Last
weekend we caught twenty birds in our regular morning ringing session that was
a slight improvement on previous weeks. Most birds were warblers but we also
caught five Little Bitterns, the highest number of this species we have caught
in a single session. We caught a male, female and three juveniles in two
different distant nets. We also caught a surprise in the form of a Barn
Swallow. Although a few birds were flying around they very rarely come low
enough to be caught in the net without playing calls and I do not have
permission to do this so this was the first time we have caught the species in
Saudi Arabia. We also caught another Common Kingfisher, a species that we are
now starting to catch quite regularly. Other birds trapped included a Graceful
Prinia, a single Bluethroat and a couple of House Sparrows. We ring all the House
Sparrows we catch as they are not that common at the site and we would like to
know where they go and how long they stay at the location before moving off.
 |
| Little Bittern |
 |
| Barn Swallow - juvenile |
 |
| Barn Swallow - juvenile |
 |
| Bluethroat |
 |
| Common Kingfisher |
 |
| Graceful Prinia |
 |
| Graceful Prinia |
 |
| House Sparrow - female |
 |
| House Sparrow - male |
