Priory Country Park

Priory Country Park is a former gravel pits located on the edge of Bedford next to the River Great Ouse.

Ivel Ringing Group records for Priory Country Park go back to 1988. I've been involved with ringing on the site since 2007 and took it on in November 2010, on behalf of the Ivel Ringing Group. In the spring and summer a Constant Effort survey is carried out to help with a national scientific study into the survival and productivity of breeding birds.

2013 so far (up to date 17/08/13): Format used = New (Retraps) New For Year

Woodpigeon 2 (0) NFY 2
Green Woodpecker 1 (0) NFY 1
Wren 16 (8) NFY 20
Dunnock 13 (13) NFY 20
Robin 14 (1) NRY 14
Blackbird 15 (5) NFY 20
Song Thrush 5 () NFY 5
Reed Warbler 7 (1) NFY 8
Whitethroat 11 (13) NFY 16
Garden Warbler 11 (2) NFY 13
Blackcap 30 (9) NFY 31
Chiffchaff 15 (0) NFY 15
Willow Warbler 3 (0) NFY 3
Long Tailed Tit 2 (1) NFY 3
Blue Tit 10 (3) NFY 13
Great Tit 9 (3) NFY 11
Treecreeper 1 (0) NFY 1
Chaffinch 1 (1) NFY 2
Greenfinch 1 (0) NFY 1
Bullfinch 5 (2) NFY 7
Reed Bunting 1 (0) NFY 1
Corn Bunting 1 (1) NFY 2

Ringing list - all records first New (recapture) then 2012 records in bold (only species ringed shown):
  • Little Grebe 2 (0).
  • Great Crested Grebe 3 (0).
  • Cormorant 0 (2).
  • Mute Swan 53 (199). 2012 = New 0, Retrap 0, Total 0 (info yet to come)
  • Canada Goose 1 (0).
  • Mallard 2 (1). 2012 = New 0, Retrap 1, Total 1
  • Pochard 0 (1).
  • Sparrowhawk 10 (1).
  • Kestrel 2 (0). 2012 = New 1, Retrap 0, Total 1
  • Black Headed Gull 1 (0).
  • Woodpigeon 17 (1). 2012 = New 1, Retrap 0, Total 1
  • Collared Dove 2 (0).
  • Turtle Dove 1 (0).
  • Kingfisher 16 (2). 2012 = New 1, Retrap 0, Total 1
  • Green Woodpecker 7 (4). 2012 = New 0, Retrap 1, Total 1
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 25 (11). 2012 = New 1, Retrap 1, Total 2
  • Skylark 2 (0).
  • Sand Martin 75 (1).
  • Swallow 181 (0).
  • House Martin 11 (0).
  • Wren 596 (233). 2012 = New 26, Retrap 25, Total 51
  • Dunnock 526 (492). 2012 = New 26, Retrap 52, Total 78
  • Robin 449 (171). 2012 = New 24, Retrap 16, Total 40
  • Nightingale 11 (7).
  • Blackbird 760 (294). 2012 = New 48, Retrap 15, Total 63
  • Fieldfare 1 (0).
  • Song Thrush 236 (50). 2012 = New 10, Retrap 3, Total 13
  • Redwing 132 (1). 2012 = New 1, Retrap 0, Total 1
  • Cetti's Warbler 2 (4).
  • Grasshopper Warbler 1 (0).
  • Sedge Warbler 316 (115). 2012 = New 2, Retrap 0, Total 2
  • Reed Warbler 778 (148). 2012 = New 46, Retrap 15, Total 61
  • Lesser Whitethroat 203 (15). 2012 = New 1, Retrap 0, Total 1
  • Whitethroat 413 (77). 2012 = New 5, Retrap 5, Total 10
  • Garden Warbler 559 (110). 2012 = New 17, Retrap 5, Total 22
  • Blackcap 1698 (223). 2012 = New 111, Retrap 19, Total 130
  • Yellow Browed Warbler 1 (0).
  • Radde's Warbler 1 (0).
  • Chiffchaff 550 (109). 2012 = New 44, Retrap 11, Total 55
  • Willow Warbler 462 (81).
  • Goldcrest 110 (44). 2012 = New 10, Retrap 6, Total 16
  • Spotted Flycatcher 1 (0).
  • Long Tailed Tit 549 (422). 2012 = New 30, Retrap 34, Total 64
  • Marsh Tit 4 (1).
  • Willow Tit 3 (3).
  • Coal Tit 2 (0). 
  • Blue Tit 1460 (707). 2012 = New 64, Retrap 64, Total 128
  • Great Tit 1084 (569). 2012 = New 56, Retrap 56, Total 112
  • Treecreeper 67 (27). 2012 = New 6, Retrap 2, Total 8
  • Jay 2 (0). 2012 = New 1, Retrap 0, Total 1
  • Magpie 10 (0).
  • Carrion Crow 1 (0).
  • Starling 5 (0).
  • House Sparrow 25 (1). 2012 = New 1, Retrap 0, Total 1
  • Chaffinch 288 (35). 2012 = New 15, Retrap 4, Total 19
  • Greenfinch 560 (29). 2012 = New 7, Retrap 0, Total 7
  • Goldfinch 353 (3). 2012 = New 27, Retrap 0, Total 27
  • Siskin 1 (0).
  • Linnet 46 (0).
  • Lesser Redpoll 38 (1). 2012 = New 28, Retrap 1, Total 29
  • Bullfinch 371 (171). 2012 = New 19, Retrap 9, Total 28
  • Yellowhammer 2 (0). 2012 = New 0, Retrap 0, Total 0
  • Reed Bunting157 (14). 2012 = New 10, Retrap 1, Total 11
  • Corn Bunting 4 (0). 2012 = New 1, Retrap 0, Total 1
  • Hybrid species 4 (0).