(1) Ring number GF52963 Ringed as the younger chick in a brood of two near Llangwryfon in June 1995. It was found alive in a field, surrounded by inquisitive cattle, but died soon after. It was the male parent at a nearby nest which at the time of finding contained a single half-grown chick. The female was still in attendance and was apparently managing to find enough food for herself and the chick (the nest was climbed to and the chick weighed; there were fresh prey items on the nest). A couple of the local residents offered to keep an eye open for road casualties etc. and to put these out nearby. The chick was seen out of the nest in late June. Post-mortem examination revealed that the bird died of natural causes - a cancerous tumour and bacterial infection.
(2) Ring number GF89742. Originally ringed as the older chick in a brood of two in a nest near Llanybydder in June 1997. It was found freshly dead in the middle of the road at Drefach near Llanybydder. Post-mortem examinations revealed injuries consistent with being hit by a car.
(3) Ring number GF93488. Ringed as a chick, one of two, in a nest near Cwmystwyth in June 1999. Although both chicks were observed away from the nest this one was found dead nearby soon after. The body was too decomposed for a post-mortem examination but with little evidence to the contrary this bird is assumed to have died from natural causes.
(4) On a happier note: HT25674,. ringed and tagged (pale blue f) as a single chick (female) in a nest near Aberystwyth in 1990 was found grounded on the side of a country lane not far from where she was originally ringed on 21st July 1999. Despite having been tagged (although both tags were now missing) this was the first positive record of this bird in ten years!
She was taken to Ystwyth Vets in Aberystwyth, who after a full examination (which found nothing obviously wrong with her), transferred her to New Quay Bird Hospital that evening. By 23rd July Jean Bryant was able to report to Peter Davis that the bird was fighting fit and raring to go. Peter 'flight-tested' her in a field near the Bird Hospital and she flew strongly, circled to a great height and then planed off in the direction of where she was found!
