In early September, a few of us from the North Cornwall Bird Ringing Group (NCBRG)—Pete, Bob, Josh, and Emma—alongside our friends from the West Cornwall Ringing Group, embarked on an unforgettable adventure to Icklesham. This prestigious bird ringing and migration site in Sussex is renowned for its diverse birdlife and rich history. We couldn’t have been more excited for the long weekend ahead, filled with early mornings, mist nets, and the thrill of encountering some incredible bird species. Emma Scotney, who was part of the trip, has kindly shared her experiences for you to read below!
Over 1,500 Birds Ringed (That's a lot of birds)!
During our stay, we were able to ring over 1,500 birds—a staggering number that kept us all busy! Among these, we encountered several new species for the group, which made the trip even more memorable. But what truly made this experience special was discovering that we were the 1,000th group of bird ringing visitors at Icklesham since 1979! It felt like such a privilege to be part of this legacy.
Mornings with the Warblers
Icklesham’s reed beds are the perfect habitat for warblers, and each morning, we set up mist nets in hopes of catching these secretive birds. We were rewarded with a variety of species, including reed warblers, chiffchaffs, sedge warblers, lesser whitethroats, common whitethroats, Cetti’s warblers, blackcaps, and even grasshopper warblers.
Ringing warblers is invaluable for understanding their population dynamics and survival rates. Each species has its own fascinating life history, from their migratory patterns to their unique feather moulting habits. Fun fact: unlike most warblers that migrate, Cetti’s warblers tend to stay in the UK year-round!
Evening with the Hirundines
One of the highlights of the trip was the spectacular evening sessions with the hirundines—a family of migratory birds that includes swallows, sand martins, and house martins. As the sun set, we set up mist nets near the reed beds, watching flocks of these graceful birds as they swooped overhead, searching for overnight roosts while skillfully avoiding aerial predators like the hobby.
Over one evening alone, we processed around 180 hirundines! Up close, it was easy to distinguish between the striking blues and reds of the swallows, the soft buff tones of the sand martins, and the black-blue sheen of the house martins. Seeing such large groups ready to embark on their long journey back to Africa was truly awe-inspiring. Fun fact: before bird ringing was developed, it was believed that swallows spent their winters at the bottom of ponds!
The Wagtail Session
One evening, we teamed up with local expert Dave King to target another special group of birds—wagtails. Using mist nets set up near a pond, we managed to ring both pied and yellow wagtails as they came in to roost. This was particularly exciting as yellow wagtails are a migratory species that pass through Cornwall but don’t typically stay for long.
It was a real treat to encounter them up close and learn more about their behavior and migration routes.
A Visit to Porzana – The Ringing Factory 💍
Our adventures weren’t just limited to the field. On Monday, we took a break from ringing and visited Porzana, the factory where bird (and bat) rings are made. It was fascinating to see how each ring is meticulously crafted—cut, shaped, and engraved with unique codes before being quality-checked and sent out to us ringers. Seeing the precision and care that goes into each ring made us appreciate the role they play in tracking the birds we work with.
Did you know that each bird species requires a different-sized ring? This ensures that the rings fit comfortably without being too tight or too heavy for the birds.
The Unexpected Visitor: Brown Long-eared Bat 🦇
On the final evening, we hoped to catch some nightjars, as they are a species we’re focusing on for a future project in Cornwall. While we didn’t manage to catch any nightjars that night, we did catch something entirely unexpected—a Brown Long-eared Bat!
Several members of our group are involved in bat conservation and research, so we were able to safely extract, identify, and release the bat. It was an incredible bonus to see this “whispering” bat species up close, known for their large ears and quiet communication.
The Grand Finale – Red-breasted Flycatcher!
As our trip neared its end, we experienced one final thrill—the ringing of a red-breasted flycatcher! This stunning bird is a rare sight, with only around 100 reported in Britain each autumn. To top it off, this was only the second time a red-breasted flycatcher had been ringed at Icklesham, making the entire team extremely excited.
This scarce migrant breeds in Europe and winters in India, so encountering one was an extraordinary and fitting way to conclude our trip.
Our weekend at Icklesham was packed with incredible experiences, from the sheer number of birds we ringed to the new species we encountered and the unexpected surprises along the way. We left Sussex inspired, full of new knowledge, and with plenty of ideas for future projects.
A massive thank you once again to the entire team at Icklesham nd to Dave King, for their hospitality and expertise, for sharing their knowledge and for inspiring us think of new ways to improve our own ringing projects back in Cornwall.
Photo credits: Pete Roseveare, Josh Howells, Emma Scotney, Steph Trapp, and Robyn Hickman.
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