Results from a September Trip

A quick visit by members of the Birmingham contingent occurred over mid-September. From two nights, 14th and 15th, twenty-two recaptures of birds we originally ringed were made. Interestingly none were from 2015 (so where had all these birds gone?). Sixteen birds were from 2014, three from 2013, one from 2012, and one 2641463 originally ringed in 2009.

There was one late retrap from earlier in the year.
2673176 Ringed ENR 17.07.15 recaptured ENR 13.08.15

This from Malta

Researchers from the EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project today confirmed that Storm Petrels (Kangu ta’ Filfla), small seabirds nesting on the island of Filfla, have been successfully tracked for the first time in Europe using radio-tracking technology.

Previous attempts to radio-track Storm Petrels in Europe had failed as this research method is extremely difficult due to the small size of these seabirds and the vast areas they can cover.
Last July, BirdLife Malta researchers equipped 34 Storm Petrel adults on Filfla with radio-tags which are very light and small tracking devices that emit radio-signals. Researchers carried out 30 flights with a Cessna aircraft equipped with special antennas covering more than 8,000 nautical miles over the sea. In addition to the aerial surveys, researchers used antennas on a boat and on land to monitor signals from the tagged birds.
During July and August over 200 signals from 24 tagged birds were received and logged onto a special software pin-pointing the birds’ locations with GPS accuracy. Some signals were picked up as far out as the Italian island of Linosa.

http://gozonews.com/24910/a-first-in-europe-malta-leads-storm-petrels-research/

Some stragglers

All of these birds, bar the last one, were caught and ringed new by Stefan on 17th July 2015 and then recaptured by us during our stay.
2653188, 2653190, 2653489, 2673141, 2673142, 2673150, 2673154, 2673163, 2673176

2664348 was caught by Treshnish Isle Auk RG at Lunga on 13 July and recaptured by us on 11 Aug. 262km  29d 39days

ENR in a bubble

Faraid Head, Sule Skerry, Twinyess

The following birds were all ringed at Faraid Head on the 1st July 2015 by Tony Crease and then recaught by us on Nan Ron between 10-13th August 2015
2644989, 2644997, 2594014,  2594021, 2594023, 2594030
 27km 103d at between 40-42 days


Three birds were swapped with Sule Skerry
2674091 (14.07.2015) and 2720112 (18.07.2015) were recaught on ENR on the 12th and 10th August respectively
60km 177d 29 and 23days
2696756 was ringed on ENR on 28.07.2014 and caught on Sule Skerry on 18.07.2015
60km 357d 355days

Two birds ringed on Twinyess, North Ron were recaught on ENR.
2708245 25.07.2015 ENR 11.08.2015 17days
2708299 10.08.2015 ENR 13.08.2015 3 days
140km 231d (SW)

Good news from elsewhere

Thanks to two seabird conservation projects, the rare storm petrel has this year made a comeback in the West Country, breeding at new locations on the Isles of Scilly and for a second year on Lundy.
see:
http://www.piratefm.co.uk/news/latest-news/1733147/rare-seabird-makes-comeback-in-west-country/

ENR birds elsewhere

2696768
28.07.2014 ENR
02.08.2015 Sumburgh, Shetland
370d 226km 51deg

2696919
29.07.2014 ENR
10.07.2015 Fair Isle, Shetland
346d 190km 55deg