Ringing Review of 2018

After a challenging year for birds, our ringing totals were the lowest for six years, but we did ring our 141st new species.

Ringing and Results

Ringing Review of 2018

Matt is happy to ring his first Herring Gull; the gull is less happy to be ringed by his first Matt
Matt is happy to ring his first Herring Gull; the gull is less happy to be ringed by his first Matt (Jan Swan)

The combined effects of the “Beast from the East”, adverse weather during Spring migration in the Mediterranean area, and a prolonged hot dry spell in summer affected both adult survival to breed and breeding success. Accordingly our totals were the lowest for six years, and the numbers of many small birds were much reduced.

There was, fortunately, some good news to lift the gloom. Top billing went to our first ever Herring Gull, the 141st species on our ringing list. New records were also set for Pochard (a target species – we are the leading ringers of Pochard ducklings in particular), Jack Snipe (taking us past 100 ringed in the process) and Goldfinch, beating last year’s record.

The table shows the totals of birds ringed at Rye Meads by species, covering the last two complete calendar years and the grand totals for the Group. This is presented in the sequence recommended this year by the British Ornithologists Union.

Species1960-201620172018Grand TotalComments
Canada Goose18816195
Mute Swan29356304
Egyptian Goose130013
Shelduck410041
Garganey1001
Shoveler421043
Gadwall5982918645
Mallard2,09833342,165
Pintail1001
Teal4801628524
Pochard431852A record year; our 8 ducklings were the only Pochard ducklings ringed nationally in 2018
Tufted Duck96529261020
Ruddy Duck8008
Red-legged Partridge2002
Grey Partridge3003
Manx Shearwater1001
Little Grebe147101158
Great Crested Grebe143017
Bittern2002
Grey Heron170017
Little Egret1001
Gannet1001
Shag1001
Cormorant4206
Sparrowhawk943198
Water Rail14210143
Moorhen2,04520172,082
Coot1,25133561,340
Lapwing10760113
Ringed Plover160016
Little Ringed Plover21110212
Bar-tailed Godwit1001
Ruff1001
Dunlin150015
Little Stint1001
Woodcock5005
Jack Snipe86015101
Snipe28018289
Common Sandpiper27010271
Green Sandpiper853088
Solitary Sandpiper1001
Redshank240024
Wood Sandpiper2002
Greenshank3003
Black-headed Gull1,0373352871,659
Common Gull1001
Herring Gull0011Our first is the 141st species on our list
Common Tern2,58832372,657
Stock Dove1192322164
Woodpigeon32434331
Turtle Dove780078
Collared Dove692273
Cuckoo961198
Barn Owl7007
Tawny Owl190019
Little Owl100010
Long-eared Owl4004
Short-eared Owl1001
Swift6,901006,901
Kingfisher1,34622201,388
Wryneck5005
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker280028
Great Spotted Woodpecker16432169
Green Woodpecker951197
Kestrel11342119
Hobby1001
Great Grey Shrike2002
Jay13643143
Magpie4441124479
Jackdaw1001
Carrion Crow18900189
Coal Tit222125
Marsh Tit6017Our 7th bird and the first for 7 years
Willow Tit43000430
Blue Tit10,71237626811,356Down by 29%
Great Tit8,7533312899,373Down by 13%
Bearded Tit16020162
Skylark26800268
Sand Martin7,29841177,356Due to low Autumn roost numbers
Swallow6,439114786,631Due to low Autumn roost numbers
House Martin7,76126907,877Best for 5 years
Cetti's Warbler3483515398Second lowest since recolonisation
Long-tailed Tit3,663132743,869
Wood Warbler2002
Willow Warbler8,67142188,731Lowest since 1961
Chiffchaff8,2195311428,892Second lowest of last 25 years
Sedge Warbler23,50631919024,015Lowest since 1962
Reed Warbler16,51249835117,361Lowest since 2002 when reedbed area increase
Grasshopper Warbler10560111Only second blank of past 12 years
Savi's Warbler1001
Blackcap11,39535330012,04815% down on last year
Garden Warbler3,37652223,450Lowest since 1976
Barred Warbler2002
Lesser Whitethroat2,77618232,817
Whitethroat4,911121945,126Lowest for 24 years
Firecrest112013
Goldcrest849612293264% down on last year
Wren6,498135696,702Lowest since 1976
Nuthatch120012
Treecreeper39976412
Starling3,235603,241Second blank year of past 13
Ring Ouzel1001
Blackbird7,73666757,877
Fieldfare57205577
Redwing1,02516171,058
Song Thrush4,61035254,670
Mistle Thrush200020
Spotted Flycatcher10611108Two in two years after 9 blank years
Robin3,70975803,864
Bluethroat1001
Nightingale131014
Pied Flycatcher7007
Black Redstart4004
Redstart140014
Whinchat570057
Stonechat671169
Wheatear410041
Dipper1001
House Sparrow3,873003,873
Tree Sparrow4,958004,958
Dunnock7,481149707,700Lowest since 1960
Yellow Wagtail1,541201,543
Grey Wagtail36645375
Pied Wagtail4,079004,079
Meadow Pipit1,3684071,415
Tree Pipit2103
Water Pipit390140
Rock Pipit2002
Chaffinch3,52725283,580
Brambling16201163
Hawfinch2002
Bullfinch3,2141553,234Our second lowest total of the past 57 years!
Greenfinch11,19516111,212
Linnet5,624115,626
Lesser Redpoll81641821
Goldfinch2,8512222363,309A record for the second year running
Siskin830083
Corn Bunting23100231
Yellowhammer1,631001,631
Little Bunting1001
Reed Bunting9,16846649,278
Total ringed239,9204,5703,324247,814Lowest for six years
Number of species1407465141

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