Ring Ouzels in 2016

by Kendrick S. Hutchinson and Victor Fairbrother

[Ed: Ken Hutchinson has kindly allowed us to offer the 2016 report on Ring Ouzels in Rosedale and other parts of the North York Moors, written together with Victor Fairbrother. The report can be downloaded as a PDF of approx 1Mb.]

Sheriff’s Pit, Rosedale, male taking food to nest in disused pit shaft on 24th June 2016. (© Vic Fairbrother)

To give you a taste of the report here are the summary and introduction,,,,

Summary of 2016 Ring Ouzel Report

First-arrival at Nab Scar on 24th March - same place and two days later than 2015
13 territories recorded in 2016 - down from 17 in 2015 and peak of 23 in 2012
Three early nests found predated, two at egg stage, one at chick stage
Nest productivity below long-term average in 4 of the last 5 years
Pairs having a late nest slightly below the long-term average
70% of all Rosedale nests lie in a narrow 50 metre altitudinal band

Introduction

The 2016 survey was the 17th year in which a detailed study had been made of the Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus (RZ) population in the North York Moors National Park. The findings of these studies were submitted to various bodies including the North York Moors National Park Authority, the RSPB Ring Ouzel Study Group, Natural England (York office) and the land-owners and head keepers of Spaunton and Rosedale estates.

The 2016 season marked 15 years of unbroken study in the Rosedale area, only the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 and the subsequent closure of the moors prevented continuous study since the start of the project in 1999. As in previous years the 2016 survey concentrated mainly on the Rosedale area of the North York Moors, an area of around 25 square kilometres. As in previous years, visits were made during late summer to locate Ring Ouzels prior to migration.

Finally, the north-west and east side of Rosedale was covered by Vic Fairbrother and the west side by Ken Hutchinson.

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