Bombus

Profile Picture and Leg Ring Combination Code

• Yellow
• Black
• Yellow

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:

June 2013: Bombus the crane spends much of his time exploring the enclosure, and is quick to notice any unusual activity.  He is the sibling of Bop-bop.  Bombus developed his name due to his ring colours resemblance to the colours of a bee.  He was very keen to be with the older birds following release and was one of the first to go and try to integrate into the group.  He was given a good kicking of course - but stuck at it, and he is beginning to be tolerated by the older birds. January 2014: Bombus soon integrated with the older birds, spending the autumn foraging with the flock on West Sedgemoor, along the Stoke St. Gregory ridge, and the winter on splashy pasture land on Stanmoor near the village of Stoke St. Gregory. The deep and prolonged flooding that affected the Levels and Moors through the winter of 2013/14 did not seem to have had much of an effect on the new cohorts' welfare or integration. January 2015: Bombus spent all of 2014 as an integral part of the non-breeding and non-moulting flock on the Levels and Moors and towards the tail end of the year was frequently seen feeding in with a group on Southlake and Aller Moors to the west of Langport.    His radio tag has been playing up though - so he is often recorded during regular monitoring work as absent... even though he is there!   July 2015: Apart from a short trip to Slimbridge with some of his cohort in April 2015, the spring of 2015 saw Bombus remain part of the non-breeding flock on the Somerset moors, spending a lot of time on Northmoor (Aller), Northmoor near East Lyng and West Sedgemoor.  February 2016: Stowford  spent all the autumn and winter of 2015/16 on the Somerset Levels and Moors spending time in the main flock largely on Wetmoor, Aller moor, and West Sedgemoor. He has appeared to pair up with Bop Bop from the same cohort.  The onset of the Spring could see them head off to breed somewhere - watch this space! July 16: Remained in Somerset and was seen for a while with Bopbop but there is no evidence of either pairing or nest preparation this season.  Nov 17:  Observed  with Century on West Sedgemoor and at Slimbridge and also on his own in other locations during April and May.  Recently seen aften at Slimbridge.    Sept 18:  Observed with Waterwing on Kingsmoor 22nd April and both seen regularly in the area up until June but no sign of a nesting attempt.    Sept 2019:   Observed on Kingsmoor, Somerset during March 2019 with Waterwing.  Seen with Waterwing feeding together on Kingsmoor 17th May.  No sign of nesting attempts this year.    2020: Observed incubating on Kingsmoor, Somerset on 13th March with nesting possibly since 10th.  However, the birds were off the nest on 23rd March - with the attempt believed to have failed.  Bombus has been observed regularly with Waterwing amongst the flock on West Sedgemoor during the Autumn.  In December Bombus was photographed in flight with Waterwing.  His right wing showed loss of some primary feathers.  The cause is not known.     Sept 2021:  Pair observed in January and February in the Kingsmoor area, Somerset Levels and Moors.  Observed together in territory on 24th March.  Waterwing observed feeding on her own 24th April so possible incubation ongoing. Bombus observed flying back to nest 30th April.  Nest observed with 2 eggs.  2 chicks hatched c 26th May and on 2nd July chicks observed with parents. 24th July both chicks with parents and exercising their wings.  They fledged on 28th August.   Observed on West Sedgemoor, Somerset with the flock during September.   Autumn 2022:  Bombus and Waterwing remained in the Kingsmoor area, Somerset Levels and Moors during the winter.  They were confirmed to be incubating on 1st April and hatched, one possibly two, chicks but only 1 survived to fledge.  The family have been seen in September and October.                                 

Crane Champions

Photos of Bombus

← Return to the 'Meet the Cranes' page to view more cranes profiles.