WWA's BASC Leg rings coming in.
The WWA's ringing program has started successfully again this year with the return of the first leg ring of the new 'fowling season. Many thanks to the WWA member who promptly returned the information to the Secretary. Leg ring number 44043 was shot on the estuary on evening flight on the 6th September. On checking the release records it was a drake that was released at 6 weeks old on Ulpha Cut on June 19th 2010, the year of our 60th Anniversary. It is great to see that one of last years mallard has remained as a resident on our estuary. BASC have also just sent me a new recovery from one of this years Barkin House released mallard. Number 45122 was shot in Whittington on the 14/09/2011. 2 of Cinderbarrow releases were shot near Carnforth on flooded fields on 19/09/2011 (consecutive ring numbers 45183 & 45184). Andy Chaplow, Shoot Captain of Ulpha, informed me that 2 Pink leg ringed mallard from the 2009 releases have been recovered on Ulpha this season. 4 of Heversham Cut releases have recently ended up in the bag. Two on the nearby marsh (45698, 45484), one in the Lyth Valley (45481) and one at Scotch Bottoms (45478).
One of 2010's Cinderbarrow releases 43239 has showed up on Brogden...(at release time it didn't look as though it would last a week or so as it was a very immature flapper, one I photographed for the Gallery....see Conservation & Eduction section, photo 25). I'm amazed it survived the first few weeks let alone a year and a half! The furthest distance travelled this season was one reported to the BTO by a wildfowler from Essex who shot the mallard on 1/11/2011 near Carlisle!! The BTO then passed the ring to BASC who reported it to the ringing secretary Stotty. This one had been released in Heversham Cut in June 2011. Amazing where they end up! If that Wildfowler is reading this please could you give us a little more detail as to where it was shot..South Solway perhaps??
Please return any leg ring information to the Secretary. Ring number, Sex of mallard, Marsh or area it was shot together with date shot. In 2009 our mallard were colour tagged. Pink Ulpha, Green Heversham and Red Barkin. If any of these are shot please contact the Secretary with the information.
