The Cotswold Water Park

 The arrival of spring sees the return of many of our breeding species, including the Little Ringed Plover. This species has been studied by the CWP Ringing Group for the past few years through a colour ringing study. One of the birds, colour ringed as a nestling in July 2004 in one of the active quarries, was re-sighted this week, displaying and nest scraping with 3 other Little Ringed Plover. This is the first time this bird has been seen since 2004, so its great to welcome it back to breed in the CWP, actually very close to where it hatched!
 
Please keep an eye open for colour ringed birds whilst you are birding in the area. Of particular interest are:
 
Black Headed Gulls;   Since 2004, nestling Black Headed Gulls have been colour ringed in the Cotswold Water Park. Our birds, ringed by members of the Cotswold Water Park Ringing Group (CWRG) Our birds wear white rings with a black inscription, of four digits (Number, letter, number, number).  

Several hundred birds have been colour ringed to date, with extensive life histories for many birds. Our birds have been re-sighted across the UK and Europe, including northern France, southern Ireland, south Wales, Merseyside and the south east.

For further information, please contact the John Wells of the Cotswold Water Park Ringing Group, via the cwp_birdsightings-at-hotmail.co.uk email address.
 

Other gulls; Most other species of gulls found in the CWP may be colour ringed. In the past, re-sightings have been made of:

·                 A Common Gull from Sweden

·                 Black Headed Gulls from the Solent as well as France and Germany.

·                 Mediterranean Gulls from Belgium, France and Holland.

·                 Lesser Black Backed Gulls from various projects around the UK

Grey Heron; Richard Hearn has been studying the Grey Herons of the CWP and Severn Vale for several years, with many birds now wing tagged. If you see any wing tagged birds, please let know, recording the presence of tags on each wing, tag colour and the 2 digit inscription. Please also note the presence of any colour rings too. Sightings can be emailed to cwp_birdsightings-at-hotmail.co.uk
 
Little Egret; A number of Little Egrets may also be observed wearing colour rings; please note the colour, position and inscription of rings on any birds in the CWP, and email to cwp_birdsightings-at-hotmail.co.uk.
 
Little Ringed Plover; The CWP Ringing Group have also been colour marking LRPs in the CWP for several years and small numbers of colour ringed birds may be observed by keen-eyed birders! Please record the position of all colours and the metal ring and their colour. Sightings may be sent to us at cwp_birdsightings-at-hotmail.co.uk.
 

Re-sightings;   If you see any colour ringed birds in the CWP, please inform us, recording:

·                 Date and time,

·                 Exact location using lake numbers if possible,

·                 Species and if possible age and sex

·                 The type of colour mark (rings, wing tags etc),

·                 exact colours of rings and their exact location on the legs (left or right, tibia or tarsus) inlcuding any metal ring.

·                 the inscription if there is one; letters, numbers, horizontal or vertical lines.

·                 The activity of the bird (feeding, loafing etc)

·                 Total flock size if appropriate, e.g. for gulls and waders.

Please also let us know of the presence of other birds of the same species nearby, your name and contact details (so we can send you further information on your sightings).  Photographs are welcome provided birds are not disturbed or effected by the activity. 

 For further information please contact us at cwp_birdsightings-at-hotmail.co.uk. 

With thanks. Gareth Harris.

Alternatively, please look at the European Colour Ring Birding website at http://www.cr-birding.be/ for further information on colour ring studies in Europe. Form this site, you may also be able to contact the project who originally ringed your re-sighted birds. If you contact the projects direct, please send copies of the life histories to us so we can include them in the Cotswold Water Park Ringing Group (CWRG) Database.