Birds of Saudi Arabia: Very Windy - Ringing at Alba Marshes

06 December 2011

Very Windy - Ringing at Alba Marshes

Weather conditions were not really conducive to ringing this weekend, but the sheltered nature of at Alba Marshes allowed us to at least put up some nets. Brendan and I erected two 18 meter, four panel, nets in the main reed bed and four, single or double panel, nets of various lengths in the low Tamarisk scrub and wet pool area with scattered reeds. These low nets were not really hampered by the wind but the large nets were not looking so good. In the end we caught nine birds, One Daurian Shrike, one Bluethroat, two Clamorous Reed Warblers and five Little Stints. I extracted a Little Stint and Clamorous Reed Warbler with Brendan looking on and putting up and taking down the nets in less than ideal conditions was also good practice. All the nets caught at least one bird in the end. The site itself also had at least three Jack Snipes, one Western Great Egret, 10+ Bluethroats, 15+ Water Pipits and 15+ Black-crowned Night Herons. Abdulla and Mubarak came to help with Abdulla ringing a Little stint, which was a new species for him as well as the Daurian Shrike. I ringed one Bluethroat, one Clamorous Reed Warbler and four Little Stints and processed two re-traps that I will add details of tomorrow when I have more time. As can be seen from the photographs of the Clamorous Reed Warbler, it was in heavy tail moult.