Spike Island

I had a nice fly past of the seemingly resident ruddy shelduck at Spike Island, Widnes today, the first time I've managed to see it. Ruddy shelduck isn't officially on the British list, though it seems to me that there are a few far more dodgy birds which have made it on. Chinese pond heron anyone? Always nice birds to see though.

There were several black-headed gulls with blue rings, some of which which I managed to read. All but one were originally ringed at Spike Island and seemingly not keen on moving very far because most of the recoveries were from the same place. The exception was the bird on the left, 202B, which was originally ringed at Vaterland, Oslo in May 2012, a distance of 1,103km from Spike Island. 

The colour ring on this bird was only fitted when it was retrapped in 2021 so prior to this it was more difficult to be sure of it's movements.

Unfortunately I don't know how old it was when it was originally ringed but it's at least 14 years old this year. Most of the records of this bird have been from Spike Island but in two summers since having the colour ringed fitted, 2022 and 2025, it was seen back in Norway and presumably breeding.  If it's been going back and forth all of it's life, that would mean that it has travelled at least 28,678km during it's lifetime, or if you prefer,  17,819 miles.

The wreck of a Mersey Flat boat with new Runcorn bridge behind.