One in ten million? Incredible story of how the same bird was found after 14 years and 300,000 miles of flying

Back in 1996 Nicholas Watts, the owner of Vine House Farm bird foods and life-long campaigner for wildlife friendly farming, did something he often did: put a ring on a young Common Tern chick nesting on his farm so it could be identified in the future. Little did he know all those years back that the very same bird would, incredibly and after flying perhaps 300,000 miles over 14 years, be found by his wife. Nicholas takes up the story

One day in June this year my wife found a dead bird on Hunstanton beach with a ring on its leg. She wasnt sure of the species but without saying anything to me she sent the ring number to the address on the ring. Last week she received a letter from the British Trust for Ornithology saying that the bird was a Common Tern ringed in Baston Fen as a nestling in June 1996 by Nicholas Watts myself!! What a coincidence and surely a chance in ten million.

Just think how far this bird will have travelled in those 14 years. Each year it has probably wintered in West Africa or even further south travelling a journey of at least 4000 miles each way, a total of over 100,000 miles in a straight line. However, seeing as they catch their food by flying over water and so follow the coastline, that could be trebled to 300,000 miles!

So an incredible story and a just one, too, as what better man could the bird return to than someone whos spent his life dedicated to conserving wildlife and showing the way on wildlife-friendly farming.

Nicholas Watts was awarded an MBE in 2006 for his wildlife conservation work and wildlifefriendly management of his farm.

Vine House Farm grows its own bird food which can purchased from Vine House Farm bird foods.

For more information contact Vine House Farm on 01775 630208 or visit www.vinehousefarm.co.uk