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Soar

Profile Picture and Leg Ring Combination Code

Soar
  • Red
  • Yellow
  • Black

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.

  • Sex: Male
  • Date of Hatching (birthday): 24 April, 2014
  • Date of Release: 25 August, 2014
  • Tracking Tag: Radio tracking
  • Status: 2016: No nesting attempts. 2017: No nesting attempts. 2018: Not paired. 2019: Paired up but no known breeding attempt. 2020: Paired up - possible breeding attempt. 2021: One successful breeding attempt, raising 1 chick to fledge. 2022: One successful breeding attempt, raising 2 chicks to fledge.
  • Life Status: Alive
  • Champion Status: Championed
  • Paired with: Cherry

Character profile:

January 2015: Red Yellow Black (Soar) is big, pale in colour and pretty chilled out, as cranes go.  He has no siblings and enjoys foraging with the other birds. At release, he has a a light, gingery head and very dark bill, giving him a very distinctive appearance. He is one of the more dominant of the cranes this year. Soar has been named and championed by Somerset Art Works (SAW).  He has remained a close-knit part of the group and seems to be thriving during his first winter. July 2015: Soar has spent the spring and summer mainly feeding on Nortmoor (Aller) and Northmoor near East Lyng, and roosting most of the time on West Sedgemoor.  The whole non-breeding flock appear to be thriving on the Levels and Moors this year. February 2016: Soar spent a rather unremarkable  autumn and winter of 2015/16 on the Somerset Levels and Moors spending time in a flock that fed on the whole across Wetmoor, Aller moor, and West Sedgemoor. He is likely to remain as part of the non-breeding flock through the coming Spring and Summer.  July16: Remained in Somerset and was seen mating with Chip but since they are both only 2 years old they are not ready to breed so there was no nesting attempt. Like all the other birds of their year they have been in Somerset as far as can be ascertained but difficult to find and identify during the breeding season.  Nov 17: Remained in Somerset throughout the year with no sign of pairing up.   Sept 18:    Soar remained in Somerset but made no nesting attempt.  He was observed in late August on Aller moor.  Sept 2019: On 26th January Soar was observed on Whitmoor, Somerset, with the main wintering flock.  On 25th July he was observed with Margaret in Hambridge area of West Sedgemoor and acting as a pair.  No further evidence of breeding attempts.  Soar was observed with Margaret on Aller moor in late August and appear to be still paired.    2020:    Soar and Cherry were observed (photographed) mating and bonding on Walton moor on 27th March.  There is no evidence of a breeding attempt, but it is possible.   The pair have been observed regularly with the flock on West Sedgemoor during the Autumn.  Sept 2021:     Soar was observed on West Sedgemoor, Somerset and Whitmoor, Somerset Levels and Moors from January to March with Cherry.  Seen nestbuilding at RSPB Greylake c20th March and incubation confirmed c 19th April.   Hatch due by 25th May but some doubt about the presence of chicks. Observed to have 1 chick during June and July.  The chick was successfully ringed on 16thJuly and fledged soon after.  Family observed together with flock on West Sedgemoor, Somerset in September.   Autumn 2022:  Soar and Cherry returned to Greylake to breed and incubation was confirmed on 15th April.  On 16th May they hatched two chicks which they reared to fledge and are now seen regularly together at Greylake and on West Sedgemoor, Somerset Levels and Moors.

 

 

 

 

Crane Champions

  • Somerset Art Works

Photos of Soar

  • Red Yellow Black - 2nd July 2014
  • Red Yellow Black - 2nd July 2014
  • Red Yellow Black - 12th June 2014
  • Red Yellow Black - 12th May 2014
  • Red Yellow Black - Egg
  • Red Yellow Black - 16th Aug 2014
  • Red Yellow Black - 16th Aug 2014
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