Martin Mere controls.

When ring reading at WWT Martin Mere yesterday, we read four rings that were from other countries. Three on Icelandic ringed Whooper Swans and one colour ringed Ruff that had been ringed in the Netherlands.

Whooper Swan - A8344 (Red line) was ringed in Skagafjordur area of Iceland in July 2008 as a (3) cygnet as part of a brood of three. There are no records of it visiting WWT Martin Mere last year.

Whooper Swans - A8142 (Darvic S4A) & A8194 (Darvic S5D) (Pink line) are a pair that were ringed on Lake Sandvatn (Iceland) in August 2008 - as non breeders. I first saw them last year at WWT Caerlaverock on 28/10/2008 then next at WWT Martin Mere on 01/11/2008 & 02/11/2008 then they disappeared. It was only when I was carrying out a swan census around the WWT Welney area on 13/01/2009 that I saw the pair in a field just outside of Welney. Then they were back at WWT Martin Mere on 06/02/2009 and were last seen on 31/03/2009. They arrived back at Martin Mere on 08/10/2009 this year. (See below for a map on their movements)

Ruff - (Green line) waiting to get the full details on this bird - but it was ringed at Warns Skarl Kilf in the Netherlands - 566km

Black Headed Gull - 361203 (Yellow line) I read this ring on 01/12/2006 and recently received some information back. It was ringed at Veluwemeer in Ijssoelmeepolders in the Netherlands as a pullus on 07/05/2004. Movement to Martin Mere - 587km.

S4A & S5D pair of Whooper swans - and their movements (below) during 2008/2009