Bird ringing in Rye, England
Currently in the process of recording migrating hirundines and other birds at a reserve close to the East Sussex coast, the British Trust for Ornithology can ring as many as 1,000 hirundines in one evening. Hirundines comprise of Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows — all of which roost in high numbers on the reserve over summer before continuing their migratory route back to Africa. In fact, the site is one of the world’s largest ringing stations. Other birds are also ringed including Nightjar, Grasshopper Warbler and Sparrowhawk.
Volunteers and staff capture the birds using long mist nets that are erected and run through the reedbeds before the birds come in to roost every evening. Details recorded before being released include the bird’s age, weight and sex, which allow the BTO to monitor long-term population and global migration patterns. | Photos taken by Dan Kitwood of Getty Images.
- Sand Martins fly over mist nets as they come in to roost on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A Sand Martin is caught in a mist net as it came in to roost on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 20, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A Sand Martin is caught in a mist net as it came in to roost on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 20, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- Volunteer and trained bird ringer Pete Carr collects hirundines from mist nets as they come in to roost on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 20, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A BTO bird ringer collects hirundines from a mist net as they come in to roost on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A warbler hangs in a mist net on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A warbler is recovered from a mist net on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A warbler is ringed at a ringing hut on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A warbler is weighed at a ringing hut on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A Sand Martin is recorded at the ringing hut on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 20, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A warbler is weighed at a ringing hut on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A warbler is released from the ringing hut after being recorded on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A Grasshopper Warbler is ringed at a ringing hut on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- A Chiffchaff is recorded at a ringing hut on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- Dr. Alex Lord, a researcher from Imperial College London hangs a bag containing Sand Martins on a rail at the ringing hut on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 20, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- Sand Martins sit in a a bag at the ringing hut on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 20, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom.(Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
- After a night resting in bags, the Sand Martins are released outside the ringing hut on a private reserve in East Sussex on August 21, 2013 in Rye, United Kingdom. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)