Hi- I'm going to post a discussion on migration, rarities and some thoughts here and see if anything develops :)
S
1- is migration fixed in stone or does it vary with environmental factors? Are the numbers of late autumn 'rarities' like Richards Pipits actually not lost but trying to find new wintering areas or migration routes that they lost in the last ice age?
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S. I would like it not to be fixed in stone. That would be too predictable. Whilst there must be an argument for the majority of migration to be fixed it is the bits round the edges that intrigue me. What causes a particular species one year to flow through the UK and not another year. That must be environmental. What stops some birds of a species migrating; take cranes, they must have migrated to Norfolk at some point and their continental colleagues still carry on up and down Europe whilst ours stay put. Perhaps our original cranes didn't migrate either. Migration is a big question. I keep promising myself to read Ian Newton's book and must get round to it.
The Cotswold Water park sightings website
My Flicker page
It would be nice that much of the migration movement was birds prospecting for new territories,like Bob I must get round to reading Ian Newtons book on migration
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Hi-
I haven't read IN's book but my gut feeling is that as habitats change birds will obviously seek out new areas.
A few facts.
A night flying migrant in autumn easily covers 100 miles overnight.
Satellite tracked LBB gulls move from Felixstowe to Biscay to Zeebrugge and back to Felixstowe in a matter of days.
Blue Tits migrate in and out of SE England in autumn/winter.
:)
seymouraves said: Blue Tits migrate in and out of SE England in autumn/winter.
And I wonder how many people think they they feed the same blue tits all year.
Hi- ringing has shown that people who think they feed 6 blue tits in their garden are actually probably feeding 3 times that number
I find this quite intriguing. The Channel Islands are regarded as the southern most range for some species and northern for others - we are also a drop in point for passage migrants - some chose to overwinter here but what makes a few of them stay? I thought that migration was an 'irresistible' urge..for them to stay obviously means that they have found a food supply and nesting areas that fulfill their needs but if the majority of the flock have gone is their sat. nav broken? Last winter due to the foul weather in the UK and Europe we had 1000's of lapwing, brambling and some waxwing + fieldfares and redwings. How do these birds find a 9x5 mile dot in the sea? what senses bring them here?
Ringing has shown that we get blackbirds from France in the winter.
It is mind boggling really.
Caroline in Jersey
Cin J
wintering birds will spread across a wide area, and odd individuals will linger in odd places if the food source is good.
Migrating birds use several different methods to migrate. In some it is apparently pre- programmed as to destination. Others seem to be led by adults / rest of the flock and learn the route. Some use the sun moon or stars and navigate all the way.
Islands are always goood for migrants - an island is visible from a long distance if you are at 1000 feet. Also islands tend to be locatable by clouds forming over them.
Many migrants will perish anyway on migration, especially over the sea.
S, when put like that it makes a huge amount of sense. Thank you
The comments about wintering everyday birds will maybe surprise many folk,as said the Robins,Blue and Great Tits on the garden feeders are not "their"birds.In many areas this last winter there was a big influx of Blackbirds and Thrushes from the continent which boosted the numbers in our gardens but to many watchers the birds were the local ones.