Saturday 30 September 2017

Norwegian Ringed Plover and First Firecrest of Autumn

It has been a while since my last blog post as I have been in California, but I hope to add some highlight photos from that trip soon.

Closer to home and it was great to see my first Firecrest of the autumn this afternoon. It was in the regular place on the clifftop path below the golf course.

Yesterday I visited Davidstow Airfield in Cornwall where amongst a group of Ringed Plover I found one with a red ring and a yellow flag with black letters VSV. After a little research it turns out it was ringed at Makkevika in Norway (62*30'N-06*02'E) at the Giske Ornithological Station! It was caught in a mist net at the wader ringing station on 6th September and 23 days later it is on Davidstow Airfield! Of course the other highlight at Davidstow was a lovely group of 3 Buff-breasted Sandpipers - Such great waders. 

I saw my very first Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Davidstow Airfield 25 years ago when at Plymouth Uni. I travelled by train to Bodmin Parkway and then hitched to Davidstow! Happy days.....


Colour ringed and colour flagged Ringed Plover from Norway!

Distance travelled 1,464KM

Two of the three Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Davidstow Airfield

Wing stretching Buff-breasted Sandpiper




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