The Reculver Ringing Group
The Reculver Ringing Group was formed in 1971 by Malcolm Palmer and during the intervening years has ringed just over 67,500 birds of 147 species on behalf of the British Trust for Ornithology. As a result of members moving away or retiring from ringing only two of us now ring for the Group - Chris and Matt Hindle.
Between us we usually manage to ring between one and two thousand birds a year. From these a small percentage of birds are recovered dead or injured, or are controlled by other ringers. They read the ring number, weigh the bird and take other measurements and then release it unharmed.
We ring at various sites across the Marsh as well as one or two other sites further afield. Reculver Marshes are well placed to receive migrants and as a result, over the years, we have had some amazing recoveries and controls. A Bittern to Estonia, a Dunlin from Sweden, a Black-headed Gull from the Czech Republic, a Great Tit from Latvia, a Wren to Germany, a Reed Warbler to Mauritania, a Garden Warbler to Ghana, a Swallow from South Africa and many more.
Below are the recoveries of birds that have been received by us during the last few years.
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Immature male Sparrowhawk - Chris Hindle |
A control is a bird ringed by one ringer and subsequently trapped and released by another.
Ringing Recoveries reported in 2008
| Species | Ring no. | Date | Place |
| Woodpigeon | FP64619 | 2-5-06 23-12-06 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver shot at Hoath (5 km SSW) |
| Swallow | V515607 | 2-6-07 22-7-07 |
ringed as a pullus at Cleve Court, Manston controlled at Iken Marsh, Suffolk (91 km N) |
| Blue Tit | V862693 | 19-11-07 29-1-08 |
ringed at Shingleton Farm, Tilmanstone hit window and died Eastry (3 km NE) |
| Blackbird | 7845138 | 9-10-07 18-10-07 |
ringed on Helgoland, F.R.GERMANY controlled at Shuart, St Nicholas-at-Wade (545 km WSW) |
| Chiffchaff | AJV277 | 29-9-04 3-11-04 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Manecorro, Parque Nacional de Donana, Huelva, SPAIN (1700 km SSW) |
| Brambling | V862927 | 11-12-07 1-04-08 |
ringed at Shingleton Farm, Tilmanstone dead Malden, Gelderland, NETHERLANDS (324 km ENE) |
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Brambling © Chris Hindle |
Ringing Recoveries reported in 2007
| Species | Ring no. | Date | Place |
| Kingfisher | SC42673 | 5-6-05 18-5-05 |
ringed at Westbere Marshes controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (9 km NNE) |
| Blue Tit | V355295 | 8-10-06 23-12-06 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St Nicholas-at-Wade controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (6 km W) |
| Great Tit | TB56967 | 28-5-06 30-12-06 |
ringed as a pullus at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Chestfield (10 km W) |
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Great Tit © Chris Hindle |
| Long-tailed Tit | BXP040 | 26-12-06 05-02-07 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Pean Hill, Whitstable (13 km W) |
| Blackbird | LA21592 | 06-11-06 08-01-07 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St Nicholas-at-Wade controlled at Higham Marshes (57 km W) |
| Cetti's Warbler | V355404 | 06-11-06 14-04-07 25-05-07 28-06-07 06-09-07 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St Nicholas-at-Wade controlled as a breeding female at Brook Farm, Reculver (6 km W) controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver |
| Reed Warbler | R264753 | 07-08-03 17-07-04 01-06-07 28-06-07 |
ringed at Icklesham, Sussex controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (64 km NE) controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver |
| Reed Warbler | P374159 | 31-08-05 01-06-07 10-06-07 13-07-07 11-08-07 |
ringed at Dungeness controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (53 km NNE) controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver |
| Reed Warbler | T445169 | 01-09-06 19-06-07 |
ringed at Icklesham, Sussex controlled at Shuart Farm, St Nicholas-at-Wade (65 km ENE) |
