Researchers in mid-Wales are asking for help in surveying wintering flocks of Golden Plover. The migratory bird was once common in Britain, but its range has contacted dramatically, thought to be as a result of habitat destruction.

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Although some birds nest year-round in areas of the UK, their numbers are augmented in the winter by large flocks of birds arriving from the continent and groups of several hundred birds can regularly be seen across the mid-Wales uplands. The Welsh Government and Welsh environmental consultancy Ecology Matters have begun to study the flocks to ensure then protected bird is well supported.

However, although the study is underway and individual birds have been marked with coloured rings on the right leg to identify them, Ecology Matters has called on people in rural Wales to report as many sightings of the ringed birds as possible to better understand their habitat and range; the size of area the mobile flocks cover is currently not known. 

Calling on the public to lend their help to the study, Mick Green of Ecology Matters said, “We are asking the public to let us know as soon as possible of any sightings of flocks of golden plover in Radnorshire or Montgomeryshire so that we can plot movements around the Counties. If they are able to see any rings on the birds then please give us details of these as well. Sightings can be reported to plovers@ecologymatters.co.uk or to 01970 832491. Please provide a grid reference, date, approximate size of flock and if any ringed birds were seen”.

Two birds will also be fitted with satellite tags later in the autumn, which will give daily updates of their movements. Details of these birds’ progress will be regularly updated on the Ecology Matters website. Breeding golden plover numbers have declined drastically across Wales and the wider UK; they are currently on the ‘Red List’ as birds of conservation concern in Wales and are also listed on the ‘Section 42’ list of the NERC Act as species of biodiversity importance. However, bizarrely, they are still also legal quarry as game birds in the winter.

Tony Cross, also of Ecology Matters, added “the colour ringing of birds allow us to identify individuals and follow their movements.  It also allows us to look at the turnover of individuals within flocks. This will help us to identify and then conserve the most important feeding areas. Birds are ringed with a white ring (with a letter/number/number code engraved on it, and readable with a telescope) above the knee, and a red ring above a metal ring from the national ringing scheme below the knee, all on the right leg of the bird. Any sightings of ringed birds across Wales will be gratefully received”.

Since January 1st 2012 over 200 birds have been colour-ringed so there is a very good chance of spotting one, the research group said.

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