Ed Betteridge

We didn’t expect to catch this Kestrel during a garden winter CES catch in Dorset this morning. Then to find the bird had a Dutch ring and a satellite tag!! @_BTO

Great views of this stunning adult LITTLE GULL in Holes Bay this afternoon. Also a distant 1st winter amongst 7 species of Gulls present. @DorsetBirdClub

The Carey ringing year got up and running this morning with 119 birds (71 new) including a local control Siskin, a Jay (after none last year) and a Great Tit from 2022 @DorsetBirdClub

End of season ringing session (under licence) @DorsetWildlife #LytchettBayNR produced no less than 16 Bearded Tits. 4 of which had been ringed previously at the site on dates going back to 2022. Thanks to @EdJBetteridge for pics. @DorsetBirdClub

We got lucky with the Wyke Regis Desert Wheatear this afternoon in strong winds when it flew across the fleet whilst watching roosting Gulls. It then showed distantly on Chesil Beach before disappearing amongst the pebbles. A cr Oyc from Blakeney Point (8/25) showed a bit better.

🌙✨ Incredible thermal survey in Charlton, Worcestershire last night! We ringed 42 Skylarks, including a retrap from early 2025. Amazing to see around 150 birds across several fields and a great side-by-side look at female (R) vs male (L) Skylarks. #thermalbirding

@CharmouthObs Firecrest RSV is one of Carey’s!

Another busy day ringing on site 06am-3.30pm. 108 ringed & 3 controls! Firecrest (RCV), Chiff( RVL)+ Dutch Arnhem ringed Chiff. Outstanding vizmig over with 1000’s Woodpigeon, 100+ Chaff & Thrushes. Small No of Brambling, Redpolls, Buntings /Pipits. 3 Hawfinch & 5 Woodlark.

@graham_jaggard Sanderling

Pretty sure this is a distant Knot but it is very white and all my other knot shots show more markings on the neck and breast.

@_Stickybeak @ManxRinging Nice record, was ringed on 5/7 on the Calf of Man. Looks like first resighting.

Also exciting to spot an orange ring today among the tangle of seaweed and gull legs. We think this young Herring Gull with code A44:M has likely been ringed by @ManxRinging on the Isle of Man, but look forward to hearing the full details soon

A busy month at Carey, Dorset with 3,912 birds caught! This included 1729 Chiffchaffs, 740 Blackcaps, 50 Wilwa, 198 Sedgies, 68 Gropper, 26 Cettis, 302 House Martins, 4 Redstart, 4 Spot Fly, 46 Stonechat, 55 Goldcrest and 13 Firecrest!!

A great bird boat around Poole Harbour yesterday morning with Birds of Poole Harbour, highlighted with great views of WT Eagle, 7 Curlew Sand (12 species of wader), Honey Buzzard, Bearded Tit, 62 Spoonbills, Kingfisher etc with great views of more WT Eagles of Carey today.

@adriawildlife @AH_birdartist @bobservablelife Wow! We have hit 2000 Sedgies this autumn with 1400 last autumn to only 1 aquatic!

@AH_birdartist @bobservablelife @EdJBetteridge Just shows you those birds are / were over the Channel when the sun came up & headed for W. France. Wind & viz. brings them in between Selsey & Lands End. They say they used to nest here (NE Italy, 19th C.) but the huge sedge beds are long gone. Industry, maize & soya now.

AQUATIC WARBLER!!! Still can’t believe we caught this stunner at Carey this morning! Made it worthwhile giving it a go between weather fronts. The bird was interestingly a good weight of 15g!

@adriawildlife @SmalePerry @AH_birdartist @Natures_Voice Site very similar here, low sedge/grass with nets along wet ditches that have a few trees that birds go towards.

@SmalePerry @EdJBetteridge @AH_birdartist @Natures_Voice They like really low veg. Less than 40cm, on the breeding grounds too. Any reeds & bushes? Sedge & Marsh/Reed.

@brianmilli Dorset, near Wareham

@EdJBetteridge Where is Carey?

A productive morning at Portland Bill seeing more Balearic Shears in a morning than I ever seen (66+)! Personal totals were 2-3 Grey Phal, 2 LT Skua, Sooty Shear, 9+ Stormies and 2 Arctic Skua.

@KathyHu91105321 Birds are caught by a range of techniques but normally using specially designed mist nets. This is done by trained ‘ringers’ all following strict licensing/guidance by the BTO. More info here bto.org/get-involved/v…

How do you catch these birds?

A WRYNECK yesterday was a great way to end a busy August at Carey. Overall, 2,847 birds trapped including 281 Gropper and 1261 Sedgies!

Hit 4000 birds ringed at Carey this autumn today with a monster of a 20.0g Sedge Warbler! However, the stand out highlight of the morning was this stunning HOBBY!! Not something I ever thought I would be lucky enough to catch!

North Wiltshire Ringing Group ringing recovery: Sedge Warbler ringed by us on Salisbury Plain on the 11th August 2024, recovered at Carey Floodplain, Wareham, Dorset on the 24th July 2025. 347 days since ringed, 62km movement #birdringing #Migration