BIRD RINGING REPORT on the Umzumbe Flood Plain with Andrew Pickles, 3 April 2016


Andrew measures the Little Bittern, Liz looks on waiting to record the information (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

Eager to learn (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

A very dull day which promised rain at any moment did not deter Andrew Pickles and his crew and when we arrived at 06.15 they were already going to check the nets. Usually a dull day doesn’t bode well for a good catch but on this occasion Andrew drew a good crowd of 23 people, plus over 16 different species of birds. A total of 21 were ringed, plus 11 recaptures, several weavers were released without being ringed as there were just too many. He thought we might still get a few warblers before they migrated up north but didn’t anticipate just how many – 3 Marsh Warblers, a Great Reed Warbler, several Lesser Swamp Warblers, 2 African Reed Warblers and a lot of Little Rush Warblers. The Fan-tailed Widowbird was the old recapture, being from October 2011.

Marsh Warbler (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

Lesser Swamp Warbler (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

Little Rush Warbler (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

Great Reed Warbler (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)


African Reed Warbler (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

Little Bittern (M) (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

He was very excited with a Little Bittern and a female Red-backed Shrike, the latter not usually seen down at the coast. He was also surprised to see so many Barn Swallows still around as the ones from the Umzumbe roost left a few weeks ago and wondered if these were passing through from the Cape.