Gambia 12th - 23rd December

Finally got round to sorting my photos of my first experience of ringing abroad which was literally quite amazing.  I was lucky enough to get a place on the third ringing expedition to the Kartong area of The Gambia along with ten other British and Irish ringers.  This expedition to The Gambia was very well organised by Jez Blackburn and Colin Cross in conjunction with British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Gambian Parks and Wildlife Department and Kartong Bird Observatory.  The objectives of the expedition were to learn more about migrant Western Palearctic birds on their wintering grounds and to increase the limited knowledge of West African birds.  The team pictured below:

The Kartong area has a great mix of habitats within a walkable area, such as beach, mangroves, coastal scrub/acacia, scrub woodland, wetland scrapes, reedbed, secondary forest and paddy fields.  Most days started around 5.30 - 6am and finished around midnight with mist netting in the morning, ride cutting and net setting in the afternoon and dazzling in the evening - full on!

Good numbers of herons, raptors, terns, shrikes and African passerines were caught including 70 Long-tailed Nightjar (above) and 50 African Jacana.  Most importantly 250 Western Palearctic passerines were caught including warblers such as Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Melodious, Subalpine, Orphean, Bonelli's, Western Olivaceous, Reed and Sedge as well as Nightingale, Redstart, Bluethroat, Tree Pipit and an amazing 19 Woodchat Shrikes (below top).  We also saw an Osprey with a satelite tag but were unable to read the colour ring.  Some of the African birds were doing some very interesting moult strategies, but the most curious was a 1st winter Chiffchaff that was in active primary moult.  As we know neither adults nor first year birds moult in their wintering quarters, so it seems like it could actually have been an Iberian Chiffchaff (below bottom) which does moult in this way and would also be a new species for The Gambia.  The team also proved winter site fidelity with a Melodious Warbler that was retrapped after being ringed here in March and some direct migration thanks to three birds that were already ringed by other ringing schemes. The first was from a Sandwich Tern with a BTO ring that had been ringed on Coquet Island, Northumberland earlier this year, followed by another Sandwich Tern from Helgoland, Germany and a Sedge Warbler wearing a French ring.  Can't wait for the feedback on these.

Woodchat Shrike study group

possible Iberian Chiffchaff in wing moult

The combination of bird ringing and bird watching produced 217 species of bird with a number of new species recorded for the area such as Great Swamp Warbler, European Rock Thrush, Short-toed Lark, White-crowned Robin-chat, Red Kite (only the fifth record for The Gambia), Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (a new species for The Gambia - North African race reiseria below) and Horus Swift which is potentially a new species for West Africa!

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

Difference between Western (left) and Eastern (right) Olivaceous Warbler - note the paler colour and the shorter and thinner bill of Eastern, also noted was pinker shade to the legs with the legs of Western being greyer.

So, eleven days multiplied by eleven team members equals 121 species caught - how freaky is that!  With over 1200 birds caught below is a selection of photos:

Purple Glossy Starling

Red-billed Hornbill

Yellow-billed Shrike

Red-billed Firefinch

Double-spurred Francolin - unfortunately unringable due to the appendages below! Must be another way we can tag these birds so that we can learn more about them!

Yes, that is my blood!

African Pygmy Kingfisher - one of two caught that were originally ringed over 3 years ago

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu - renamed on the trip as Red-cheeked Gordon Bennet by Mr Prior to defy the French!

Little Bee-eater

Spur-winged Plover - caught over 60 and fitted with leg flags.  What an amazing attacking device on its carpal joint!

Yellow-winged Bat - the most impressive of a number of bats caught.

Yellow-winged Bat - head view

African Paradise Flycatcher

Shikra

Slender-billed Gull

A very excited team having caught two European ringed Sandwich Terns as well as two Grey-headed Gull, Whimbrel and Slender-billed Gull

African Jacana  - makes a noise like a Velocoraptor and feet like a spider!

Wryneck

Laura and her three Orphean Warblers

A very happy Colin with the first Blue-cheeked Bee-eater to be caught in the area especially as it is the emblem of the Kartong Bird Observatory

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Wood Sandpiper study group

The big boy - Giant Kingfisher

...and with two of its cousins the smaller Malachite above (also the most aggressive in the hand) and Pied below

An amazing beast eyeing up a Lanner Falcon 

...and another view - how it stayed in the net we will never know!

Crested Lark - one of three caught on the edge of the mangroves

Four-banded Sandgrouse

Little Bittern

One of six Cattle Egrets caught being held by Manuel

African Grey Hornbill

Squacco Heron

Standard-winged Nightjar - a female so no flamboyant flight feathers

Grey-headed Bush-shrike

The Gambian whoosh netting team with Toby and Keith and their catch of four Piapiacs.

