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Waterford Birds www.waterfordbirds.com |
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Brownstown Head ringing totals |
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Brownstown Head ringing totals
Annual bird-ringing, mainly in autumn, has been underway at Brownstown Head (grid reference
X6298), at the south-east corner of Tramore Bay, since October 1988. Most ringing involves mist-netting at garden sites,
sometimes with additional nets along hedgerows or in other areas of scrub. Tape-luring for Storm Petrels has also been
done from the tip of the headland in some years. Small numbers of pulli (chicks) are also ringed.
Totals of new birds ringed are summarized below - in total, just over 6000 birds of 69
species to the end of 2012. Coverage and numbers of migrants have varied from year to year, reflected in
totals ringed (maximum 622 birds in 2004). Redpolls and Goldcrests are by far the most common species ringed, partly
reflecting the main period of coverage in September-October. Rarer species ringed include Woodchat Shrike in 2011, Red-breasted
Flycatcher in 2005, Wood Warbler in 2004, Northern Parula and Pallas's Warbler in 2003, Wryneck in 1992 and Barred
Warbler in 1989, along with small numbers of Tree Pipits, Reed Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, Yellow-browed Warblers and Firecrests.
Despite the large numbers of passerines ringed at Brownstown, recovery rates for such species
are typically very low, and there have only been only a few distant or local ringing recoveries of Brownstown-ringed
birds. A Goldcrest ringed at Brownstown in Oct 2003 was recaptured in Merseyside, NW England the following October,
and a Redpoll from Brownstown has also been recaptureded in England. Other recoveries include a Blue Tit recaptured in Waterford city, 13 km distant, and a Bullfinch found dead at Kilmacomb, near Belle Lake,
7 km away. Recaptures at Brownstown itself are much more frequent, and indicate that some migrants may stay off-passage
for a week or more. A Sedge Warbler ringed in Belgium was found dead (killed by a cat) at Brownstown. Unlike
passerines, Storm Petrels have provided frequent recoveries, reflecting targeted ringing efforts at headlands elsewhere in
Ireland and Britain. There have been 10 Stormies ringed at Brownstown and controlled at sites in Cornwall (England),
Dyfed (Wales), Orkney (Scotland), Cork, Mayo and Sligo; and 13 birds ringed originally at sites in Cornwall, Humberside (England),
Dyfed, the Isle of Man, Strathclyde (Scotland), Cork, and Helvick Head (Waterford) controlled at Brownstown. A Sparrowhawk
mist-netted at Brownstown in October 1992 had been ringed as a chick near Mooncoin (Co Kilkenny) in June 1992.
Thanks are due to the various landowners on the headland who have provided access for ringing
and birding, and to the ringers and helpers involved over the years.
Last updated: 26 May 2013
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