Ringing

After wasting last weekend due to bad weather trying to access the islands of Jarim north of Manama we finally made a successful trip ringing 514 Lesser Crested Terns

the team

Brendan

the Chicks

Todays visit to the southern sector of the island proved more productive than expected. We surveyed several of the soft sandy valleys which contained broom shrubs and counted 24 occupied turtle dove nests and about 20 empty nests some with evidence of successful fledging. We managed to ring 5 chicks but most of the nests contain eggs. Probably second broods so the weeks ahead should see us ringing many more chicks, inshalla.

Over the weekend Abdulla got word of breeding turtle doves in the southern part of the island. He managed to get down there on Tuesday and discovered 4 active nests, two with 2 eggs each and two with 2 chicks each. He managed to ring one of the oldest chicks in one nest. The second bird scrambled in the thick of the desert broom,Leptadenia pyrotechnica, bush in which the nest was built. This is the first confirmed record of breeding turtle doves in a long time. We hope to return to the site over this weekend to ring the younger chicks.

With the migration over we are now turning our attention to terns and Kentish Plover. Little terns are almost finished breeding but White-cheeked and Saunders' are just laying now. Plans are afoot to visit Al Jarrim islands on 18th June, Sheik Ebrahim island on the 25th June and hopefully to get access to Muntalla on the south west of the island again soon.
The best news this month however is Abdulla getting his C licence. He is the first in Bahrain and the middle east to get qualified under the British Trust for Ornithology ringing scheme and I expect he will advance to an A licence next year. Congratulations Abdulla!!!

We have been watching Pallid Harriers at Alifarm for the past few weeks. Two weeks ago I spotted one going to roost in the high grass and Abdulla, armed with the landing net, managed to bag it. Then yesterday evening while attempting to trap a sparrowhawk, the juvenile Pallid Harrier below got caught instead. A first for both Abdulla and myself.

Please excuse the rice bag!

The breeding season of palm doves is well underway and others including graceful prinia and crested larks are laying. When I came in for lunch today, the bird below was resting on my window. Before it appeared I heard what I thought was a warbler contact call. However as I watched this guy he called. It was him and not a warbler. Needless to say he now has a ring!!

We opened two 60ft nets for a few hours and only caught one bird. However it was the first of the migration season and is Abdulla's favourite warbler. A female Blackcap!