Tamsin

Profile Picture and Leg Ring Combination Code

• Red
• Black
• Red

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: At one time Tamsin was one of the smallest and slowest growing of the birds, but has caught up now. However, although she was small she was always very feisty and had a big appetite.  She is an attractive, good natured and medium ranking bird and is Ruby’s sister. September 2010: Tamsin had the weakest flight at first and it took her a while to fly with confidence. Now she has no problem keeping up with the others and has formed a loose association both with Clarence's and more recently Minnie's Cohorts. October 2010: She has now joined the 'three amigos' group along with white/black. This group is often seen the farthest away from the release enclosure and also acts the most wild, being quite flighty if anything seems it may cause them danger. November 2010: In recent weeks the cranes have all joined forces with Clarence’s group and are now usually moving as a group of 20. They have found new fields to explore and are often found foraging on maize stubbles, Tamsin's new favourite food!  Tamsin has stopped hanging around with the three amigos now and is making other new friends in the group such as Michaela and Squidgy. November 2010 – update: Tamsin was recovered on Sunday 15th November, having had some kind of injury to her wing - we think most likely caused by collision with an object such as a fence. She is currently in a recuperation facility undergoing treatment and we hope to re-release her to join the flock towards the end of November.  December 2010: Tamsin was released just before dawn on Nov 30th after 15 days recuperation, and is now fighting fit and fully over her injury.  We will be monitoring her closely over the coming days as she reintegrates into the group. December 2010 - update:  Tamsin rejoined the main flock after a week and is currently showing signs of a full recovery, joining the group on their daily excursions from the roost to suitable feeding habitat nearby.  Great news! January 2011: Tamsin has fully reintegrated into the flock and has been keeping her head down through the bitter December weather.  She seems to be flying without any impairment and is doing really well. March 2011:  Since rejoining the rest of the flock, Tamsin has had no other problems and is travelling around and feeding with the group. September 2011:  Tamsin now has no sign of her original injury, and is a completely fit, healthy and beautiful crane.  She has developed most of her adult plumage including her bustle, made up of extended wing tertial feathers, and her stunning black, white and red head and neck plumage. January 2013: Nothing particular to note for the year, with Tamsin spending all of her time mooching about the Levels and Moors.  However - She was part of the group of 11 birds that took a flight up the River Severn to Slimbridge in early June 2012 - heading back to Somerset a couple of days later. April 2013: Tamsin remained in Somerset, and doesn't yet appear to be paired with any particular bird.  July 2013: Tamsin underwent a full feather moult down on the Moors and became a very shy and elusive character for a while.  She is now back with the group and has a fine new set of wings to cruise the moors with.  January 2014: She remained in Somerset through the winter with the main flock.  We hope she will find a partner this year.  Watch this space. July 2014:  Tamsin appeared to pair up with Timmy-Clef from the 2011 cohort in early March and the pair were seen frequently on Westmoor and also West Sedgemoor.  No breeding attempts were observed this spring however, and in mid May Tamsin was identified flying over Cardiff along with Chocolo and a third unidentified bird.   A couple of days later the same three birds were then seen roosting on a wetland area near Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan. She was recorded back on West Sedgemoor in July as part of a small flock that includes Timmy... so perhaps their bond has survived, or perhaps she is forming a bond with Chocolo?  July 2015: Tamsin was part of the wintering flock in Somerset over the winter of 2014/15 but by March 2015 had gone ‘off the radar’.  Her whereabouts are currently unknown – but so are Chocolo’s and it is possible that these two birds have made a breeding attempt somewhere... but where!! February 2016: Tamsin turned up on the Somerset Levels in October 2015 - having not been seen for 6 months... along with Chocolo.   Sadly, they didn't also have a chick or chicks with them - so if they had made a breeding attempt somewhere - it had failed.  The two birds remained throughout the winter of 2015/16.  We are watching them closely - perhaps 2016 will be their year! July 16: Seen with Chocolo as a pair on West Sedgemoor in January and turned up at Slimbridge in late March. In April they were seen on West Sedgemoor then later were identified to the west of Cardiff in South Wales, where they were reported to have remained all Spring and into Summer. It is not known if nesting took place or eggs were laid, and when observed in late June there were no chicks present. Nov 2017 The pair were observed on a site west of Cardiff where they had been in 2016 in mid March but were then observed at Slimbridge at the beginning of April.   2 cranes were  reported near the Cardiff site -  possibly Tamsin & Chocolo later in April.   Both Tamsin & Chocolo  were seen back with the flock on West Sedgemoor, Somerset  at the end of April.   In June the pair were back at the Cardiff site  but no sign of breeding and they were still there in early July.  They returned to the flock in Somerset in September. Sept 18:  Reported to be back in S Wales with Chocolo in late February but seen later in Somerset during Feb re-sighting. Seen at WWT Slimbridge 16th April.  On 7th June observed sitting on a nest west of Cardiff, South Wales - incubation started c. 21st May.  Photos reveal one chick about a week old on 26th June - hatched c 21st June. Chick lost before early August.   Sept 2019:  Observed on Whitmoor, Somerset in January and February with Chocolo and flock.  In April Tamsin was observed west of Cardiff without Chocolo and having sustained a serious injury to her right leg the foot of which is missing. Mandi (M&D 2017 juvenile) was with her.  No further sightings were received until 28th August when she was observed on Aller moor in Somerset with the flock.  She has received some bullying form other birds but otherwise getting on pretty well despite the loss of her foot.  2020:  Tamsin was observed with Timmy on West Sedgemoor on 17th March and again in mid July.  No evidence of a breeding attempt. Tamsin has been observed with the flock during the Autumn.  She seems to be surviving well despite her missing foot.         Sept 2021:   Tamsin was observed on West Sedgemoor, Somerset from January to  March with an unringed mate but no breeding attempt was observed.   The pair were seen with the flock on West Sedgemoor in September.    Autumn 2022:  Tamsin was last observed on Whitmoor, Somerset in March but has not been seen so far this Autumn.  There is no evidence of a breeding attempt.                      

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Photos of Tamsin

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