Outing report- 16th June 2013 Bird ringing Umzumbe Floodplain

An old railway route provides the site for today's ringing
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

Attendees: Liz Blomeyer, Stan & Val Culley, Frans & Lana du Plooy, Eric Kok, Andy Ruffle, Ron Whitham. (8 attendees).

Andrew P decided to slot in this extra ringing session over the long weekend, to test out an old site on the floodplain which has once again become accessible.
The fascinating part of attending these ringing sessions is the possibility of a surprise. Today was no exception.

African Pygmy-Kingfisher
which shouldn't really be here in June
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

According to Roberts Online, the African Pygmy-Kingfisher is a summer migrant which usually departs for it's wintering grounds in East Africa by mid May at the latest. So it was interesting when the specimen above landed in the nets.This is another piece of data that could influence the re-writing of the field guides. There have been previous records of wintering birds in KZN, but whether they were this far south needs to be determined.

Close up view of a Red-eyed Dove
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

 

and the red eye
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

There were three re-captures today: 1x Tawny-flanked Prinia; 1x Spectacled Weaver and 1x Yellow Weaver. 

Birds ringed: 2x Dark-capped Bulbul; 1x Cape Robin-chat; 3x Yellow Weaver; 2x Spectacled Weaver; 1x Village Weaver; 1x Cape White-eye; 2x African Stonechat (M+F); 1x Red-collard Widowbird; 1x Red-eyed Dove; 2x Olive Sunbird; 1x African Pygmy-Kingfisher.