Ringing

Ringing Barn Owl chick The Group has since its formation undertaken the safe capture and ringing of both full-grown birds and nestlings. We take biometrics on all birds ringed, as well as on retraps and controls (birds ringed elsewhere and captured at Rye Meads). This information can be made available to anyone engaged in genuine scientific research.

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 by the British Ornithologists Union.

To keep in touch with ringing totals throughout the year, you can become a Friend of RMRG and receive our two-monthly Bulletin. This includes details of observations, recoveries and controls and all ringing totals to date. See our page Help to support us for details of how to subscribe.

Species1960-201420152016Grand TotalComments
Mute Swan28229293
Canada Goose18431188
Egyptian Goose1313
Shelduck4141
Gadwall5622115598
Teal462513480
Mallard2,05024242,098
Pintail11
Garganey11
Shoveler4242
Pochard352643Equals our best year
Tufted Duck923834965
Ruddy Duck88
Red-legged Partridge22
Grey Partridge33
Manx Shearwater11
Gannet11
Cormorant44
Shag11
Bittern112Our second Bittern was a rehab bird
Little Egret11
Grey Heron1717
Little Grebe14034147
Great Crested Grebe13114
Sparrowhawk883394
Water Rail142142
Moorhen2,0261542,045
Coot1,1844631,251
Ringed Plover1616
Little Ringed Plover211211
Lapwing10431073 pulli from the Scrape gave best total for 9 years
Bar-tailed Godwit11
Ruff11
Dunlin1515
Little Stint11
Common Sandpiper2691270
Green Sandpiper831185
Solitary Sandpiper11
Greenshank33
Wood Sandpiper22
Redshank2424
Jack Snipe755686
Woodcock55
Snipe262414280
Common Tern2,54210362,588Best for 9 years - better timing of tern raft deployment!
Black-headed Gull851147391,037Low total as unable to approach unfenced rafts to ring chicks
Common Gull11
Stock Dove10937119
Woodpigeon32112324
Collared Dove67269
Turtle Dove7878
Cuckoo95196First pullus ringed since 2009
Barn Owl77
Little Owl1010
Tawny Owl17219
Long-eared Owl44
Short-eared Owl11
Swift6,9016,901
Kingfisher1,30720191,346
Wryneck55
Green Woodpecker893395
Great Spotted Woodpecker15626164
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker27128
Kestrel10625113
Hobby11
Great Grey Shrike22
Magpie4032714444
Jay13132136
Jackdaw11
Carrion Crow1872189
Goldcrest7673646849
Firecrest9211First since 2008 and equals best annual total
Blue Tit10,25229416610,712Drops in Blue and Great Tit due to poor breeding season
Great Tit8,1663302578,753
Coal Tit201122
Willow Tit430430
Marsh Tit66
Bearded Tit160160
Skylark268268
Sand Martin7,16971587,298Fewer hirundines at autumn roosts this year
Swallow5,5654883866,439
House Martin7,751107,761
Cetti's Warbler2317146348
Long-tailed Tit3,433142883,663
Wood Warbler22
Chiffchaff7,4853513838,219
Willow Warbler8,59640358,671
Blackcap10,44554041011,395
Garden Warbler3,25071553,376
Barred Warbler22
Lesser Whitethroat2,71528332,776
Whitethroat4,6791221104,911
Grasshopper Warbler1014105
Savi's Warbler11
Sedge Warbler22,70446234023,506
Reed Warbler15,27960762616,512
Nuthatch11112
Treecreeper38496399
Wren6,2081401506,498
Starling3,19515253,235
Dipper11
Ring Ouzel11
Blackbird7,550801067,736
Fieldfare5648572
Song Thrush4,55336214,610
Redwing9915291,025
Mistle Thrush2020
Spotted Flycatcher106106
Robin3,515105893,709
Nightingale1313
Bluethroat11
Pied Flycatcher77
Black Redstart314
Redstart13114Our 14th Redstart and the first since 2010
Whinchat5757
Stonechat63467
Wheatear40141Greenland subspecies
Dunnock7,2141371307,481
House Sparrow3,8733,873
Tree Sparrow4,9584,958
Yellow Wagtail1,5411,541
Grey Wagtail346911366
Pied Wagtail4,076214,079
Tree Pipit22
Meadow Pipit1,342261,368
Rock Pipit22
Water Pipit3939
Brambling162162
Chaffinch3,48722183,527
Hawfinch22
Bullfinch3,16728193,214
Greenfinch11,162122111,195
Linnet5,6245,624
Lesser Redpoll790224816
Goldfinch2,76045462,851
Siskin8383
Corn Bunting231231
Yellowhammer1,62921,631
Reed Bunting9,04584399,168
Little Bunting11
Total ringed231,0374,7454,138239,920
Number of species1396469140