Ring Ouzel

[RobF]

Saw our first Ring Ouzel of the year today , a female back in an area where a brood was raised last year. They're fantastic birds.

Rob

[lcsiz]

oh lovely bird, i remember them well, they reminded me of better weather on the way.
unfortunally its about 15 years since i saw one last. back home on moorland near whitby
dont think you get them in leics. were i now live

[rlchew]

Whilst typically an upland/moorland speciality, I usually manage to see at least one Ring Ousel each year as they pass through the Kent/Essex/Suffolk/Norfolk coast on the spring passage.

However, last May I was fortunate enough to see a male and female on their breeding grounds near the Aber Falls in north Wales .... brilliant!

Wonderful birds to see if you get an opportunity.

Richard

[HelenF]

I had never seen them, let alone heard of them before we moved here just over 3 years ago. My best view was last year when I saw a pair, about 20 yards away from me, next to a stream. Totally oblivious to me and I spent quite a long time just sat watching them.

Helen

[lcsiz]

hi helenf. they wern,t dippers by any chance very simmular black with white bib (near stream)
its just i was birding with a pal from glanton up there, last year watching them
bobbing up and down flitting from rock to rock.
we dont get them in leics either.

[RobF]

Glanton's not too far from here, its a nice part of the world around there, a bit of everything.

The North York Moors are great, I used to do a fair bit of work on the grouse over there on the moors by Rosedale and Commondale.

My favourite sighting of an Ouzel was at the top of High Stile above Ennerdale, its three note song was echoing around a corrie in the mist - superb. One of the members of the group I was with said it was a chough!!

Its a shame that Ouzels are having such a hard time at the moment, I always used to see them on the Buttertubs pass on the Swaledale side but blackbirds seem to have pushed them out. Also, their flight high and slow across the valleys make them an ideal target for raptors.

Rob

Rob

[HelenF]

Originally Posted by lcsiz

hi helenf. they wern,t dippers by any chance very simmular black with white bib (near stream)
its just i was birding with a pal from glanton up there, last year watching them
bobbing up and down flitting from rock to rock.
we dont get them in leics either.

Nope, definitely not dippers.

Helen

[lcsiz]

no problem helenf. just a thought.

[Its a shame that Ouzels are having such a hard time at the moment, I always used to see them on the Buttertubs pass on the Swaledale side but blackbirds seem to have pushed them out. Also, their flight high and slow across the valleys make them an ideal target for raptors.

Rob][/quote]

nice one robf i know the area well (chimmney bank rosedale very very steep about 1-3 ithink
my grandad had a farm between danby and lealholm. spent most of my free time there
did a bit of grouse beating, trout for breakfast oh the memorys.
you dont happen to know george dodds in glanton by any chance works for f.w.a.g. formally b.t.o

[Wild-Woman]

What are my chances of seeing an ouzel in Kent? Going out to Medway estuary this afternoon. ww

[RobF]

Ouzels have traditional migration routes and stopovers, check out your local bird club report or website for locations. Also Birdtrack will tell you when/where they appear.

lcsiz - I recognise the name, but can't remember where from. Its a common name around here, a reiving family.

Rob

[Lancastrian]

Ring Ouzel used to be my bogey bird - then about 4 years ago I struck lucky and see them regularly near Horseshoe Pass in North Wales. Walso also lucky to get a pair on passage at Weeting in Norfolk last May. They really are super birds - and worth all the effort.