Ringing group records goldfinch's 360 mile trip

22 hours ago

James Grant

BBC News, Northamptonshire

The goldfinch started its journey at the Courteenhall Estate in Northamptonshire

Chris Payne A closeup of a small bird with a red face and navy and yellow wing patches. — The goldfinch started its journey at the Courteenhall Estate in Northamptonshire

A goldfinch first captured during a ringing session in England has been found 360 miles away (579km) on the west coast of Ireland.

The male bird was originally ringed at the Courteenhall Estate near Roade, Northamptonshire, as one of 200 goldfinches recorded for a project to monitor bird populations and movements.

Nearly 500 days later, the same bird was retrapped by a ringer in Ardeamush in County Clare.

"We were very surprised and delighted when he was recaptured," said Chris Payne, a licensed senior ringer from the Northants Ringing Group.

'Very exciting'

The goldfinch is known for its bright red face, yellow wing patches, and distinctive twittering song.

Ringing involves fitting a small metal ring, with a number printed on it, around one of the bird's legs.

Mr Payne said the group originally recorded the bird's exact location at Courteenhall as well as its age, sex, wing length and condition for the British Trust for Ornithology.

"A ringer in Ireland recaptured our bird and put the data into the BTO system and we get notification of its recapture."

Chris Payne said he was surprised and delighted when the goldfinch was recaptured in Ireland

Courteenhall Chris Payne with medium-length dark hair and white beard wearing a grey T-shirt and grey trousers. He is standing on a metal ladder and reaching inside a wooden bird box which is attached to the trunk of a tree. There are more trees in the background. — Chris Payne said he was surprised and delighted when the goldfinch was recaptured in Ireland

Goldfinch fact file

It has a red face and bright yellow wingbars
The number of goldfinches has increased in the UK after declining in the 70s and 80s
They usually live for about a year
There were 1.7 million breeding pairs in the UK in 2016
They are widely distributed through Britain and Ireland in winter
Some migrate to France or Spain during the winter

Source: British Trust for Ornithology

Mr Payne added: "These birds do travel vast distances and can end up on the continent in Europe. It all adds to our data of bird movement around the country.

"The data that my group collects is fed into the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) databank called DeMon, and researchers and scientists can access this for their studies.

"The bird we ringed at Courteenhall was one of approximately 226 goldfinches we caught that day so they are all out there somewhere and, if they get captured elsewhere or sadly found dead, the specific number on the ring on the leg of the bird gives us all the information."

Rosie Davis, estate manager at Courteenhall, added: "It was very exciting to hear that one of our birds had flown all the way to Ireland.

"We're looking forward to seeing if he flies back to us."

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