A review of ringing in 2025 Funny Ducks and Phantom Bitterns – a review of the birds of March-April 2026 Winter Thrush Wonderland – a review of the observations of Jan-Feb 2026 A Wealth of Warblers but Few Finches – a summary of the birds of November and December 2025 Autumn passage in full flow – a summary of the birds of September – October 2025

A review of ringing in 2025 Funny Ducks and Phantom Bitterns – a review of the birds of March-April 2026 Winter Thrush Wonderland – a review of the observations of Jan-Feb 2026 A Wealth of Warblers but Few Finches – a summary of the birds of November and December 2025 Autumn passage in full flow – a summary of the birds of September – October 2025 Rye Meads site list increases by one more – a summary of the birds of July – August 2025 Let’s hear it for Coenraad Jacob Temminck’s Stint – a summary of the birds of May-June 2025 Summer visitors trickle in – a review of the birds of March-April 2025 A review of ringing in 2024 When is a Red-crested Pochard like a Wildebeest – a summary of the birds of January-February 2025 Have I seen a female Scaup at Rye Meads The return of the murmurations – a summary of the birds of November-December 2024 Annual General Meeting An unusual gull, a hungry gull, and a record flock enliven a quiet autumn – a review of the birds of September-October 2024 One new record in a quiet Autumn – a summary of the birds of July – August 2024 A dull end to Spring – a review of the birds of May – June 2024 Thrilling Thursday – a review of the birds of March – April 2024 A review of ringing in 2023 Egret Bonanza – a review of the observations of January-February 2024 And the award for Best Bird goes to… A review of the observations of November – December 2023 Unusual visitors put a gloss on sightings – a review of the birds of September-October 2023 A review of ringing in 2022 July-August 2023 – Another large flock of flightless ducks in moult May-June 2023 – Quieter than usual on the rafts as In Flew Enza March-April 2023 – two additions to the Rye Meads list January-February 2023 – All quiet for the winter A traveller returns The return of Bearded Tits to Rye Meads November-December 2022 – Arctic weather follows Arctic swan Low Carbon Birding September-October 2022 – Beardies are back More foreign visitors arriving July – August 2022 – hot, hot, hot… May-June 2022 – Trouble afoot in the Gull and Tern Colony An update on our rehab Bittern March-April 2022 – Back in the South Lagoons! January-February 2022 – mild, stormy and largely bird-free November-December 2021 Ringing Review of 2021 September-October 2021 – a tale of three pipits July-August 2021 – a damp squib May-June 2021 – Cool, wet and downbeat Tales from the Slick Dr. Bernard Nau 1937-2021 March-April 2021 – Mediterranean Gulls but not Mediterranean weather Observations – January-February 2021 Observations – November-December 2020 Ringing Review of 2020 Observations – September-October 2020 Observations – July-August 2020 Observations – March-June 2020 Meeting the Ghosts in the Garret Toby Spall 1954-2020 Ringing review of 2019 January – February 2020 November – December 2019 September – October 2019 July – August 2019 Ringing Review of 2018 May – June 2019 One in a (quarter) million… March – April 2019 January – February 2019 What we saw in 2018 November – December 2018 It isn’t Slow, and it isn’t a Worm A close encounter with Tawny Owlets Managing our nestboxes September – October 2018 Ringing is sometimes a drag! July – August 2018 May – June 2018 March – April 2018 January – February 2018 Pullus ringing does give interesting results November – December 2017 Ringing review of 2017 From Iceland to Israel – our birds go a long way! Drabs and Dribs September – October 2017 July – August 2017 May – June 2017 A review of our wintering Chiffchaffs From Russia to Spain – holiday destinations of our birds RMRG’s very own D-day March – April 2017 January – February 2017 Record-breaking Black-tailed Godwit November – December 2016 Social media has its uses! Hail to the Emperor! Ringing review of 2016 Group outing: BTO Non-Estuarine Waterbird Survey of Skye September – October 2016 Water Pipits at Rye Meads July-August 2016 Alan the Robin unmasked A Bittern comes out of rehab May-June 2016

RMRG – studying the birds of Rye Meads

We are a volunteer group whose mission is to study the birds of Rye Meads, Hertfordshire (United Kingdom), by trapping and ringing them, logging sightings, conducting breeding surveys, and recording all nests found.

We have been studying this site since 1960 and have data on more than a quarter of a million birds ringed, and have published many papers based on this data.

This website presents a summary of the birds, ringing data, and activities of the Group.

A fine study of a flying male Pochard - we are the country's leading ringers of Pochards. (John Watkins)
The Centre Channel area of the South Lagoons is a favoured site for several species, especially Sedge Warbler. This was Toby's favoured spot for finding their nests (Maria Mak)
By July 1958 the settlement lagoons are largely completed and the Works development is well advanced.
Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar found in the South Lagoons. (Sarah Harris)
A Marbled White butterfly - not at all common at Rye Meads - by the track near the Draper Hide (Roger Emmens)
Seven Jack Snipe ringed and ready for release
A fine study of a male Blackbird on the Works area. (Sarah Harris)
Grasshopper Warbler - you can often hear one 'reeling' in early summer. (Maria Mak)
There are usually one or two Bee Orchids to be found on the RSPB Reserve alongside the path (Roger Emmens)
A Barn Owl chick well advanced in growing its plumage

For more pictures, see our galleries of the site, the birds, other fauna and the flora.

RSPB RESERVE CLOSURE CONFIRMED

The RSPB has now confirmed that it will close the Rye Meads reserve in November this year. What this means for future reserve management and public access, as well as the activities of Rye Meads Ringing Group, is yet to be established – currently there are more questions than answers.

Click here for the RSPB statement in full.

About us

Find out about our activities and history, lots about Rye Meads itself, and see galleries showcasing the site, the birds, and the other fauna and flora to be found here.

Recent activities

A blog of the Group’s activities, and some of our findings and ideas. Here is the latest post:

Annual General Meeting
Come and join us at our AGM, to be held at Rye Meads Visitor Centre. All Friends and Members are welcome.

Observations

A synopsis of the interesting sightings of birds at Rye Meads. Here is the latest post:

Funny Ducks and Phantom Bitterns – a review of the birds of March-April 2026
A record number of one species and our fourth record of another were the highlights – aside from those funny ducks and the Bitterns that nobody saw…

Ringing and Results

Find out about the birds ringed at Rye Meads and what we have learnt about their movements as a result. Here is the latest post:

A review of ringing in 2025
We ringed 3,557 new birds of 59 species in 2025, our best year since 2019. Four of the top five species ringed were warblers. See our recovery highlights and a full ringing table.

Support us

We are a self-funding group and rings, nets and equipment are expensive! We need your support. Become a Friend and we will send you regular news and information updates, and you can join us on ringing sessions. Or if you prefer, just donate what you can to our cause.

Click here for more details, or you can subscribe or donate now.

The Rye Meads Partnership

is a group of interested parties which co-operates in the management of habitat and the means of studying the birds of all of the Rye Meads area. The partners are:

Rye Meads Ringing Group
RSPB
Thames Water
HMWT
Environment Agency
Natural England
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority

The Birds of Rye Meads

is a fascinating book with information from 40 years of bird study.

Now only £5 plus p&p.
Buy now!