Press Releases - July/Aug 2006 - Item 7

No. 2006/08/35
August 2006

Sandwich ringers net an Eastern European gem

The routine catching of migrant warblers at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory produced a surprise on the morning of 15 August, when amongst the large numbers of Sedge Warblers was an Aquatic Warbler in one of the nets. As if this wasn’t surprising enough, they then noticed it was ringed and also colour-ringed. Closer inspection revealed the ring address was not anything expected, but from the Minsk Museum in Belarus.

The BTO Ringing Unit in cooperation with the Belarus Ringing Centre were then quickly able to trace this bird (ring number KA27192). It was originally ringed in the nest with four siblings on 17 June at the Sporovski RAMSAR site in southern Belarus, some 1,650km from Kent.

This is only the third time a foreign-ringed Aquatic Warbler has been found in the UK, following a very bizarre pair of records in August 1990. On the same day, two birds with consecutive ring numbers were caught in Avon and Cornwall, both of which had been ringed as nestlings in Poland earlier that year.

Due to its very restricted range, Aquatic Warblers are classed as Vulnerable in Europe, and Belarus really is the centre of the population, holding as many as 12,000 pairs. With Europe holding more than 95% of the world population, Belarus really is an important country for this species. Proving the link between such breeding areas and passage sites in the UK is vital to truly understand the migration of this enigmatic species. The bigger mystery is where these birds spend the winter, so hopefully if we can ring enough we might find out.

Notes for Editors

1) BTO volunteers ring over 800,000 birds every year. Part of the BTO Ringing Scheme is funded by a partnership of the BTO and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales, and also on behalf of the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland). The scheme also receives support from Duchas the Heritage Service – National Parks and Wildlife (Ireland). The volunteer ringers give freely of their time and expertise and also provide a substantial part of the Scheme’s funding.

2) Ringing, as a practical science, can only be learnt working in the ‘field’ with a qualified Trainer, of which there are over 300 in the country. The BTO runs the Ringing Scheme and issues ringing permits under license from the Government agencies. After undergoing a period of training, usually of two years or more, a successful trainee is awarded a C permit, allowing him or her to ring alone, but still on behalf of a trainer. See: www.bto.org/ringing/ringinfo/become-a-ringer.htm

3) Reports of ringed or colour-ringed birds can be reported via the web at www.ring.ac

4) For photographs to support this story contact

5) The BTO has an ISDN line for interviews.

For further information contact:

Mark Grantham on 01842 750050 or E-mail:

or

Peter Findley, Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory on 01304 379074

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