A redshank ringed by the GWCT Wetlands research team in the Avon Valley in 2021 has been re-sighted in Northwest France, near Lannion.
GWCT Wetlands Ecologist Dr Lizzie Grayshon is leading a new project studying the movement and habitat use of this Amber-listed species to help target conservation measures and better protect redshank in the future.
Redshank have been declining across the UK since the late 1900s, yet the Avon Valley remains a stronghold for breeding pairs, due to careful management and monitoring schemes.
Colour ringing redshank during the breeding season allows for identification of the birds when they are resighted in other areas of the UK and Europe. Redshank are fitted with a uniquely coded metal ring, and a specific combination of coloured rings to enable easy identification of birds in the field (hence the nickname for this one, Green-Green!).
Monitoring of redshank re-sightings can help us to establish movement and migration of the birds between breeding seasons, and gain a deeper understanding of redshank breeding ecology and habitat use.
After ringing in 2021, Green-Green was sighted multiple times during the chick rearing period before it moved down to Stanpit Marsh, Christchurch in August. The bird was then not seen again until it returned to nest back in the Avon Valley in spring 2022, its nest only a few meters away from its location in 2021. It was then spotted back at Stanpit Marsh during August before the sighting in NW France in November.
The BTO have reported 190 ringing recoveries in France from British ringed birds. France is the second highest country where redshank have been recovered after Iceland.
It is great to hear news of this redshank, and hopefully we will see it back in the Avon Valley for the 2023 breeding season!
We would like to say a big thank you to Hampshire Ornithological Society for funding part of the work, Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group for reporting many sightings and to all the individuals who have reported colour ring sighting, every sighting is very valuable.
Green-Green sightings in England and France