ONE of the longest running programmes of bird species monitoring in the UK is continuing near Okehampton on Dartmoor with the help of the National Park Authority.

The pied flycatcher is a migratory bird species, spending the winters in sub-Saharan Africa and coming here to breed in summer. It prefers western oak woodlands, where it nests in tree holes, but also readily takes up breeding in nest boxes.

In woodland near Okehampton the fate of the pied flycatcher has been monitored ever since they bred in next boxes in 1974, and thousands have been ringed. Their movements have been followed and their life span calculated.

The bird is fairly site-faithful so is quite likely to return. By visiting the site year-on-year it is possible to calculate the return date from Africa and survival rates and longevity of the species.

Late May and early June is a busy time for the nest box monitoring. Weekly visits are carried out and the progress of a breeding pair followed. The adult pair and brood are also ringed as part of the British Trust for Ornithology bird ringing scheme.