Following Nan MacLachlan's recent discovery of this bird ring in a field in Ormsaigbeg (post
here), we haven't heard back from Euring but Diary reader Allan Cowan has written in to say that its shape suggests the ring came from one of the Auk family such as the guillemots and razorbills (more details on British auks
here). An extract from the Ringers' Manual which Allan sent says, "Auks rest on the rear edge of their tarsi while on rocks, and as a result the ring number on conventional rings would wear rapidly and the ring would be weakened. Special auk rings are designed so that, when fitted correctly, a flat area of the ring with no inscription is at the back of the tarsus and the inscription is at the side." Many thanks to Allan for this.
A couple of days ago we were distressed to find this greenfinch on our terrace wall showing all the symptoms of the trichomonosis disease which killed many of the species a couple of years ago, and from which they were supposed to be recovering. His feathers were fluffed up, he was obviously disorientated, and he was hopping around trying to feed but not making much of a job of it. Look closely at the picture - he has a ring on his right leg. More about trichomonosis
here.
This blackbird was hopping around in a Kilchoan field this morning. Perhaps it was the Christmas high winds which removed his tail feathers.
Following Nan MacLachlan's recent discovery of this bird ring in a field in Ormsaigbeg (post here), we haven't heard back from Euring but Diary reader Allan Cowan has written in to say that its shape suggests the ring came from one of the Auk family such as the guillemots and razorbills (more details on British auks here). An extract from the Ringers' Manual which Allan sent says, "Auks rest on the rear edge of their tarsi while on rocks, and as a result the ring number on conventional rings would wear rapidly and the ring would be weakened. Special auk rings are designed so that, when fitted correctly, a flat area of the ring with no inscription is at the back of the tarsus and the inscription is at the side." Many thanks to Allan for this.
A couple of days ago we were distressed to find this greenfinch on our terrace wall showing all the symptoms of the trichomonosis disease which killed many of the species a couple of years ago, and from which they were supposed to be recovering. His feathers were fluffed up, he was obviously disorientated, and he was hopping around trying to feed but not making much of a job of it. Look closely at the picture - he has a ring on his right leg. More about trichomonosis here.
This blackbird was hopping around in a Kilchoan field this morning. Perhaps it was the Christmas high winds which removed his tail feathers.
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