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Ring Ouzels in 2017

by Kendrick S. Hutchinson and Victor Fairbrother

[Ed: Ken Hutchinson has kindly allowed us to offer the 2017 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.]


Hob Crag, Rosedale, male Ring Ouzel taking-off, 3rd May 2017 (© Peter Thomson.)


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

Summary of 2017 Ring Ouzel Report

  1. First-arrival at Dalehead on 22nd March; a day later than earliest recorded in 2012/14
  2. 17 territories recorded in 2017; up from 13 in 2016 but below peak of 23 in 2012
  3. Two early nests found predated; one at egg stage, one at chick stage
  4. Nest productivity below long-term average in 5 of the last 6 years
  5. 50% of breeding pairs had a late nest, just slightly below the long-term average
  6. Pairs having a late nest below long term average in last 4 years

Introduction

The 2017 survey was the 18th year in which a detailed study had been made of the Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus (RZ) population in the North York Moors National Park; only the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 and the subsequent closure of the moors, preventing what would have been 19 years of continuous study since the start of the project in 1999.

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.

As in previous years the 2017 survey concentrated mainly on recording Ring Ouzel activity in the Rosedale area of the North York Moors; an area of around 25 square kilometres. Reports of Ring Ouzel sightings in other parts of the National Park have been included with their approximate location shown on a map of the area. Sightings of birds that are considered to be passage migrants that appear annually across the Moors and along the coast have been excluded from the map.

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


© Ken Hutchinson, Vic Fairbrother, Ryedale Natural History Society 2017

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