March 2019 - Chaffinch flies 890km from Norway to Berkshire

The wet and windy first half to the month meant fewer ringing sessions were held and only 67 new birds were ringed but with a similar number of retraps.

Blackcap and Chiffchaff featured well and two Linnet were good at Wraysbury.

Top species was again Blue Tit on 13. DemOn gave rapid results for three controls:

• a Water Pipit colour-ringed in January 2018 on Stanwellmoor was seen on Staines Moor in March this year.
• a Chiffchaff ringed in Northumberland in 2016 was recorded at Wraysbury, 431km away, in March this year
• last month's Chaffinch at Woolley Firs was ringed in Norway, 890km away, last October

February 2019 - one of our Pied Wagtails turns up at Heathrow Airport

Only 85 new birds of 17 species this month, of which 26 Blue Tits and 22 Great Tits were the majority.

However, there were several reports of ringed Mute Swans and details of a Cetti’s Warbler, whilst Woolley Firs produced an interesting control - a Chaffinch ringed in Norway; spending its winter in Berkshire.

A public ringing demonstration at Woolley Firs for BBOWT was well received and the trust's buildings provided protection from the strong 30-40mph gusts that crossed the sites.

The ring of a Pied Wagtail was read at Heathrow Airport in March - we had ringed it in July 2015 at Stanwellmoor Gravel Pits.