Monty

Profile Picture and Leg Ring Combination Code

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What is this?

Each crane has a unique combination of 3 coloured rings on their right leg. This marking code helps to identify the crane in the wild.

Character profile:

Summer 2010:   Monty was a nervous bird to begin with and was very reliant on his parents and was at one time the noisiest bird and really didn’t like to be left alone.  He is fairly low ranking although recently has shown aggression towards others. He is the brother of Mennis. September 2010: Monty has formed a close bond with Regina and Sedge and these three birds (The Three Amigos) are often found together and apart from all the other cranes.  This group of three started roosting in an alternative roosting pool outside of the release enclosure towards the end of September.  All three interact very little with the other cranes. October 2010: Monty is one of the original three amigo's which have now become the five amigos. These form a really independent far-ranging group who have always been the first to exploit new resources.  November 2010: Monty and his group, led by Sedge, have recently joined Clarence’s group and all 20 birds are usually seen flying and foraging everywhere together.  November 2010: In the last few days the 3 amigos were alone again, flying around finding new decoys we had put out. They found the maize stubbles for the rest of the cranes and since then it has become the favourite food for the group! Sedge is now sticking with Clarence’s group again, leaving Regina and Monty to fly around as a duo. Regina seems to have taken the lead for the group now instead of Sedge! January 2011:  Monty has just been one of the flock during the coldest December on record, with the three amigo's gang a thing of the past.  He has been keeping his head down and getting on with it - a wise course of action during such a difficult winter. March 2011:  As throughout the winter, Monty has remained very much one of the group. Now that spring has begun to start in earnest, we are waiting to see if he heads off with the three amigos to explore pastures new.  April 2011: Monty looked  absolutely delighted to receive his first ever Birthday Card from Class 6T of Monteclefe Primary School (now the King Ina Academy)  - thanks folks!!!! September 2011: Monty has now developed most of his adult plumage, and has turned into a stunning crane.  He and the other two amigos have been staying together with the other older cranes in a flock of 18, and has been socialising well with the new arrivals of 2011. June 2012: Monty and three other cranes (Ruby, Sedge and Beatrice) flew up to Slimbridge in Mid May. Monty was seen to behave quite independently of the other three when there... perhaps his 2-year old bond with Sedge  - he was once part of the inseparable '3 amigos' - is no more.    They then headed back to Somerset in the last week of the May.  Monty then returned to Slimbridge shortly after with Ruby, Sedge and Chris.  December 2012: Having spent all summer at Slimbridge, Monty returned to the Levels and Moors along with Ruby, Sedge, and Chris on Dec 13th. January 2013: Monty headed back up to Slimbridge on Jan 28th along with Ruby, Sedge and Chris. April/May 2013: Monty was observed mating with Chris, and nest-building from one of the Slimbridge hides along with Ruby and Sedge - who were later chased away.  Monty was also observed mating with Ruby.  Monty seemed to finally settle on Chris as his partner, but the pair abandoned their initial nest.  In late April, however, a new nest and egg were seen in another part of the Slimbridge site, and the pair started to incubate.  The egg is due to hatch around the end of May. June 2013 Monty and Chris' egg is believed to have hatched around 26th May - but the chick sadly died a day or two later with the pair abandoning the nest by the end of the month. This is the first egg to hatch from any bird released by the project – and a huge step forward.  Well done Chris and Monty! July 2013: Monty and Chris both flew back to the Levels and Moors in early July where Monty went on the moult.  During his moulting period, Chris hung around near him keeping an eye out for danger.  January 2014: Monty and Chris headed back to Slimbridge following his moult and soon began pair-bonding, and exploring possible nest sites.  It seems likely that this pair will make another breeding attempt at Slimbridge in 2014. July 2014:  Monty’s partnership with Chris seemed even stronger this year, and the pair soon established a territory at Slimbridge, with incubation observed from April 17th.  The pair carried out a successful incubation with 2 chicks seen on 18th May.   Sadly both chicks didn’t make it to fledging – one being lost at 5 days old, and the second at 18 days. No specific predation event was observed, but there is loss is most likely due to a predator such as a fox.   In July, Chris disappeared as she went into moult. During this period Monty appeared to form a pair bond with Sedge, and has been also observed fighting with Minnie – a rival male.  In July, Monty and Sedge were seen mating at WWT Slimbridge.  July 2015: Monty didn’t make a serious breeding attempt in spring 2015.  He appeared to be paired with Chris and remained at WWT Slimbridge throughout the spring and summer. However four birds – Monty,  plus Chris, Willow and Sedge seemed to be occupying the same territory without antagonism and only tentative nest-building activity was witnessed.   Perhaps 2015 was a year off? February 2016: Monty remained at Slimbridge all winter. It will be interesting to see if he remains paired to Chris to whether he finds a new partner this coming Spring.  July 2016: Remained at Slimbridge through the winter and spring.  Paired with Sedge and made a short-lived attempt with one egg, laid in the Rushy Pen area which was abandoned after 1 day.  A second attempt was made in early May with two eggs. One was infertile the other hatched on 2nd  June and was reared by the parents but died of liver and lung disease after 14 days.  July 2017: Remained at Slimbridge through the winter and spring.  In March paired with Chip who had chased Sedge off but despite a mating no nesting attempt was made.  Later in the season Sedge appeared to be back again but no nesting attempt. Monty has remained at Slimbridge. :   Sept 2018:   Remained at WWT Slimbridge through the winter and spring.  Observed nest building on Rushy Pen on  20th April and laid first egg on 29th April.  Reported having two eggs on 2nd May.   Hatching took place 30th May.  The juvenile didn’t thrive, however, and was found to be sickly and had to be put down  on 6th August.   :  Remained at WWT Slimbridge through the winter and spring of 2019.  In April Monty seemed once again to have changed partners and was observed with Evie.  In mid-May he was still being seen with Evie but there was no sign of a breeding attempt.      :  Remained at WWT Slimbridge through the winter and spring of 2019.  In April Monty seemed once again to have changed partners and was observed with Evie.  In mid-May he was still being seen with Evie but there was no sign of a breeding attempt.      Sept 2019:Remained at WWT Slimbridge through the winter and spring of 2019.  In April Monty seemed once again to have changed partners and was observed with Evie.  In mid-May he was still being seen with Evie but there was no sign of a breeding attempt.   Sept 2020:  Monty was not observed during the breeding season on his previous territory at WWT Slimbridge and there was no evidence of a breeding attempt elsewhere.  Covid-19 restrictions made monitoring difficult but he was observed with the flock in November.  Sept 2021:  Monty and Evie were observed to make one breeding attempt at WWT Slimbridge where Evie laid one egg without first building a nest.  The egg was predated by corvids and no further attempt was made.  Both birds have been observed at Slimbridge in September.    Autumn 2022:  Monty and Evie were observed to make one breeding attempt at WWT Slimbridge in May. 1 perhaps 2 eggs were laid but the pair later abandoned the nest.  No further attempts were recorded.   Both birds have been observed at Slimbridge in September.                  

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