| Sedge Warbler | T762819 | 13-08-05 04-08-07 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St Nichoas-at-Wade controlled at Abbotsbury Swanery, Dorset (282 Km WSW) |
| Blackcap | V515852 | 02-08-07 30-08-07 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St Nicholas-at-Wade controlled at South Foreland (26 km SSE) |
| Goldfinch | T815407 | 01-02-06 18-10-07 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Shuart Farm, St Nicholas-at-Wade (6 km E) |
| Greenfinch | TK09009 | 11-09-06 13-10-06 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St Nicholas-at-Wade controlled at Seasalter (23 km W) |
Ringing Recoveries reported in 2006
| Species | Ring no. | Date | Place |
| Woodpigeon | FP64617 | 17-09-05 03-04-06 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St. Nicholas-at-Wade shot at Peasmarsh, Sussex (62 km SW) |
| Sand Martin | P893867 | 07-07-02 25-07-04 13-07-05 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled Wood Lane, Colemere, Shropshire controlled Wood Lane, Colemere, Shropshire (342 km NNW) |
| Swallow | V201194 | 08-06-06 25-07-06 |
ringed at Cleve Court, Thanet controlled at Sandwich Bay Estate (11 km SSE) |
| Wren | BAC629 | 11-07-05 11-10-05 |
ringed at Old Barns, Reculver dead Herne Bay (3 Km W) |
| Great Tit | P957282 | 09-10-05 16-05-06 |
ringed at Sandwich Bay Estate controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (18 km NW) |
| Long-tailed Tit | ATH291 ATH294 ATH295 |
11-10-05 23-01-06 |
all 3 birds ringed together at Waterham all controlled, still together, at Brook Farm, Reculver (16 km ENE) |
| Dunnock | P374554 | 04-10-05 25-04-06 02-05-06 |
ringed at Dungeness Bird Observatory controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (53km NNE) controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (53km NNE) |
| Blackbird | 19Z42729 | 09-10-03 08-10-05 |
ringed at De Haan, West-Vlaanderen, BELGIUM controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (129 km W) |
| Robin | P549779 | 08-08-00 11-09-05 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver dead Bishopstone (2 km W) |
| Reed Warbler | T369012 | 30-07-05 21-08-05 |
Leighton Moss, Silverdale, Lancashire controlled Brook Farm, Reculver (411 km SE) |
| Reed Warbler | P632247 | 11-08-01 17-05-06 |
ringed at Sandwich Bay Estate controlled at Shuart Farm, St. Nicholas-at-Wade (14 km NW) |
| Reed Warbler | T763803 | 11-08-05 15-08-06 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled Nagden Marsh, Faversham (21 km W) |
| Reed Warbler | T928110 | 29-08-06 09-09-06 10-09-06 |
ringed at Cauldwell Hall Farm , Hollesley, Suffolk controlled Cauldwell Hall Farm , Hollesley, Suffolk controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (79 km SSW) |
| Whitethroat | V301167 | 27-07-06 21-08-06 |
ringed at Old Barns, Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Icklesham Sussex (63 km SSW) |
| Blackcap | T410706 | 08-07-05 16-08-05 |
ringed at Icklesham, Sussex controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (64 km NE) |
| Chiffchaff | BET614 | 09-10-05 16-10-05 |
ringed at Titchfield Haven, Fareham, Hampshire controlled Brook Farm, Reculver (181 km ENE) |
| Greenfinch | TH19661 | 03-09-05 29-03-06 |
ringed at Chestfield taken by cat at Herne Common (5 km ESE) |
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Male Blackcap - Chris Hindle |
Ringing Recoveries reported in 2005
| Species | Ring no. | Date | Place |
| Swallow | R756305 | 09-06-04 30-07-04 |
ringed at Cleve Court, Manston, Thanet controlled at Sandwich (10 km S) |
| Sand Martin | P893867 | 07-07-02 25-07-04 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Wood Lane, Colemere, Shropshire (324 km WNW) |
| Blue Tit | R756494 | 22-07-04 16-10-04 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Swalecliffe (9 km W) |
| Reed Warbler | 3844847 | 15-08-93 27-07-01 |
ringed at Wissant, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE controlled at Shuart Farm, St. Nicholas-at-Wade (59 km NNW) |
This Reed Warbler was 8 years old when we controlled it at Shuart Farm, not bad for such a small bird, although the British longevity record for this species is 13 years.
