Ringing

2110 birds have been ringed including 90 retraps since the project began in August 2005. There has only been one recovery to date which was killed by a shrike in the nets. While this is a little disappointing it is not surprising given that the birds are coming from areas where ringing is not practiced and going down the east coast of Africa which is again under recorded.

2007 was our best year yet with 1410 birds ringed including 78 retraps. 300 of these were caught in April by Juan Carlos, a visiting ringer from Spain. JC ringed every day for four weeks. He established permanent net sites and helped us develop a ringing station in Badaan farm. Ringing at the same sites continued after he left and data on summer breeders including Olivaceous warblers, rufous bush robins and graceful prinias was gathered for the first time.

911 of the 1410 birds ringed in 2007 were trapped in Badaan which brings the total number of ringed (retrapped) birds at the farm to 1171. We now concentrate our efforts there.

630 birds were ringed in 2006 (260 in Badaan) and 71 birds in 2005 (0 in Badaan).

The number of terns ringed has now risen to 358 (90 in 2006 and 268 in 2007). Pulli of white-cheeked (50) and lesser-crested terns (40) were ringed in 2006. In 2007 we took 2 boat trips north to Jarrim islands and ringed 129 white-cheeked, 170 lesser-crested and 69 bridled tern pulli. These trips will be a part of the ringing year for the foreseeable future.

We have come a long way from ringing sparrows in the garden in 2005. We are already excited at the prospects for 2008.

To view a full summary of numbers and species ringed click HERE