Opportunities for Ringers
Ringing Course – 20th to 27th April 2026
The Alderney Bird Observatory will be running a week-long intense ringing course open to all UK and Channel Island permit holders (T, C and A permit holders). The course will be supported by three or four UK S permit holders (trainers and assessors) and possibly up to three Channel Island full permit holders.
The purpose of the course is primarily to give experience to ringers seeking further training, assessment for permit upgrade and to improve the ringing and ornithological skills and communication of all participants.
The ringing will be primarily mist netting of spring migrant passerines. However, other activities such as spring trapping, cage trapping, whoosh netting, roost netting, wader netting and dazzling will also be attempted and potentially assessed if required. There is also a high-flier net in operation and this can be demonstrated. We may also attempt to catch Cuckoo and Nightjar using tape lure and will demonstrate and discuss options for this.
The ABO offers excellent ringing facilities at three sites across the Island. Our ringing research has made a major contribution to our understanding of the important role Alderney plays in Europe’s migration highways. Over 40,000 birds have been ringed since April 2016. We are delighted to welcome any licensed ringers (including trainees where supervision is available), from individuals to groups of up to ten. There is ample accommodation available on island at all levels.
Further information about ringing can be obtained from Matt Scragg the ABO warden
Warden@AlderneyBirdObservatory.org TEL:07966 119618
Common Redstart – A spring and Autumn migrant regularly ringed at the ABO.
Common Rosefinch
Barred Warbler
Red-backed Shrike
