rings on both legs, and I did promise to let you know the history of the the Godwits ringing, if I could find anything out. Well I did and I now apologies for not letting you know the results sooner. So here is a copy of the e-mail I received from the ringing group.
Dear Gordon

Thank you for this sighting and apologies for the late reply.

RN-WX was ringed as an adult female in N Iceland.

Topline is ringing informations.

RN-WX 11.07.09 Siglufjordur, N Iceland
RN-WX 18.10.09 North Killingholme and Pywipe, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
RN-WX 29.04.10 WWT Caerlaverock, Dumfriesshire, S Scotland
RN-WX 03.05.10 Caerlaverock, Solway estuary, Dumfries & Galloway, W Scotland
RN-WX 24.08.10 North Killingholme Haven, North Lincolnshire, E England
RN-WX 19.06.11 Siglufjordur,  Leiruvegur, N Iceland
RN-WX 18.04.12 WWT Caerlaverock, Folly Pond, Dumfriesshire, S Scotland
RN-WX 25.04.12 Siglufjordur, N Iceland
RN-WX 22.07.13 Thacka Beck Nature,  Penrith,  Cumbria,  NW England
RN-WX 22.07.13 Thacka Beck Nature,  Penrith,  Cumbria,  NW England
RN-WX 31.07.13 Killingholme, Haven Pits, Humber estuary, Lincolnshire, E England

Best Wishes 
Vigfús


2013/8/15 Nuno Cidraes Vieira <limosalimosa@sapo.pt>

Dear Gordon Williams

I'm writing you on behalf of the International Wader Study Group (IWSG), as the Species Expert (SPEX) for Black-tailed Godwit.
Apologies for the late reply.

This bird was ringed in Iceland by Tómas Gunnarsson and co-workers. I sent them your sight, you should receive the bird's life-story from Vigfús Eyjólfsson.
All sights you get of Black-tailed Godwits with 2 colour rings in each tibia, being the lower right tibia position white with a black X, were ringed by Tómas. If you want, you can send him directly the data from future sights (tomas@hi.is). Skipping a few steps it will result in getting the bird's life-history sooner :-)

Thanks for the info and link to the photo. It's always nice to see it and allow ringers to get extra information such as moulting scores

thanks for helping Godwit's studies,


Photo of said bird taken in July this year.



So I hope you find that as interesting as I did, and until next time, BFN.
     Linking to Stewarts wild bird Wednesday---.http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.co.uk/


15 comments:

  1. Its always interesting to find out where these birds have been! Great breeding colours on the Godwits - we don't see them like that very often.

    cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  2. Beautiful shot of the Godwits! And your puppy dogs are cute! Have a happy week!

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  3. Great landscape photos and the Godwits are beautiful. We don't see many Black-tailed Godwits around here (lots of Bar-tailed G.) and it is great to see them in breeding colors.

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  4. Oh your pups are so cute!
    Those Godwits are well travelled birds!

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  5. Hi Gordon, hope you find some breaks in the weather to get out and find some birds to photograph. Nice that you met up with the new birder and were reminded of the Godwits earlier in the year. Enjoyed reading the return correspondence and your photo of them is beautiful to see. Cheers

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  6. Beautiful birds with their rusty colour. It's great to get to know more about a bird's life.

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  7. It's good to get all that information from your sighting Gordon. My how those birds travel - phenomenal.

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  8. those Godwits are very colorful. Never seen them like that. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. hi Gorden. yes the post and information was very interesting wonderful color of the Godwits

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  10. That is so awesome to be get the bird's history! The picture is really great.

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  11. Yes, thanks for the very interesting post on the Godwit tracking!

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  12. How exciting to learn where the godwits were ringed and how wonderful that you let those who ringed it that you had seen it!

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  13. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone out there that left a comment, good to know you found it interesting.
    Take care and all the best, Gordon.

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  14. I adore your dog's. You are wealth information, thanks for sharing. Great shots, Gordon.

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  15. Godwits were blessed with a good name!

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A big thank you to everyone for looking in and leaving their comments, much appreciated, Gordon.