Ringing at Jasaer – Bahrain

I stayed in Bahrain for the full day so went ringing with Brendan and Nicole again in the afternoon to a new site for me at Jasaer, Here we met up with Abdulla so had the entire Bahrain ringing group together in a single site. Abdulla had up a single net and had just caught a Barred Warbler which he let me ring as this was a new ringing species for me. Nicole ringed the one we caught at Alba Marsh as she had not ringed one either. Jasaer is an area of tallish trees and scrub with nice rides to set the nets up in. Whilst I was ringing the Barred Warbler Brendan and Nicole set up three more nets to see what we could catch.

Barred Warbler

Barred Warbler

Just after we arrived the weather changed and the wind got up and it looked like it might start raining. After an hour it was obvious it would start raining so Abdulla and Nicole started taking down the nets and I carried on ringing under the supervision of Brendan or Abdulla. We caught 12 birds, two Barred Wablers, one Eurasian Blackcap, five Willow Warblers, two Common Chiffchaffs, one Willow Warbler and a Common Redstart. The Common Redstart was a re-trap and had been ringed by Brendan at the same site four days previously. I just managed to ring the last bird before the weather turned to rain and as can be seen from some of the photos it was almost dark and I had to use a flash to take photographs. This was at 17:00 hrs in the afternoon a time when it should have been full daylight and sunny but due to the storm this was not the case.

Common Redstart (male)

Common Redstart (male)

Common Redstart (male)

Eurasian Blackcap (male)

Eurasian Blackcap (male)

Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

All in all a very enjoyable days ringing with 51 birds caught of which I ringed 33 birds and two new ringing species – Red-throated Pipit and Barred Warbler.

Ringing at Alba Marsh – Bahrain

A very early start to take advantage of the morning activity period was done on Friday morning and we arrived at Alba Marsh just after first light. We set up three 18 metre four panel nets and a 12 metre four panel net. Bird activity looked reasonable as we set up the nets and a large movement of Swifts, Swallows and Martins was progressing. The first bird caught was a new ringing species for me in the form of a Red-throated Pipit in summer plumage.

Red-throated Pipit

Red-throated Pipit

Red-throated Pipit


We had quite a successful morning for us and caught 39 birds including five Red-throated Pipits, 11 Willow Warblers, 12 House Sparrows, six Clamorous Reed Warblers, one Graceful Prinia, one Yellow Wagtail, one Daurian Shrike, one Turkestan Shrike and one Barred Warbler. There were two re-traps, both of which were Clamorous Reed Warblers one of which was ringed at the same site and the other, with a BTO ring, from elsewhere which I will report on when we find out the data.


Barred Warbler (young male)



Barred Warbler (young male)

Clamorous Reed Warblers (two males)

Clamorous Reed Warbler (male)

Yellow Wagtail (female flave type)

 

Yellow Wagtail (female flave type)

Willow Warbler



Since the last visit to Alba Marsh three weeks ago the Bluethroats and Water Pipits have moved out but large numbers of Red-throated Pipits have moved in. Willow Warblers have now replaced Common Chiffchaffs which is normal for this time of year with Willow Warbler being a later migrant through the region. An adult male Little Bittern was flushed on three occasions from the wet areas but did not go into the net and a number of breeding Black-winged Stilts were present making a lot of noise protecting their nest and young.