Piapiac -  these birds with amazing purple eyes are being darvic colour ringed so hopefully lots of in field sightings may highlight how far these birds are moving.

Fine-spotted Woodpecker

Another memorable experience was the establishment of the 'Kartong Navy', which involved myself Submariner Sam 'The Bagger' Bayley, Captain Matt 'The Ticker' Prior and 1st Lieutenant Roger 'The Dodger' Walsh being the intrepid adventurers cutting an 80ft ride into dense reedbed within crocodile infested waters to cut a net ride.  The borrowing of a little boat from a local fishing guide saw Matt and Roger splayed out the front of the boat forcing the reeds out of the way whilst I was up to my armpits in the water pushing the boat forward!  Only the laughter, songs and sheer determination kept us going to get it completed for the following day.  Setting the net that morning was all done from the boat as was the net round which was a new experience for all of us!

After two hours and in near darkness we finished, having no disturbance from crocodiles, but on removing my waders I found 24 leeches attached to my legs!  My initial response being to take them off as quickly as possible was the wrong move, but Doc Keith was at hand to apply bandages, ably assisted by 1st Lieutenant Walsh who also proved to be a very good nurse.  The hidden talents of a Headmaster!

A big thank you to all of the intrepid team, Jez Blackburn (ringer in charge), Colin Cross and Binta (Kartong Bird Observatory), the Gambian helpers Moses, Manuel, Denbo and Abdoulie and the village of Kartong for enabling such an amazing trip!  Also to Hanni and the staff at Lemonfish who managed to keep up with my voracious food appetite!

Another team are heading out at the end of January so I wish them a very jealous best of luck.  Hope we left some birds for you to ring!

Good Start to 2012

2012 has started as 2011 left off with the two sessions at Leith Hill this week producing 62 new birds again dominated by Redpolls, but resulted in my first eight species ringed for the year.  Paul Stevenson and Martin Gray have now become regular helpers with my ringing sessions at Leith Hill whose input has been greatly appreciated.

Apart from controls I have only caught six retrap Redpolls over the last year, but these last two sessions have seen us catch eight retraps.  One of these retraps, a Common Redpoll caught today, had been originally ringed here in December 2010, which is amazing to show that this bird has migrated two seasons running from Scandinavia to the same winter location.  Along with the retraps, we also caught three control Redpolls - L032848, L771690 and Y469682!

Birds ringed:
Common Redpoll - 25
Redpoll sp. - 12
Lesser Redpoll - 7
Siskin - 7
Robin - 1
Chaffinch - 1
Goldfinch - 4
Goldcrest - 1
Redwing - 4

Last Session of the Year and Totals

My last ringing visit to Leith Hill for 2011 this morning certainly saw a definite chill in the air, but produced another 44 new birds which again involved a range of Redpolls.  The most interesting birds though were the three Bullfinch, doubling the 2011 site total, and six Goldfinch, which I had only caught one of previously!  Thanks to Paul Stevenson who joined me this morning.

Otherwise it was fairly quiet with very little else around except the regular flock of c60 Crossbill and a few Redwing.

Birds ringed:
Redwing - 2
Goldcrest - 4
Lesser Redpoll - 4
Common (Mealy) Redpoll - 8
Redpoll sp. - 11
Siskin - 2
Chaffinch - 3
Goldfinch - 6
Bullfinch - 3
Robin - 1

My annual totals for 2011 involved 3764 birds which were as follows:
Mute Swan - 3
Canada Goose - 1
Mallard - 16
Grey Heron - 16
Mandarin Duck - 1
Sparrowhawk - 1
Moorhen - 1
Woodcock - 1 (new species for me)
Common Tern - 5
Stock Dove - 4
Woodpigeon - 2
Collared Dove - 6
Barn Owl - 13
Tawny Owl - 3
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 23
Swallow - 65
Tree Pipit - 1 (new species for me)
Pied Wagtail - 23
Wren - 54
Dunnock - 38
Robin - 67
Blackbird - 41
Fieldfare - 2
Song Thrush - 37
Redwing - 18
Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Sedge Warbler - 2
Reed Warbler - 58
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Whitethroat - 28
Garden Warbler - 14
Blackcap - 107
Chiffchaff - 138
Willow Warbler - 60
Goldcrest - 179
Firecrest - 2
Spotted Flycatcher - 4
Long-tailed Tit - 40
Marsh Tit - 5
Coal Tit - 28
Blue Tit - 692
Great Tit - 430
Nuthatch - 10
Treecreeper - 15
Jay - 3
Magpie - 3
Jackdaw - 26
Starling - 1
House Sparrow - 10
Chaffinch - 94
Brambling - 2
Greenfinch - 79
Goldfinch - 105
Siskin - 289
Redpoll sp. - 203
Lesser Redpoll - 330
Common (Mealy) Redpoll - 337
Bullfinch - 20
Reed Bunting - 4

Garden to Gambia

Having been prevented from ringing all week due to strong winds I managed to do a brief session in my garden today before the rains came.  Just 15 new birds including two Greenfinch and seven Goldfinch.

