Hilgay redshank moves to the coast

Nick Carter, Conservation officer (Fens)

Redshank, photo by Bob Carpenter

Redshank, although regular visitors to the Hilgay WetlandCreation site over the last few years, bred for the first time this year. The three young raised were ringed by Graham Austin, of the BTO, and his team on 26 July. 

One of the young has now turned up, alive, near Admiralty Point, on the Wash, where it was trapped by the Wash Wader Ringing Group on 16 August. That is only 29km, as the redshank flies, but it does give us some information about where Hilgay redshanks go to overwinter and shows that at least one of the young was still alive almost a month after it was ringed.   

This local movement fits the story for British redshanks which mostly stay local for the winter when they are joined by continental birds and many of the larger Icelandic redshanks.