Chough update

On a previous post, I explained that we had caught two ringed Chough on the beach at Solvach. Today, we had the exciting news of their life histories from BTO ringer, Adrienne Stratford, who coordinates the colour ringing of Chough in north Wales.

She said: “The birds you caught are a seasoned breeding pair from the nearest bit of the mainland. He was ringed as a chick in 1996 at a nest on the north Lleyn coast, near Tudweiliog. Apart from a brief visit into the mountains in his first autumn - sightings at Llanberis + Aber Valley, he's been an Aberdaron resident ever since, first breeding at the current site in 1999. His last recorded holiday on Bardsey was in 2003, but they probably make occasional winter visits most years. She was ringed as a chick in 1997 at a nest near Aberdaron. She was also recorded in the Aber Valley area in her first winter, but since then has been an Aberdaron resident, first breeding at the current site in 2001 with the current male - after a couple of previous transient relationships.”

According to the BTO, the oldest ringed Chough in Britain & Ireland, at 16 yrs, 8 months & 26 days was from Bardsey. Hopefully, this successful pair of birds might surpass this record.

Jim