Now that autumn is definitely here the winter migrants are with us, so it's time to try for new birds for the Water Pipit project. The last two seasons have been poor, but things seem to be looking up as 6 birds have already been marked by the Stour Ringing Group in Dorset.
One of the October 2025 captures from Lytchett Bay,
image by Stour Ringing Group
One of our birds has also appeared in the 2024 BTO ringing report and has taken the longevity record in the United Kingdom. The bird ringed at Cantley Beet Factory on 26/11/2020 was then observed at Strumpshaw fen on 15 & 19 November 2024.
There were 2 other contenders before this bird clinched the record in November 2024.
Photographer: Stephen Vickers