11 December 2017

A good autumn ringing trip - Jubail

We went ringing on 17 November and caught 53 birds of 11 species including Common Kingfisher, Eurasian (Caspian) Reed Warbler, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Little Bittern, Graceful Prinia, Red-spotted Bluethroat, Moustached Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Common Moorhen and House Sparrow. Common Moorhen was a new species for us at our ringing site, although birds are common in the area. We set nets in the same locations each tip with some over water and other over land in rides between reed beds. We set ten nets this trip (8 x 18 metre and 2 x 15 metre). As normal, we arrived well before first light and set the nets during the hours of dark. The best time for catching birds for us are the first couple of hours of day and this was the case this trip. We retrapped 11 birds including nine Clamorous Reed Warbler and two Red-spotted Bluethroat. The Clamorous Reed Warblers were from as early as 9 October 2015 with the Bluethroats only trapped the previous ringing trip to the site on 3 November.
Common Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
Common Moorhen
Common Moorhen
Great Reed Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Red-spotted Bluethroat
Red-spotted Bluethroat