Colour-ringing

Information has now been received about two of the colour-ringed birds that we reported recently.

The Black-tailed Godwit seen in Tavira on Boxing Day 2008 was a male ringed as an adult in SW Iceland in April 2002. It was seen in the Netherlands and France in 2003 and there were more sightings in France in 2003, 2004 and 2005. However, it has clearly taken a liking to Tavira as this is its third consecutive winter on the saltpans on the edge of town.

The Eurasian Spoonbill that we reported from SW Spain in January was ringed as a nestling in the Netherlands in July 1994. There have been numerous sightings since then, mainly in France but it was seen in the Huelva area as long ago as 1996 and has been reported as a winter visitor there in 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06.