Biodiversity at Rawcliffe Bridge
Bird ringing is a simple and effective way to gather information about the movement, survival and productivity of birds using the landscape, which includes urban and farmland areas.
BASF have been working with local bird ringing experts at Rawcliffe Bridge to monitor the birds visiting the farm from 2015 onwards, with the data then being supplied into the British and Irish Ringing Scheme, organised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).
Birds caught at the farm for the first time have a lightweight uniquely numbered metal ring placed around one of their legs, which helps to identify where the bird has come from when it is re-caught, sometimes back at Rawcliffe Bridge, in other cases, further away in the country or in most cases, not re-caught at all.
There are several reasons for this. In some cases, birds have a very local interest, moving less than 2km from their original ringing location. Other birds are part of the annual cycle of migration and travel many hundreds and sometime thousands of miles to and from Rawcliffe Bridge, using farmland and gardens as they go to provide them with food, shelter and places to breed.
To put the birds rung at Rawcliffe Bridge into perspective, for 2019, we ringed a total of 3586 birds on the farm, covering 62 species from owls to wagtails to tits and finches. Since we started ringing birds in 2015, we have rung over 14,883 birds which is an amazing number of birds using our farmland
Our ringing data shows clearly how healthy farmland that is producing local food also provides all the basic needs of both juvenile and adult birds visiting Rawcliffe Bridge
*Rung at Rawcliffe Bridge: When the bird is first rung at Rawcliffe Bridge and re-caught somewhere else
*Found at Rawcliffe Bridge: When the bird is caught at Rawcliffe Bridge already with a numbered ring attached
Species Name: Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Family: Owls
Habitat: Farmland, Grassland, Marine and intertidal Wetland
Diet: Mice, Voles, Shrews and some larger mammals and small birds
UK Conservation Status: Green
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 30/06/2018 - 13/11/2018
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 136 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 16km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 136 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 16km
Species Name: Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Habitat: Woodland, Farmland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Insects, Caterpillars, seeds and nuts
Family: Tits
UK conservation status: Green
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 12/05/2014 - 08/08/2015
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 453 days
Further distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 43km
Shortest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 453 days
Shortest distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 43km
Species Name: Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Habitat: Woodland, Farmland, Grassland, Heathland and Upland
Diet: Small mammals, birds and carrion
Family: Kites, Hawks and Eagles
UK conservation status: Green
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 11/01/2016 - 21/12/2018
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 1075 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 6km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 1075 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 6km
Species Name: Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Habitat: Farmland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Seeds and insects (in summer)
Family: Finches
UK conservation status: Green
Total number of birds in this group: 7
Date Range: 25/11/2017- 30/03/2019
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 577 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 2006 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 13 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 26 km
Total number of birds in this group: 3
Date Range: 31/12/2015 - 19/03/2019
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 1174 days
Further distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 372km
Shortest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 12 days
Shortest distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 69km
Species Name: Great Tit (Parus major)
Habitat: Woodland, Farmland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Insects, seeds and nuts
Family: Tits
UK conservation status: Green
Species Name: Great Tit (Parus major)
Habitat: Woodland, Farmland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Insects, seeds and nuts
Family: Tits
UK conservation status: Green
Total number of birds in this group: 3
Date Range: 22/09/2012 - 30/10/2017
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 1864 days
Further distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 68km
Shortest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 33 days
Shortest distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 2km
Species name: Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
Habitat: Woodland, Farmland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Seeds and Insects
Family: Finches
UK conservation status: Green
Total number of birds in this group: 12
Date Range: 14/10/2016 - 11/06/2019
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 963 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 49 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 33 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 3 km
Total number of birds in this group: 4
Date Range: 05/11/2016 - 30/12/2017
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 212 days
Further distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 76 km
Shortest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 46 days
Shortest distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 16 km
Species name: Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Habitat: Farmland, Grassland, Heathland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Small mammals and birds, worms and insects
Family: Falcons
UK conservation status: Amber
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 17/06/2017 - 10/08/2017
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 54 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 39 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 54 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 39 km
Species name: Lesser Redpoll (Acanthis cabaret)
Habitat: Woodland, Farmland, Heathland, Wetland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Seeds (particularly of birch and alder), plants (like willowherb and sorrel) - but they also visit bird feeders
Family: Finches
