Ringing and results

A review of ringing in 2024

In 2024, the group’s 65th continuous year of ringing, we ringed a total of 3,065 new birds, an increase of 353 birds on the previous year, which was hampered by Avian Flu ringing restrictions. This is the group’s best year since 2019, and is 75% of our long-term average of 4,075, which covers 1960 to 2024.

The total of 57 species ringed is a slight drop on the previous year, and the top three species ringed were Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap. These are all tabulated below.

With contributions from Roger Emmens, Alan Harris and Jan Swan

Our operations continued to be hampered by a further contraction in the number of active ringers this year, and by continued inability to access the North Rough and Tealeaves, a productive netting area, due to long term construction works by Thames Water, so in the circumstances the ringing total can be considered a good achievement. Unlike 2023, all 12 of both the north and south CES sites were carried out.

There were mixed results for Swans, Geese and wildfowl; we missed out on Canada Goose but both Shoveler and Pochard made it back onto the ringing list after missing out in 2023. Eleven Tufted Ducks is a good total, given recent years.

Five Sparrowhawks is our best total since 2012 and three Lapwing chicks ringed were our first since 2019. We had a very close second-best year for Jack Snipe, with only six birds away from last year’s high total, and Snipe made it back onto the ringing list after two blank years.

Black-headed Gull also had its best year since 2019, however as reported in the breeding survey results in the August bulletin, there were no Common Terns to ring following a blank breeding year.

The breeding boom reported for Stock Dove, however, was confirmed this year with 16 chicks ringed. Collared Doves had a second blank year, however three Cuckoos ringed matched the two years prior.

We missed out on Owls this year and the lack of breeding Kingfishers on site was further evidenced by a joint lowest ringing total with 1963, of just five birds. Blue Tit had a similar total to last year, Great Tit had a much better year, and Bearded Tit was a welcome highlight again.

Despite valiant efforts only a small number of Sand Martins and Swallows were ringed. Cetti’s Warbler totals were up slightly on the previous year, but Long-tailed Tit had its best year since 2017.

Both Chiffchaff and Blackcap were up on last year, whilst Willow Warbler remained on par with 2023. The other warblers saw mixed fates, whilst we ringed our 14th Nuthatch; a return to the ringing list after seven blank years.

Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing all had totals not far off the previous year’s whilst Robin had a much better year. Six Stonechats ringed is joint top with 2001, thanks to the hard work of Gordon Duns who persistently made the effort to put out spring traps for those seen.

Despite breeding at the cottages nearby, unfortunately House Sparrow didn’t make it onto the ringing list again, and Chaffinch was missing for the second year in a row after being on our ringing list each year since 1961! The other finches and remaining species had unremarkable totals.

Recoveries and controls

Recoveries, controls and indeed retraps on site are where the results from our ringing yield valuable data. Notable movements that came to light in 2024 include a Black-headed Gull ringed four years previously in Poland as an age code 8, meaning at least three years old, whose ring was read in the field at Rye Meads.

There were also two interesting movements of Sedge Warblers. One was ringed as a juvenile in August and trapped in Loire-Atlantique, France, just 8 days later. The other was caught in Spain 54 days after being ringed as a nestling, our sixth Sedge Warbler to or from Spain.

Full list of birds ringed