Ringing

A windy day a the Diplomatic Wadi Riffa, that resulted in only two birds being trapped, both recaptures of birds originally ringed at the wadi on 3 Frebuary - A Bluethroat and Chiffchaff, further picture in day folder Feb 23

A vast improvement in the weather this weekend, temperatures are beginning to climb. We still await the main arrival of most migrants so it was no surprise to only get 3 birds in the bag, however what was surprising were the two species of warbler trapped, Menetries's Sylvia mystacea and Barred Sylvia nisoria. The possibility is that both had wintered here, particularly the Menetries's as it was in full moult, even minus a tail. This is the reason why there is no photograph of the tail in the ringing photograph folder 16th feb 2007. We do have for both species a few previous winter records. The other species caught was a Palm Dove, which as a species is fast becoming the most numerous dove in Bahrain overtaking Collared Dove. Photographs this week by Juhani Kyyrö

Menetries's Warbler ©Juhani Kyyrö www.virtual-bird.com

Barred Warbler ©Juhani Kyyrö www.virtual-bird.com

Palm Dove ©Juhani Kyyrö www.virtual-bird.com

A misty start to a calm dry day - not many birds around but plenty of water in the desert. Many places are currently just to muddy to access so we stuck to one of our favourites the old rock quarry - the Diplomatic Wadi. Nearly all the waders had disappeared so we concentrated our efforts around the thorn thicket just north of the lake and succeeded into netting 4 species Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff (2), Bluethroat and Water Pipit. See Feb 03 2007 for further images.

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curraca

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

Bluethroat Luscinia svecica

Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta

January 30 was a Holiday here so we decided to try for the Warblers wintering in the BDF Wadi near Hamad Town, maybe if we were lucky we might even get some Hypocolius. Our first catch of the day were Crested Lark Galerida cristata, White-cheeked Bulbuls (5) Pycnonotus luecogenys, the national bird of Bahrain, followed by a rash of Lesser Whitethroats Sylvia curraca with two identified as Desert Ssp minula (P2= 7/8), an Indian Silverbill, Collared and Palm Dove. Five Hypocolius were seen feeding in the wadi but none were caught.

Crested Lark

White-cheeked Bulbul

For more images of both the two desert and the lesser Whitethroat see additional ringing project photos - 30 Jan 2007