Abington Naturewatch: Bird ringing trip for Esme

Sunday, 24 April 2022

Bird ringing trip for Esme

March 2022 - Esme L and her mum Karen got the chance to accompany two licensed bird-ringers from the BTO, early one morning in a Hertfordshire woodland. It was an amazing experience, watching how the birds are harmlessly caught in a fine mist net, then carefully weighed and measured before having a small metal ring, carrying a unique number, attached around their leg, before finally being released. Ringing birds in the way, over many years, has helped the BTO track how birds move around their environment, and monitor their populations.

Esme was able to see several bird species up close, and to handle some of them. A truly inspiring trip, which one day may lead to Esme training to become a bird-ringer herself.

Two BTO-licensed bird ringers carefully retrieving

birds caught in a very fine mist net

Birds are identified, measured and weighed,

before a small ring is attached to their leg

Great Tit - note the small numbered aluminium

ring on the bird's right leg

Nuthatch

Esme carefully holding a Blue Tit ...

... before releasing it

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The Aims of Abington Naturewatch

At their meeting on 9 April 2005 the members approved this revised version of the aims of Abington Naturewatch:

To monitor and record the wildlife (fauna & flora) within the borders of the Abingtons;
To encourage protection of our wildlife, maintain its quality and foster its diversity;
To promote awareness of the richness, potential and problems of the natural environment of the Abingtons;
To cooperate in improving access to the local natural environment for the benefit of all Abington villagers.

Pat Daunt, Founder

The organisation is informal and communication is by email if possible; members are notified of events from time to time. Contact details are maintained by a small "project team". There is currently no membership fee as costs are covered by voluntary contributions at events.

Members are encouraged to report notable sightings of flora and fauna within the Abingtons to the appropriate sector coordinator and an illustrated record is published annually.

A map of the area covered, with some features noted, is available here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=213774935674882866424.00000111dca2be9f06ab8&z=13>

For more information or to join, please contact David Farrant on (01223) 892871.

Contributions to our records should be sent to sector contacts or either of the above. Photographs may also be submitted to Andy Merryweather (amerryweather61@gmail.com)