For photographers large congregations of birds at close range are a blessing so it was with this expectation that I took Michael Wong to Erith Pier, on the River Thames, in early August. Although for many people a bunch of gulls might not seem that exciting, the bright early morning light, variety of species and [...]
Archive for the ‘Bird Ringing’ Category
![Great Cormorant](http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cormorant-300x222.jpg)
Colour Ringed Great Cormorant | British Birding
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I always encourage birders to report colour ringed birds to those who run the ringing programs involved. It is only by receiving reports that ringers can build up a bank of knowledge which can then potentially be used for bird conservation strategy formation. That is not to say that every report of a ringed bird [...]
![Herring Gull](http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/herring-gull23-300x211.jpg)
Herring Gull from Russia | British Birding
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When birding is slow, or I feel like I want to see lots of birds at close range, a trip to a local gull hotspot is always interesting. Sites such as beaches, tips and even ploughed fields often host hundreds or even thousands of gulls and the possiblity of finding a rare species. Even if [...]
![lesser-black-backed-gull-ring](http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/lesser-black-backed-gull-ring-300x225.jpg)
Ringed Gulls at Beddington Farmlands | British Birding
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Although birding is a relaxing hobby that takes birders to lots of interesting and often beautiful places I also find it rewarding to be able to contribute towards a greater understanding of birds which can provide information useful in their conservation. One of the easiest ways I have found of doing this is by reporting [...]
![Herring Gull](http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/herring-gull-ringed-300x224.jpg)
Herring Gull, First Winter, with Colour Leg-Ring | British Birding
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On 16th October 2020 I enjoyed a nice birding day at Minsmere and Southwold with David Scott. Although the day had not turned up any rarities we saw a wide variety of nice birds including big groups of Redwings feeding on berries, Coal Tits on the feeders, a Mediterranean Gull on the scrape, a male [...]
![Colour-ringed Pied Avocet](http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pied-avocet-rings-300x225.jpg)
Pied Avocet with Colour Rings | British Birding
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On a quite grey and gloomy day on 3rd October 2020 I made a visit to RSPB Rainham Marsh which is just inside the boundary of London. Rather than enter the reserve immediately I walked along the River Thames where there were an intriguing group of gulls and waders which tricked me into thinking there [...]
![Herring Gull Colour Ring](http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/herring-gull17-300x224.jpg)
Colour-ringed Herring Gulls x 3 | British Birding
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A few weeks ago I came across three different Herring Gulls with colour rings on their legs within the space of just a few days, all in roughly the same area; the Swale in North Kent, UK. The first of the three birds I noticed briefly on the shoreline before it took off. I took [...]