A Chicken Sandwich?

Last night saw the first successful Sandwich Tern catch of the year with 4 new birds colour-ringed - 2 adults and 2 juveniles. The second bird of the night was a great sponsorship opportunity missed, especially given the trade myself, Jacques and David Tompkins have given the Oswestry branch on our way to and from Nightjarring this summer!!

Also caught were 20 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling and 2 Ringed Plover. Bigger things to come on the next few sets of high tides hopefully but a great start to the autumn. On the previous set of tides  Jane and I had an unsuccessful attempt to catch Sandwich Terns but did manage a modest catch of 10 Dunlin, greatly improved by the fact that the first one out of the net was wearing a San Sebastian ring!! Had me going for a while as I thought that might have been in South America!!

Reports have been trickling in recently of colour-ringed Sandwich Terns caught at Ynyslas in previous seasons including KDB back from Namibia (seen and photographed at Dawlish Warren along with 3 other Ynyslas-ringed birds KAL, KAH and a BTO only by Lee Collins), KBB at Rhos Point, Caernarfon (seen and photographed by Rob Sandham) and KBC at Ainsdale on the Mersey (seen and photographed by Peter Kinsella). Many thanks to all for taking the time to report their sightings. All good evidence, if any should be needed, of the benefits of colour-rings over ordinary metal ones.