While the new technology is exiting and grabs the public
imagination, let us not forget that colour ringing still plays a very important
part in many cutting edge ringing studies.
Jerry Lewis and his team in south east Wales, and Tony Cross and team in
the north west have been studying what were thought to be two separate populations
of Hawfinch. Imagine the excitement when garden Birdwatch regular Trevor Bashford
who regularly photographs colour ringed Hawfinches in his garden took this shot
of a white ringed male bird. His usual’s are yellow, so after a couple of
frantic phone calls by the team it transpired it is one of Jerry’s from the
south east. This is the first know movement between the two populations.
photo Trevor Bashford
