Call to report sightings of Swift Terns with rings

This message from the University of Cape Town.

We are a team from the University of Cape Town studying the southern African population of Swift Terns. During April 2013, we ringed 500 chicks on Robben Island with inscribed color-rings and metal rings in order to better understand their dispersal and changes in population numbers. With your help, we will be able to estimate survival, dispersal and movement patterns in this species. Any reports of color-ringed Swift Terns (dead or alive) are crucial to this program and to the conservation of seabirds. If you are willing to help, please reply or report any ringed bird to our team at: swift.terns@ gmail.com
 

Outing report- 7th April 2013 Bird ringing Umzumbe Floodplain

(Photo Andy Ruffle)

 

Attendees: Liz Blomeyer, Stan & Val Culley, Eric Kok, Vaughan Merrick, Herbie & Jeanette Osborne, Andy Ruffle (8 attendees)

 

We had perfect weather conditions for this morning's ringing session on the floodplain with Andrew & Ivan Pickles.

First out of the bag was a Natal Spurfowl. This is a bird which we may tend to regard as just brown and indistinct. But when you get to see them closely, you appreciate just how beautiful they are. The markings are stunning.

Two-headed Trumpeter Hornbill

The photo below, sent out as an email attachment by Andy Ruffle on 1st April, certainly caused a stir amongst some recipients. The photo shows a Trumpeter Hornbill apparently with two heads and was ofcourse an April Fool joke.

Photo sent out by Andy Ruffle showing a
bicephalic specimen of Trumpeter Hornbill

And the original photo below, which was doctored using 'FastStone Image Processing'.



Kloof, 09th September 2011
(Photo Margie Williamson)

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythrorhynchus




(Photo Doug Butcher)

Cape Bulbul

Pycnonotus capensis

Western Cape 7th Oct 2011
(Photo Ron Whitham)

Chukar Partridge

Alectoris chukar

Robben Island 13th Oct 2011
(Photo Ron Whitham)

Robben Island 13th Oct 2011
(Photo Ron Whitham)