Welcome to the blog!

After more than 6 months of not being able to update my blog, I have finally found some spare time in which I can start to add updates. Many of you birders and ringers out there, have probably browsed through my blog once before and thought that it was slightly boring. However, now that I have a bit of spare time on my hands, I intend to get it up to scratch once again! A bit about myself - I have been training to ring birds for 2 years now under my trainer; Brian Hopkins. Recently, it has been rather difficult to find time to get out ringing since I moved to Bangor University and due to changing trainers.

When I lived back in Ormskirk, I was training under Brian Hopkins for almost 2 years and on the occasional visit when Brian was otherwise engaged, I was able to tag along with Dave Fletcher to Meresands wood near Rufford. This was the usual site where I undertook most of my training. I would just like to say thank you ever so much for being my trainer for those 2 years Brian and thanks ever so much for everything you taught me; it has certainly paid off now! Huge thanks to Dave Fletcher as well, for teaching me all about ringing and all the aspects I needed to know for the future.

In September 2009, I began my 3 year BSc Environmental Conservation Degree at Bangor University and kicked it off with Fresher's week! During this time, it was getting to know everyone, having several inductions and lots of drinking most nights. What a ball, that's all I shall say. Since then, my life has changed significantly! I am now currently training with Steve Dodd, alongside his wife, Rachel Taylor. When I moved to Bangor, the change between my old trainer Brian, to Steve, was done well in advance so to guarantee my training whilst I was in Bangor. Since then, my ringing has been great as always and my knowledge on ageing birds is for ever increasing. In the summer of 2009, most of the ageing techniques that I had learnt and perfected, had been forgotten, so it was good to get back into the swing of things soon after! I shall now give you an idea of the sorts of ringing I did before I moved to Bangor.