A wagtail diversion

Although not all Abbotsbury Swannery there has been a recent interest in the wagtail project.  Diane, a local wagtail enthusiast,  forwarded some recent photographs of birds seen in Weymouth an then a recent email from Jack Winspear regarding a wagtail sighted at Sutton Poyntz kick started the wagtail project. 

This was followed  by a welcome telephone call from Matt at the Weymouth Port to say that the wagtail roost had returned to the harbour. The roost had moved earlier this winter and could not be found. The returning roost at the harbour presented a challenge to set a net but on the past two evenings nearly 40 birds have been caught including two retraps from previous years.

Recent birds have been colour ringed with full colour rings as below

Previous colour rings involved bicoloured rings which were not easy to see in the field. As shown below on the retrapped bird this evening.

Details of recent colour marked birds are;

L055800 ringed Weymouth Harbour 6th Feb 2010 and sighted at Sutton Poyntz 15th Feb 2012
L055761 ringed Weymouth Harbour 1st Feb 2010 and retrapped there 19th Feb 2012
L041798 ringed Weymouth Harbour 28th Dec 2009 and sighted in Weymouth Town 15th Feb 2012
X889811 ringed Abbotsbury Swannery 23rd Sept 2009 and sighted in Weymouth Town 15th Feb 2012
X889921 ringed Abbotsbury Swannery 12th Oct 2009 and retrapped at Weymouth Harbour 17th Feb 2012
X108053 ringed Abbotsbury Swannery 5th Aug 2011 and sighted in Weymouth Town 15th Feb 2012

Do keep  a lookout when out and about please.