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| The impressive adult Arctic Tern |
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| On the head mate! |
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| A track from one of the birds off the farnes |
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| Dr Chris Redfern in action |
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| Dr Chris Redfern - the man behind the success
Welcome back old friend.
Monday 13th
June comments: Over the last two weeks the BBC Springwatch team have been
bringing you some excellent footage from the Farne Islands from Shag project
work to the (almost) unbelievable story of the Arctic Terns.
During the late summer last year, up to seventeen adult
Arctic Terns were fitted with geo-locators, devises which allow movements of
birds to be tracked during the winter. These devises would remain on the birds
throughout the autumn, winter and early spring until (hopefully) they would be
recaught (as these birds are site faithful) and the data downloaded.
This spring seventeen were recaught and the information
processed. The results were staggering as the various media outlets reported:
Newcastle Evening
Chronicle: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/arctic-tern-farne-islands-record-11435193
However this didn’t just happen overnight as it has been
three years in the planning. First with me but the real hard work was carried
out by Dr Chris Redfern. Over the last two years, Chris has applied
(successfully) for funding and the permits required to carry out the work, then
purchase the trackers before capturing the birds to put them on. Chris was then
successful in finding and removing these devises this spring, so the real congratulations
should be to the man behind the scenes; Chris Redfern.
Wildlife still continues to amaze even the hardest of scientist
and don’t you just love it?
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