What I find amazing is that this bird has flown to or from Sub-Saharan Africa on 16 occasions - a staggering 72,000 kilometres, and that does not take into account how far it flies in its breeding and wintering areas.
| Blackcap | N932214 | 27-08-99 14-04-05 |
ringed at Sandwich Bay controlled at Shuart Farm, St. Nicholas-at-Wade (14 km NNW) |
| Blackcap | R756322 | 13-06-04 29-08-04 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St. Nicholas-at-Wade controlled at Sandwich Bay (14 km SSE) |
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Juvenile Sedge Warbler - Chris Hindle |
Ringing Recoveries reported in 2004
| Species | Ring no. | Date | Place |
| Long-tailed Tit | ABP783 | 14-09-02 11-10-02 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St. Nicholas-at-Wade controlled at Sandwich Bay (14km SE) |
| Blackbird | CL16847 | 30-07-02 16-03-04 |
ringed at Shuart Farm, St. Nicholas-at-Wade dead at Birchington (3km NE) |
| Reed Warbler | R264753 | 07-08-03 17-07-04 |
ringed at Icklesham, Sussex controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (64 km NE) |
| Reed Warbler | R756102 | 04-10-03 19-10-03 |
ringed at Brook Farm, Reculver controlled at Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex (119 km SSW) |
| Reed Warbler | R124536 | 19-07-03 12-08-03 |
ringed at Llangorse Lake, WALES controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (313 km E) |
| Chiffchaff | 3U7446 | 25-09-03 17-07-04 |
ringed at Icklesham, Sussex controlled at Brook Farm, Reculver (64 km NE) |
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Male Bullfinch - Chris Hindle |
Ringing Recoveries reported in 2003
| Species | Ring no. | Date | Place |
| Swallow | P256165 | 08-06-00 23-08-01 |
ringed at Cleve Court, Manston, Thanet controlled at Sandwich (9 km S) |
| Dunnock | R029098 | 29-08-02 12-04-03 |
ringed at Shuart Farm dead (cat) Westmarsh, Ash (6 km S) |
| Blackbird | CL16795 | 18-11-01 11-01-03 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Thetford, Norfolk (119 km NNW) |
| Cetti's Warbler | P893829 | 29-06-02 25-04-03 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Stoke Marshes, Kent (39 km ENE) |
| Reed Warbler | P581185 | 17-06-01 12-05-02 07-07-02 20-07-02 29-04-03 28-06-03 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Brook Farm controlled at Brook Farm controlled at Brook Farm controlled at Tenadi Oasis, MAURITANIA, Africa (3923 KM SSE) controlled at Brook Farm |
Not only has this adult female Reed Warbler returned to Brook in two consecutive years, but in its third year stopped off to "refuel" at an oasis in Mauritania before returning to breed at Brook Farm again. Astonishing navigation!!
| Reed Warbler | P581340 | 22-07-01 06-08-01 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Sandwich Bay (18 km SE) |
| Reed Warbler | P581350 | 26-07-01 22-08-01 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Sandwich Bay (18 km SE) |
| Reed Warbler | P581410 | 23-08-01 29-08-01 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Sandwich Bay (18 km SE) |
| Reed Warbler | P549845 | 11-08-00 26-07-01 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Sandwich Bay (18 km SE) |
| Reed Warbler | P893704 | 19-05-02 07-07-02 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Wilstone Reservoir, Tring, Hertfordshire (139 km WNW) |
| Sedge Warbler | N391266 | 11-08-98 15-06-99 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Stodmarsh (6 km S) |
| Garden Warbler | H059508 | 23-08-90 reported on 01-08-98 |
ringed at Brook Farm intentionally taken at Bepong-Mpraso, Kwawu District, GHANA, Africa (4961 km S) |
This is one of the most interesting recoveries that the Reculver Ringing Group has ever had. Not only does it show how far they travel but also where Garden Warblers spend the winter. In this case it also shows how long they can survive. This bird was at least in its ninth year and would have flown about 85,000 kilometres between wintering and breeding areas and this does not take into consideration how far it flew during the breeding season and on its wintering grounds.
| Yellow Wagtail | P166584 | 31-07-99 23-08-01 |
ringed at Brook Farm controlled at Sandwich Bay (9 km S) |
| Greenfinch | VT59095 | 19-10-01 25-04-03 |
ringed at Sandwich Bay controlled at Shuart Farm (13 km NW) |
| Greenfinch | VT26979 | 14-12-02 12-07-03 |
ringed at Chestfield controlled at Brook Farm (10 km E) |