UK conservation status: Red
Total number of birds in this group: 2
Date Range: 30/10/2017 - 30/03/2019
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 516 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 267 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 97 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 45 km
Total number of birds in this group: 7
Date Range: 04/10/2015 - 05/02/2019
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 483 days
Further distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 391 km
Shortest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 4 days
Shortest distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 25 km
Species name: Linnet (Linaria cannabina)
Habitat: Farmland, Grassland, Heathland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Seeds and Insects
Family: Finches
UK conservation status: Red
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 02/07/2017 - 30/09/2017
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 90 days
Further distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 21 km
Shortest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 90 days
Shortest distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 21 km
Species name: Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Habitat: Farmland, Grassland, Heathland, Wetland, Marine and intertidal Upland
Diet: Insects (Flies, Beetles and Moths) and Spiders
Family: Pipits and Wagtails
UK conservation status: Amber
Total number of birds in this group: 2
Date Range: 17/09/2017 - 02/12/2017
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 63 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 247 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 9 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 100 km
Species name: Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
Habitat: Woodland, Farmland, Grassland, Heathland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Worms, Slugs, Insects and Berries
Family: Thrushes
UK conservation status: Red
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 29/06/2019 - 03/07/2019
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 4 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 3 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 4 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 3 km
Species name: Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
Habitat: Woodland, Farmland, Grassland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Berries and Worms
Family: Thrushes
UK conservation status: Red
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 26/11/2016 - 04/12/2018
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 738 days
Further distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 101 km
Shortest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 738 days
Shortest distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 101 km
Species name: Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Habitat: Farmland, Grassland, Wetland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Seeds and Insects
Family: Buntings
UK conservation status: Amber
Total number of birds in this group: 2
Date Range: 15/03/2017 - 01/05/2019
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 676 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 164 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 586 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 41 km
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 26/10/2017 - 27/02/2019
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 489 days
Further distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 32 km
Shortest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 489 days
Shortest distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 32 km
Total number of birds in this group: 2
Date Range: 15/03/2017 - 01/05/2019
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 676 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 164 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 586 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 41 km
Species name: Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Habitat: Farmland, Wetland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Insects (Berries in Autumn)
Family: Warblers
UK conservation status: Green
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 13/08/2017 - 12/09/2017
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 30 days
Further distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 77 km
Shortest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 30 days
Shortest distance travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 77 km
Species name: Siskin (Spinus spinus)
Habitat: Woodland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Seeds (especially of conifers, alders and birch) and some Insects
Family: Finches
UK conservation status: Green
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 20/02/2016 - 02/01/2019
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 1047 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 387 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 1047 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 387 km
Species name: Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Habitat: Farmland, Grassland, Heathland, Wetland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Mainly small birds (but 120 different species have been recorded). Males can catch birds up to thrush size, but females, being bigger, can catch birds up to pigeon size. Some sparrowhawks catch bats.
Family: Kites, Hawks and Eagles
UK conservation status: Green
Total number of birds in this group: 2
Date Range: 27/03/2017 - 01/05/2019
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 138 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 23 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge:58 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 3 km
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 14/12/2018 - 01/05/2019
Longest duration travelled to Rawcliffe Bridge: 138 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 23 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 138 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 3 km
Species name: Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Habitat: Woodland, Farmland, Urban and Suburban
Diet: Seeds and Insects
Family: Old World Sparrows
UK conservation status: Red
Total number of birds in this group: 1
Date Range: 07/03/2017 - 29/05/2018
Longest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 448 days
Further distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 6 km
Shortest duration travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 448 days
Shortest distance travelled from Rawcliffe Bridge: 6 km