This will be my last post for a couple of weeks as I am heading off to The Gambia on a ringing expedition.  This is to look into Western Palearctic migrants on their wintering grounds and more study into West African birds.

Birds ringed:
Greenfinch - 2
Blue Tit - 4
Goldfinch - 7
Great Tit - 2

Two Demos and Two Finch Recoveries

With a rather windy week, it hasn't been ideal for doing two ringing demonstrations for National Trust volunteers!  The first was on 2nd Dec at Henman Bunkhouse, Broadmoor on the northern side of Leith Hill.  The catch was mainly Blue and Great Tits, but also included a continental Blackbird, three Goldcrest and a Lesser Redpoll, whilst the only retrap was the huge winged Goldcrest that I had ringed on Leith Hill on 21st Nov.

The second was in the normal spot on Leith Hill this morning with the catch including five Redpolls, two Siskin (above) and two Redwing.  Interestingly during this morning I caught eight retraps, which is the most ever caught up here in one session involving Siskins originally ringed in May, July, August, September and November!

Apart from these demos two normal sessions were had on Leith Hill catching 55 new birds including 35 Redpolls, four Siskin, two Redwing, four Goldcrest and a female Bullfinch (above).

A couple of recoveries I have had back as follows:

L977558 Lesser Redpoll - 1st year ringed on 10th Oct 2011 at Cannock Chase, Stafford and caught on 21st Oct 2011 at Leith Hill 11 days and 200km SE later (below).

X403389 Siskin - 1st year male ringed on 5th May 2009 at Slaley, Northumberland and caught on 30th Nov 2011 at Leith Hill 881 days and 430km SSE later (below).

Birds ringed:

Redpoll sp. - 15

Common (Mealy) Redpoll - 22

Lesser Redpoll - 4

Siskin - 6

Great Tit - 13

Blue Tit - 9

Chaffinch - 1

Bullfinch - 1

Goldcrest - 8

Wren - 2

Redwing - 4

Blackbird - 1

Fieldfare and Siskins Return

Another week and another two sessions on Leith Hill producing another wealth of Redpolls (a cracking adult male Common below).  Wednesday being the first non-foggy day for almost a week and a half produced another 39 with a supporting cast of four Chaffinch which seemed to be of northern origin and a few Goldcrest - including a first year male with a huge wing length of 58.5mm, well outside the accepted size for this species.

The second visit yesterday morning was much more productive with 101 new birds which included 12 Goldcrest and 43 Redpoll, but was highlighted by a Great-spotted Woodpecker (below top two), my first Fieldfare of the year (below bottom three) and 22 Siskin.

The woodpecker is an obvious first year bird and is showing a huge amount of bleaching and wear on the older feathers.  The Siskins were a real surprise as there have been very few about recently and I have only caught 12 since the beginning of October (seven new and five retraps).  They were all coming to nyger which is usually not started in earnest until the New Year when the natural food starts to become scarcer.  Only the next few weeks will tell!

Also today another control Redpoll was caught Y439009 and the following recoveries were received:

Y443956 - Redpoll ringed on 29.10.11 at Queen Mary Reservoir, Surrey and controlled on 16.11.11 at Leith Hill 18 days and 27km SE later.

DHC979 - Goldcrest ringed on 16.10.11 at Hardham, Sussex and controlled on 17.10.11 at Leith Hill one day and 29km NE later.  This was a great movement for such a little bird in just one day, and seemingly in the wrong direction for autumn migration!

Birds ringed:

Common (Mealy) Redpoll - 65
Lesser Redpoll - 3
Redpoll sp. - 14
Chaffinch - 5
Blue Tit - 12
Great Tit - 6
Robin - 1
Siskin - 22
Wren - 4
Goldcrest - 20
Redwing - 2
Fieldfare - 1
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 1

Redpolls Continue and Recoveries

Two very foggy sessions at Leith Hill over the last week saw another couple of hits of Redpolls, again mainly Mealies (a couple of pictures of variation below), with a supporting cast of Redwing, Goldcrest, Chaffinch and a few Tits.

