Most of you will be aware of the work that Professor Collinson’s genetics laboratory team does to genetically identify birds from fragments of their tissues and remains. This can support the BTO Ringing Scheme and Bird Observatories in their studies of bird migration for conservation. They also participate in wildlife crime cases and identify bird strikes on aeroplanes.
Some of their recent achievements include confirmation of twelve firsts for Britain or other European Countries in his lab. These include the Western Palaearctic’s first Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, first Audubon’s Shearwater, first Short-tailed Shearwater, Britain’s first Stejneger’s Stonechat (and all the subsequent ones), first Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Eastern Grasshopper Warbler, Rough-legged Hawk, as well as many other major rarities and odd subspecies. They have also worked closely with museums to sort out old specimens in their collections, such as the Liberian Greenbul and the Canary Islands Oystercatcher.
In Lincolnshire, some recent requests for help with county oddities have included analyses on material from an Eastern Subalpine Warbler at GPBO (April 2019), the East Halton gull (winter/spring 2022) and not forgetting the Snowy Owl pellets (Wainfleet marsh, 2018). There may be a few others that I have forgotten). This will continue to develop and be an important part of modern avian taxonomy. In order to make this ongoing project sustainable and allow them to make a conservation and science impact into the future, they decided to start a crowd-funding appeal to keep the laboratory going.
After discussions at a recent LBC committee meeting, it was agreed that the club donate £250 to this worthy cause. Professor Collinson and team replied as follows:
Thank you for your generous donation. This will assist the University of Aberdeen in continuing to be a centre of excellence in learning and research. The impact of this generosity is witnessed every day through the support you are giving current students, and the exciting new world-class facilities we are creating to match our academic ambitions. If you would like any further information please contact the University of Aberdeen Development Trust at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The club is pleased to support initiatives such as this and hopes that Professor Collinson and team continue to uncover more birding conundrums in the future including maybe the mysterious “Marston” Warbler…….
The “Marston” Warbler – a Lincolnshire and UK first?
A presumed Marsh x Sedge Warbler hybrid – Marston STW, Lincolnshire. 06-09-2022 © Alan Ball
The ‘mystery’ warbler was caught in a 40’ mist net over water in the reed bed at Marston on 7th September 2022, during a few good days when a Spotted Crake was seen in the same net ride a few days earlier, and a Red-backed Shrike caught just a few metres away on 5th September!
A FULL article will appear in the next eNewsletter or maybe the LBR… However, a shed tail feather was saved and has been sent to Martin Collinson at Aberdeen University, for DNA testing, so hopefully we will find out in due course exactly what this bird was.
