East Dales Ringing Group
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In the north-eastern part of the Holmöarna Nature Reserve, situated in the northern Baltic Sea, lies the small island of Stora Fjäderägg, measuring only 1.5 km by 0.8 km. The island is largely barren, consisting of scree and areas of heather moorland, with larger areas of pine/spruce trees around the highest point of the island, forming small ‘forests'. Thin bands of birch and rowan scrub have colonized the periphery of the island, with a small reedbed at the southern end (Old Harbour).
On the highest point of the island, close to the now-automated lighthouse, is a collection of classic Scandinavian painted wooden cottages, the lighthouse keeper's
cottage now taking the role of the bird observatory.
A ringing station was established in 1984 and since then many rarities have been recorded, particularly those of an eastern “flavour”, including Black-throated Accentor (new to Sweden), Red-flanked Bluetail, Radde's Warbler, Citrine Wagtail, Calandra Lark, Nightingale and Great White Egret. An article about the potential of this little-known island, appeared in “Twitching” magazine in 1993, hatching the idea of expanding ringing experience and in September 1994, three (future) members of East Dales RG were the first ringers from the UK to assist at Stora. It was a memorable experience and various members of the Group have paid numerous visits, at different times during autumn and spring migration, almost every year since.
Catching on the island is by mist nets set around the various woodlands and a small reed bed. Some spring traps are used and are especially successful for catching Wheatear. The main nets are "elevators" comprising two or three nets hanged on a pulley system that enable birds to be caught in the canopy.
Autumn migration has been the main focus of interest – in September, there is a greater range of migratory species passing through the archipelago, though not necessarily in large numbers. The peak time for Goldcrests and Yellow-browed Warblers is the last two weeks, compared with Rustic Buntings and Bluethroats earlier in the month. Pygmy Owls are more likely to be caught in September, Tengmalm's Owls throughout the month, with even the occasional Hawk Owl thrown in!
However, in October greater numbers of birds can be ringed, particularly Redpolls (Mealy and Arctic), Waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks (end of the month), migratory Blue
and Great Tits from Finland and the northern race of Long-tailed Tits, which look like blobs of cotton wool moving through the heather. Members of the Group who have visited Stora have been seduced by its tranquility and beauty (not to mention the birds!) and most become ardent addicts.
Ringing Totals 1994 - 2007
| Species | June x 1 | Aug x 1 | Sept x 4 | Oct x 6 | Sep-07 | Totals |
| Goosander | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Goshawk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sparrowhawk | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| Hobby | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Merlin | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Dunlin | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jack Snipe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Turnstone | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Common Gull | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Arctic Tern | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Cuckoo | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Pygmy Owl | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Tengmalms Owl | 0 | 0 | 80 | 20 | 14 | 114 |
| Hawk Owl | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Grey-headed Woodpecker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | 0 | 3 | 67 | 27 | 6 | 103 |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Three-toed Woodpecker | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| Wryneck | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Swallow | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| House Martin | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| White Wagtail | 4 | 0 | 32 | 8 | 1 | 45 |
| Rock Pipit | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tree Pipit | 0 | 2 | 35 | 1 | 19 | 57 |
| Meadow Pipit | 2 | 1 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 37 |
| Waxwing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 3 | 120 |
| Wren | 0 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 0 | 30 |
| Dunnock | 0 | 0 | 9 | 58 | 3 | 70 |
| Robin | 1 | 0 | 64 | 495 | 10 | 570 |
| Bluethroat | 6 | 1 | 61 | 1 | 6 | 75 |
| Redstart | 7 | 2 | 163 | 2 | 14 | 188 |
| Wheatear | 7 | 0 | 60 | 0 | 1 | 68 |
| Whinchat | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Ring Ouzel | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Blackbird | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 28 |
| Fieldfare | 4 | 0 | 16 | 120 | 6 | 146 |
| Song Thrush | 0 | 5 | 40 | 89 | 1 | 135 |
| Redwing | 1 | 0 | 88 | 302 | 15 | 406 |
| Mistle Thrush | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Sedge Warbler | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Reed Warbler | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Icterine Warbler | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Barred Warbler | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Lesser Whitethroat | 17 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 36 |
| Whitethroat | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Garden Warbler | 14 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 38 |
| Blackcap | 0 | 1 | 40 | 24 | 3 | 68 |
| Pallas's Warbler | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| Yellow-browed Warbler | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
| Wood Warbler | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Chiffchaff | 0 | 0 | 6 | 38 | 2 | 46 |
| Willow Warbler | 403 | 138 | 961 | 5 | 104 | 1611 |
| Goldcrest | 0 | 3 | 1081 | 2289 | 567 | 3940 |
| Spotted Flycatcher | 14 | 4 | 134 | 2 | 31 | 185 |
| Red-breasted Flycatcher | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Pied Flycatcher | 9 | 7 | 61 | 0 | 7 | 84 |
| Collared Flycatcher | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Long-tailed Tit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 599 | 0 | 599 |
| Willow Tit | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 16 |
| Coal Tit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 10 | 33 |
| Blue Tit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 861 | 0 | 861 |
| Great Tit | 0 | 0 | 4 | 307 | 0 | 311 |
| Treecreeper | 1 | 0 | 14 | 297 | 12 | 324 |
| Red-backed Shrike | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Great Grey Shrike | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
| Jay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Starling | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Tree Sparrow | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Chaffinch | 5 | 19 | 53 | 29 | 3 | 109 |
| Brambling | 1 | 50 | 409 | 125 | 71 | 656 |
| Greenfinch | 1 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 22 |
| Siskin | 48 | 0 | 30 | 54 | 85 | 217 |
| Lesser Redpoll | 0 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 0 | 29 |
| Common Redpoll | 0 | 0 | 321 | 2815 | 57 | 3193 |
| Arctic Redpoll | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| Crossbill | 5 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 21 |
| Parrot Crossbill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Two-barred Crossbill | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bullfinch | 3 | 0 | 1 | 429 | 0 | 433 |
| Pine Grosbeak | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| Rosefinch | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Yellowhammer | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 16 |
| Lapland Bunting | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| Rustic Bunting | 1 | 0 | 88 | 0 | 15 | 104 |
| Little Bunting | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Reed Buntimg | 1 | 0 | 66 | 107 | 31 | 205 |
| 0 | ||||||
| Totals | 664 | 238 | 4111 | 9499 | 1127 | 15639 |
Significant Controls:
Finland - Goshawk (2)- Tengmalms Owl (2)- Blue Tit - Nutcracker
Estonia -Long-tailed Tit
Britain - Lesser Redpoll
Whilst ringing is the primary aim of the trips we shouldn't overlook the other wildlife to be found on this little gem.