Historical details and the current situation

The ringing programme was initiated in 2002 and capitalised on feeding stations which had been operated from 1997 at Light Hazzles by Brian Leecy before being expanded to Cant Clough at Burnley and the Lancashire coast at Heysham, largely following the discovery that Twite were quite partial to Nyjer seed. Soon afterwards, a nestling colour-ringing scheme was incorporated as a consequence of Andre Raine starting a PhD at the University of East Anglia - in part replicating, but also extending, the work done by Andy Brown et al in the South Pennines in the 1990s.

As information has begun to accumulate, additional ringing sites have been used in South Cumbria at Borwick Rails and Askham-in-Furness; at Donna Nook on the Lincolnshire coast; Walberswick on the Suffolk coast and lastly, from Spring 2005, at Banks on the Ribble estuary.

Catching is not based on a constant effort approach and is affected by weather, bird activity and differing logistical constraints relating to each site, but as we proceed, the potential to glean more information about the birds' movements and condition increases with each occasion they are re-sighted or re-caught. Both tables also show the efforts of the North Lancs, South-west Lancs and Leigh Ringing Groups together with individual ringers in South Cumbria, Suffolk and Lincolnshire. Oldest bird resighted to date is at least 3 years and 3.5 months old. A Belgian-ringed bird has been photographed at Ringstone edge reservoir, Halifax and details are awaited.

YEAR	CANT CLOUGH	LIGHT HAZZELS	HEYSHAM	SOUTH CUMBRIA	DONNA NOOK	BANKS	WABERSWICK
2002
2003	562 {29}	74 (30)	187 (2)
2004	308 (16)	37 (10)	161 (3)	7 (1)	1(1)
2005	199 (4)	114 (27)	80 (3)	36 (7)		18 (4)	1
2006	115 (22)	122 (23)		20 (1)		13 (4)	5( 4)
TOTALS	1267(79)	347(90)	428 (8)	63(9)	1(1)	31(8)	6(4)

During the course of the ringing programme -

A pre-dated paper on Twite numbers from the 1999 Twite Survey - Status of breeding Twite (Carduelis flavirostris) in the UK - was published in BTO Bird Study 53 (2006), pages 55-63, by RHW Langston, T Smith, AF Brown and RD Gregory

Andre Raine completed his PhD "The breeding ecology of Twite (Carduelis flavirostris) and the effects of upland agricultural intensification" at the University of East Anglia.

An extract based on Andre's PhD "Migration patterns of two populations of Twite (Carduelis flavirostris) in Britain" by A Raine, DJ Sowter, AF Brown and WJ Sutherland appeared in BTO Ringing and Migration 23 (2006) pages 45-52. It focused on the differing destinations/origins of the South Pennine and Morecambe Bay birds.

PowerPoint presentations about the overall study have been/will be delivered at the following events with posters/handouts -

Twite Seminar, Leighton Moss, January 2004 - AR DS

BTO NW England and N Wales Ringers Conference, Daresbury, November 2005 - DS

North of England Upland Birds Conference, Durham CC, November 2005 - AR DS

BTO NE Ringers Conference, Durham University, March 2006 - DS

WWT Bird Festival, Martin Mere, November 2006 - AR BTO Scottish Ringers Conference, Braemar, Nov 2006 - DS

BTO Annual Conference, Swanwick, December 2006 - AR DS East Lancashire Ornithologists Club, September 05 - DS

Poster displays and handouts have been provided

For BTO Annual Conferences, Swanwick 2004-2006; for RSPB reserves nationally, through local network; for people who report sightings; for Bird Clubs requesting information.