Creatures of Habit. Updates from a Scandinavian Rock Pipit and More

Creatures of habit - I could be talking about the birds, or those who watch them with that title.

In November 2019 during a guided trip to Nutbourne Channel I found a colour-ringed rock pipit, and managed to read the rings. One of the attendees, Les Phillips, also managed to take these photographs where you can clearly read the information on the colour ring:

Rock Pipit 364 on 16th November 2019.

The trip report from that day can be read here. Once back at home I submitted the ring data. This rock pipit was ringed in excess of 1300 km from our sighting, in Makkevika, Norway! The reason I am repeating myself is on Friday 6th November 2020 (a year later) I received a message from Chichester Harbour ecologist Pete Hughes saying he had found a colour-ringed rock pipit in Nutbourne Channel... Well. I messaged back the information that was on the previous bird, just in case, and what do you know it was the same one again!

Rock Pipit 364 on 6th November 2020. Photo by Pete Hughes.

It was great to know that this rock pipit had survived the intervening year. The bird was a male and he had most probably migrated up to Norway, and back to Nutbourne again, during that time. He hatched in 2018 and thus is currently around 2.5 years old. What is most extraordinary is he was in the exact same spot as last year, in the same small bay, of the same creek, in the same harbour. Hopefully he survives the winter and successfully migrates back to his breeding grounds come spring.

This followed on from some other coincidental repeat sightings from Pete and myself. The first being the sandwich tern I wrote about here. Pete had seen this same bird in September 2018 in Itchenor.

Sandwich Tern NL1 at Itchenor September 2018. Photo by Pete Hughes.

Sandwich Tern NL1 at Bosham Quay September 2020. Photo by Les Phillips.

Then, whilst Pete and I were conducting a low tide survey a few weeks ago (in October 2020) there was a colour-ringed black-tailed godwit, again in Nutbourne Channel. Pete submitted the data. As it turns out I had previously reported this bird on 12th November 2018, and Pete did so on 14th November 2018, both in Nutbourne Channel once more. This godwit breeds in Southwest Iceland, and was ringed in 2010.

These sightings highlight to me the importance of specific places to particular birds. It is quite remarkable that they come back to the same small patch year after year. From the navigational abilities, to the physical capabilities, it is clear that there is a drive to return to the spot that is their patch.

- Hugh Baggaley