Ringing

Disappointing results from our other ringing stations this month, due largely to their exposure to high winds, which have persisted almost continuously over the last few weeks, encouraged us to try a new location, the drainage ditches at Adhari. The area south and east of the village of South Sehla and west of Adhari Park is a mix of open ground, intense agricultural gardens and overgrown wetland margins, all separated by numerous deep and free flowing fresh water drainage ditches. The site hosts numerous breeding species including Little Bittern, Night Herons, Kentish Plover, Moorhen, Sparrows, Palm Doves, Collared Doves, Rufous Bush Chats, Graceful Prinia and White-cheeked Bulbuls. The ditches are also home to a sizable population of local Terrapins, frogs and fish which makes the area a magnet for egrets, herons and Kingfishers with many wintering almost exclusively at the site. Snipe and Sandpipers are common in all the ditches along with Red and Greenshank and a few small waders and the gardens full of migrant passerines. The only problem for ringing is one of site selection for the nets as the ditches are deep, with heavily vegetated margins, but as we develop our knowledge of the area in terms of ringing potential this can be overcome.