News

Bird Ringing in Nelson Wern

(21.02.2008)

A study has started in Nelson on the local birdlife of Nelson Wern. Very fine nets, called ‘mist nets’ are put up in the flight paths of birds. When they hit the net they are caught in the fine filaments and rest there as if in a hammock, until a licensed ringer takes it out.

The birds below are Willow Tits and quite a scarce species in the County.

A license from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), takes more than a year to get. The BTO will not give a license until the trainee has handled 1500 birds covering 50 species. The picture above shows a bird being carefully removed from the net.

And below; sometimes it is safer to put the ring on the bird when it is covered as with this Sparrowhawk. It has very sharp talons which will easily go through a finger.

Totally relaxed Treecreeper posing for pictures just before release.

All sorts of information can be gained from a bird in the hand, how healthy the individual and population is; dimensions are taken such as wing length and weight, and how much fat and muscle the bird has. The bird will have a ring put on it’s leg and then it is released. If the bird is caught anywhere in the world again, this individual ring will tell where it came from, how old it is and give an idea as to how far they fly and in which direction.

This stunning Great Spotted Woodpecker decided to drum on Dave’s finger creating thirteen little holes, as payment for the indignity of being caught.