- Joined
- Aug 7, 2001
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I think this one's been mentioned before:
Bird is off on third winter break
The trips between Norfolk to Devon have amazed ornithologists
An adventurous bird which has amazed ornithologists by flying hundreds of miles between two gardens has arrived in Devon for its winter break.
The blackbird - identified as CL98725 - has travelled nearly 300 miles from Thetford, Norfolk, to Newton Abbot, south Devon, for the third time.
The British Trust for Ornithology said only 3% of East Anglian blackbirds go out of the area, then only a few miles.
The bird's journeys have been recorded because it was ringed in July 2003.
It was seen by John Kew in Thetford in September of that year, and was spotted in Newton Abbot by Robin Woods, 68, on Boxing Day.
The bird became a daily visitor for food to the garden of his home on the outskirts of the town.
On the third trip the bird this year it was again spotted by Mr Kew in his Thetford garden on 3 March and remained there until 22 October.
By 17 November - more than a month earlier than usual - it was back in Newton Abbot.
A BTO spokesman said: "Its trips between Norfolk and Newton Abbot are becoming the stuff of local legend and it really does go to show that we still have a lot to learn about even our commonest birds."
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CL98725's travels
Ringed 5 July 2003 as a young bird
Colour-ringed on 20 September 2003
Last seen in Thetford on 30 September 2003
Turned up in Newton Abbot on 26 December 2003
Seen regularly in the garden until 14 February 2004
Back in Thetford 29 May 2004
Resighted in Newton Abbot 26 December 2004
Last seen in Newton Abbot on 15 February 2005
Turned up in Thetford on 3 March 2005
Turned up in Newton Abbot on 17 November 2005
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4478746.stm