CEMPA N03460

Our controlled Stormie from Kenny's week (22nd July). News just back from Rob Thomas (see: http://stormies-online.blogspot.com/). Bird caught on the night 0f 8-9th June 2007 at Ponta da Almadena, Algarve, Portugal at 02.35hrs. Aged as a 6 with a wing of 25.5mm and weight of 27.1g. The only thing we can add is that its weight had dropped to 26.1g and its right leg was missing. I'll check to see whether this was inbetween captures or whether it was lost when it was first ringed.

Some choice photos

From the collection of Alan Hitchmough (Copyright - ha!)

No1: remember these? They appear to be getting more and more fearless every -year.













No2: there didn't appear to be many of these around this year and, no matter how hard we looked, there wasn't one 'safe' enough to be ringed.

No3: working at night makes photography difficult. Here with his eBay special Alan shows what money can buy.

No4: No not 'The Old Man of Hoy', but the grumpy old sod from Nan Ron!!

No5: Bob trying to sort out just how many rings we had actually used at a time when it wasn't dark, or raining.

Wings and weights

I've just done a quick warm and ready analysis of the biometrics data taken with Kenny's group.
The graph shows weight (grams) against wing length (mm) demonstrating a small, but significant direct correlation between the two.
The stats calculate as:
weight 25.1 +/-1.6
wing 119 +/-2.7mm
I would suggest that there is no sexually dependent significance in either.

EU Birds Directive

Today, the renowned journal Science publishes a BirdLife International analysis showing that the European Union’s Birds Directive has made a significant difference in protecting many of the continent’s most threatened birds from further decline. (You don't want to read the report its all odds, ratios and models!)

The groundbreaking paper (RSPB of course!) shows that the Birds Directive has clearly helped those species considered to be most at risk, partly through the designation of Special Protection Areas (SPAs). The Birds Directive was adopted in 1979 and is now binding law for all EU countries, it requires special conservation measures for a number of listed species.

One species on the annex 1 list is our own Storm-petrel. Unfortunately how it is performing under the Directive is officially classed as 'unknown'. Given our visits to ENR maybe we should consider setting up some kind of annual CES sort of thing in order to collect a 'year-on-year' dataset to see how the bird are fairing. Just a thought.

As promised (I think)

Visitors to Nan Ron come in all shapes and sizes, some with no kit and others requiring a full porterage service. Tents can be large, small, round or traditional; boots or wellies by personal choice. Waterproofs come in big and heavy, existent (or not) depending on prevailing weather. This year was a touch on the wet side, especially underfoot. During one passing shower one of our number prepared for a bit of the damp stuff...

Third Team - Kenny's stats

Sunday 22nd until Thur 24th July. Generally dry(ish) but extremely wet underfoot. The passing storms, fortunately, did not infringe on any ringing activities. During our stay we managed: two Snipe (both mist-netted at camp site), three Great Skua including one darviced (photo shows nest and cold egg), twelve Shag - even though we had been informed they had all been ringed (ha), two Swallow, and five Mipits including two pulli.
We ringed 640 Stormies (including one Norwegian and one Lisbon control) and retrapped 187 (total 827) and took wings and weights, and some poo and vomit samples, from over 200.
Team consisted of: Kenny 'The Don' McNiffe; Tony 'leave me alone I'm ill' Ormond; John - a Nan Ron virgin Blundell, Brian 'let's stop and have a little snack' (and I really must post a picture of Brian in his wet weather gear); Sherpa's /workhorses 'Kenny please let me carry all your gear' Bob and Alan, and finally veterans Colin and Ann (who couldn't take any more and left a day early).

Picture shows Kenny's last and John's first Shag!

Some where in this picture is a juvenile Dunlin and someone who shall be nameless playing at being a 'bovine' in order to try and capture said Dunlin. It was never caught - the rest of us were so creased laughing it was doomed to failure!

Just to prove it didn't rain all the time.

Space saved for second team details.