Following the receipt of an email last week advising that a number of birds were seen together late in the afternoon, I have located the first known roost site in Herefordshire. It is located fairly close to the border with Shropshire.
I first located the roost in a row of trees on Sunday, 30th January, 2011, when fifteen (15) birds were located but, I was unable to read any of the three tags seen.
I must thank Barney and Tom for passing on the information that helped me to locate the roost.
I returned the following day when I was able to read three tags from a different vantage point. The tags all of Welsh origin were orange h, orange 30 and black A5.
I know all about orange h as it hatched in 2005, being one of two chicks by the pair that nested the previous year (2004) for the first time in Herefordshire since the mid 1850’s. This brood was in a different nest to that used by the adults the previous year. The roost is about eight (8) kilometres from the natal nest.
The bird found a female mate and in 2007 they reared two chicks near Craven Arms, Shropshire, in 2008 they reared three and 2009 reared three. In 2010 female died on eggs.
Orange 30 was reared from a brood of two near Tregaon in 2005; there have not been any sighting reports since leaving the natal nest.
Black A5 was reared in 2008 near Machynlleth; also there have not been any sighting reports since leaving the natal nest.
These sightings raise a number of questions, where have these two birds been since leaving the nest?
Will orange h find a new mate and nest in the same area?
Has orange 30 nested in one of the two English counties and if so where?
Will black A5 remain in the general area and find a mate and make a nest?
Will other tagged birds visit the roost site?
Only time and many hours of observations may reveal the answers.
I first located the roost in a row of trees on Sunday, 30th January, 2011, when fifteen (15) birds were located but, I was unable to read any of the three tags seen.
I must thank Barney and Tom for passing on the information that helped me to locate the roost.
I returned the following day when I was able to read three tags from a different vantage point. The tags all of Welsh origin were orange h, orange 30 and black A5.
I know all about orange h as it hatched in 2005, being one of two chicks by the pair that nested the previous year (2004) for the first time in Herefordshire since the mid 1850’s. This brood was in a different nest to that used by the adults the previous year. The roost is about eight (8) kilometres from the natal nest.
The bird found a female mate and in 2007 they reared two chicks near Craven Arms, Shropshire, in 2008 they reared three and 2009 reared three. In 2010 female died on eggs.
Orange 30 was reared from a brood of two near Tregaon in 2005; there have not been any sighting reports since leaving the natal nest.
Black A5 was reared in 2008 near Machynlleth; also there have not been any sighting reports since leaving the natal nest.
These sightings raise a number of questions, where have these two birds been since leaving the nest?
Will orange h find a new mate and nest in the same area?
Has orange 30 nested in one of the two English counties and if so where?
Will black A5 remain in the general area and find a mate and make a nest?
Will other tagged birds visit the roost site?
Only time and many hours of observations may reveal the answers.
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