Maple Glory

Profile Picture and Leg Ring Combination Code

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• Blue

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:

September 2012: During the rearing phase, Maple was a very shy bird with very pale colouring and small stature. Although she initially struggled when introduced to the large final cohort, she turned into an adventurous individual and became highly active.  It took her a few days to properly settle in the Somerset release enclosure, but has now found her place in the flock and is comfortable foraging and flying with them. January 2015: As autumn turned to winter, the cranes began to flock together to look for food, which they found in plentiful supply in the form of maize left in fields from the harvest. All 48 have been spending most of their time either feeding in the maize stubble or down on Stanmoor, completely unperturbed by the surrounding floodwater.  January 2014:  2013 was quite uneventful for Maple-Glory.  The spring and summer were spent split between Aller Moor and West Sedgemoor, and as the autumn drew on, feeding was amongst the flock alolng the Stoke St. Gregory Ridge, and on Stanmoor.  With the deep and prolonged flooding of December and January, the group remained on Stanmoor which was relatively flood-free, feeding in waterlogged fields on worms.  July 2015: Apart from a few days in April 2014 spent at Slimbridge, Maple passed the spring, summer, and autumn of 2014 on the Somerset Levels and Moors as part of the non-breeding flock.  During this time Maple appeared to be forming a pair bond with Wycliffe (2012 male).  In the spring of 2015 this pair turned up at Otmoor RSPB reserve in Oxfordshire where they soon settled down and made a breeding attempt.  Sadly, the eggs were taken by a predator – probably a North American Mink - just about the time they were due to hatch.  The pair remained in Oxfordshire through June.  Both are at the age that they are due to moult, so they may remain at this wetland reserve until they have re-grown their flight feathers.  Maple is the only 2012 female to have laid eggs in the 2015 year, at 3 yrs old. February 2016: Maple and Wycliffe both returned to Somerset in the autumn and remained there all winter.  We would guess that they'll both head off to Otmoor at some point over the next few weeks for another breeeding attempt.  July 16: Returned to last year’s territory in Oxfordshire. Incubation started on 6 th April and eggs hatched on 7 th May. The chicks were predated after 17 days probably by a fox. There were no further known nesting attempts.   Nov 17:  Returned to last year’s territory in Oxfordshire.  Incubation on their first nest started in late March.  Hatch took place around 4^th May – only one chick seen  but soon after it was missing presumed predated.  No further attempts were witnessed.  The pair went into moult and were seen running from a vehicle in early June and they remained throughout the month with the unringed bird.  Maple rejoined the flock in the Autumn.    Sept 18:  Reported to be back in Oxfordshire on 14th March. Incubation on their first nest started on 29th March and hatch took place on 28th April.  Reported in early June as getting on well. However, by the 19th of June the chicks were lost – assumed predated.   Sept 2019:  Maple was observed on Whitmoor, in the Somerset Levels and Moors, with Wycliffe on 26^th January with the flock. Both were seen again in March in Somerset.  On 4^th April the pair was observed nesting at RSPB Otmoor, Oxfordshire where they bred last year. Hatch was due by 24^th April but there was no report of chicks.  Later it was reported that the pair sat for 60 days on addled eggs.  They were observed back in Somerset in late August.     2020:  Wycliffe and Maple were observed incubating at RSPB Otmoor in Oxfordshire on the 10th March and hatched one chick which was lost – presumed predated after 5 weeks. No further breeding attempt was observed.  Maple has been observed with the flock on West Sedgemoor during the Autumn.   Sept 2021:   Maple observed with an unringed bird at RSPB Otmoor, Oxfordshire on 25th March.  No further reports during the season.   She has been observed with the flock on West Sedgemoor, Somerset in September.   Autumn 2022:  Maple was observed with an unringed bird at RSPB Otmoor, Oxfordshire in February.  Incubation started on 17^th March and 2 chicks were hatched.  One chick survived to fledge.  The family have been observed on West Sedgemoor in September and October.

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Photos of Maple Glory

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