European birds on the move

Heather Coats, a British ringer who has helped the Portugal team for many years, with the Yellow-browed Warbler at Cruzinha.

During September the A Rocha France team ringed 1,200 Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica and Sand Martins Riparia riparia as they poured through the Vallée des Baux. The flock that roosted in reed beds behind our field study centre peaked at 80,000 birds over 15 & 16 September, which was a little later than usual, but most had departed by the 23^rd.

The Portugal team is enjoying a big influx of experienced ringers, mainly from the British Isles, allowing them to be active on most days from the second week of September to well into November. After the usual diversity of species in the early weeks, the majority of birds are now Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla and Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita, but the arrival of a Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus (a Siberian vagrant) on 15 September was a cause for celebration. A Rocha Finland recorded one on the island of Aasla, on 1 October, and by the 10^th more than 150 had been seen in the UK, suggesting that there are more than usual in western Europe this autumn.

The UK team, based in West London, regularly record birds seen at the Minet Countryside Park. Perhaps not the most obvious place to look for migrants, they nevertheless saw Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe and a Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus in early September, and Barn Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins Delichon urbica on the 19^th. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis and Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava followed, while in mid October, Redwings Turdus iliacus and Fieldfares Turdus pilaris started to move through, showing that an urban park can be an ideal place for introducing youngsters to the excitement of watching birds.