I have posted a link to Grampian Ringing Group's blog in the Links to the right. I have been a member of GRG since late 2006 and have been, and am continued to be trained by them ( I now have a C Permit). So, I owe them a decent plug especially now there is a blog site !
There is some interesting recent stuff on there including a colour ringed Waxwing returning to the garden where it was ringed a year later ! Mind, this is after it reurning 'home' to Russia between times. Pretty incredible stuff and really shows the value of colour ringing birds.
Tits Up ?
Looking at the group ringing totals for species ringed I noticed Blue Tit at 376. Mmmmm.....I ringed 32 new blue tits last year, and 16 retraps=48 so about 1/10 of the total. This is down to my main general 'garden' ringing site being 'infested' by tits. The Great Tits and Coalies are great as they can be a bit more challenging to age, and in fact this site has really helped me hone my ageing skills on these species, which can be slightly more tricky eg. when you get coalies with greenish tinges to all wing feathers and female Great Tits that have replaced all greater coverts and have little or no contrast in pc's ( so you have to use alula and overall shape of pc's). Sorry getting all ringing technical here. Basically, Blue Tits are easy to age. However, just because Blue Tits are 'common 'doesn't mean they are not worth ringing, far from it I suspect.
I will try to put some images on the Deeside Ringer Blog ala Menzie's fantastic ringing blog eg. wing feathers, contrast etc. This may help trainee's ( I know it does 'cause it helped me) and may interest birders as some of the features will be visible 'in situ' through bins. Last year I had some retarded moult Siskins and a Great Spotted Woodpecker and in October caught a Scottish Crossbill that had suspended its moult and these may be of interest.
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