A ring from middle estuary, #NT07167

Although I restrict myself to the southern shore I trained as a ringer under my good friend Bill Jones out on Oakham Island, which is frustratingly mid-estuary, just north of the main channel. I hope no-one objects to my publishing an occasional map from some of his ringing recoveries over the years here on this blog for interest. Still my species of the month, here's another story of a...

Dunlin Ring no. NT07167
Ringed 18th December 1995, Oakham.
Controlled: 12th March 1996, Castricum, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands.
Found 85 days after ringing, 302 kilometres from ringing site.

Starting the long return, stopping short of the Waddenzee. Would this have stayed at Castricum for a few weeks, or completed the short hop to the main refueling flats, before making for the breeding grounds? Hard to say for sure, but the date is about right for birds having left their wintering grounds here.

Whereas tomorrow's ringing map will hint at Dunlin on a different migration route/timing...