Ad hoc ringing

Ringing takes place throughout the year but is most concentrated during the spring and autumn migration periods as there are more birds and more species present on the site at these times. In August a bit of Aquatic Warbler playback is usually tried alongside reed bed net lanes. CVRS has trapped 8 of this species in the past, including a bird that already had a Polish ring on, but none have been caught since 1995. 

Each year large numbers of Hirundines (mainly Swallows) roost in the reeds overnight in late summer. If roosting sites are close to the reed bed net lanes then good catches can sometimes be made by playing swallow calls through speakers positioned alongside these nets. Starlings are occasionally similarly targeted but in late autumn.

In the winter months the lake level usually rises to such an extent that much of the reed bed is inaccessible and there is a greater use of feeding stations. A recent winter project in conjunction with Aberdeen University used mitochrondial DNA analysis to investigate which sub-species of Chiffchaff occur at the lake between November and March. The three subspecies Phylloscopus collybita collybita (nominate), P. c. abietinus (Northern) and P. c. tristis (Siberian) were all identified. One of the most unusual winter captures was a January Reed Warbler.