A couple of controls were also caught L623717, X816840 and Y443956 and received a few more recoveries as follows:

5256658 Canada Goose - ringed as a juvenile in Regent's Park, London on 4th July 2010 and seen by Jake Everitt at Warnham LNR on 3rd November 2011 - 487 days, 52km SSW

DHX336 Goldcrest - ringed as a 1st year male at Lancing College, Sussex on 6th November 2010 and caught at Leith Hill on 31st December 2010 - 55 days, 38km N

T400793 Great Tit - ringed as a 1st year female at Gomshall, Surrey on 20th December 2005 and caught in my Warnham garden on 18th September 2010 - 1733 days, 15km SSE

L852356 Lesser Redpoll - ringed as a 1st year at Easter Inch Moss, Blackburn, West Lothian on 27th August 2011 and caught at Leith Hill on 30th September 2011 - 34 days, 565km SSE

Birds ringed:
Chaffinch - 8
Common (Mealy) Redpoll - 35
Lesser Redpoll - 10
Redpoll sp. - 18
Blue Tit - 3
Great Tit - 3
Coal Tit - 1
Goldcrest - 11
Redwing - 1

Woodcock and Rye Bay

A phone call from Jake on Monday 7th November, began 'How quickly can you get to Warnham LNR?'  I was luckily able to go and within ten minutes I was there and arrived to find Jake holding a box that he had been given by a local resident.  I quickly learned that the box contained a Woodcock (below by Jake Everritt) that the residents cat had brought into the house!  Although the bird was slightly shell shocked, it was completely unharmed so I ringed it, took a few photos and then released it.

The following day saw another session up on Leith Hill although with a much reduced amount of Redpolls present catching just 15.  One of which was a retrap from the previous winter ringed here on 1st February 2011 which shows winter site fidelity.  Other highlights were two male Chaffinch probably of a more northern origin, four Redwing and two continental male Blackbirds (below).

note thin yellow orbital ring and dark bill

note grey scalloped edges to breast and belly feasthers

Then I spent this weekend in ringing luxury with the Rye Bay Ringing Group at Icklesham.  The new accommodation here is great and a vast improvement on the caravans of the past.  The birds didn't disappoint either with about 600 new birds over Saturday and Sunday which is exceptional for this time of year.  The highlights were a Water Rail, a Teal (below top), three Firecrests, Meadow Pipits, the first Ring Ouzel here since 2005 (below bottom), c250 Redpolls, c40 Siskin and four species of warbler (Chiffchaff, Blackcap, a very late Whitethroat and two late Reed Warbler).

The incredibly warm and sunny weather on Sunday saw a good number of butterflies and dragonflies and the most unexpected catch of the weekend.  As I was checking one of the rides I flushed a dragonfly that was sunning itself into one of the nets.  As I got it out of the net I realised it was something different and after further investigation it turned out to be a female VAGRANT EMPEROR!!!  Although there have been a number of sightings this year there have only been about 20 records for Britain prior of this Mediterranean species (below).

note whitish frons and brown eyes

note sitting position and yellow blotch within wing

To finish, I had a short session in my garden this morning catching 53 new birds including a Coal Tit, 11 Goldfinch, a Treecreeper and four Dunnock.

Birds ringed (not including Rye Bay):
Robin - 2
Redpoll - 14
Chaffinch - 5
Blue Tit - 28
Coal Tit - 1
Goldfinch - 11
Great Tit - 3
Dunnock - 4
Wren - 1
Goldcrest - 6
Treecreeper - 1
Greenfinch - 2
Redwing - 4
Blackbird - 2
Woodcock - 1

Redpolls and Recoveries

Another successful ringing session at Leith Hill on 29th Oct produced another 88 Redpolls taking the Leith Hill Redpoll tally for the year to 645!  Continuing the theme of the last month at least 46 of these were Common (Mealy) Redpolls.

A further session on 31st Oct was cut short due to the onset of rain with just nine birds caught which involved another Redpoll, a Redwing, seven Goldcrest and a very late Chiffchaff (below) which was possibly the same bird that was seen here on 29th.

Birds ringed:
Blue Tit - 6
Great Tit - 2
Redpoll - 39
Common Redpoll - 46
Lesser Redpoll - 4
Chaffinch - 2
Chiffchaff - 1
Goldcrest - 7
Redwing - 1

Also received a few recoveries this week as follows:

L991303 Blue Tit ringed as a juvenile on 5th Jul 2011 at Gomshall, Surrey and controlled on 10th Oct 2011 in Rhododendron Wood, Leith Hill 6km away.

X317180 Blue Tit ringed as a first-year on 12th Oct 2008 at Warnham LNR, Sussex and taken by a cat on 7th Oct 2011 in Horsham, Sussex 2km away.

DJB232 Chiffchaff ringed as a juvenile on 18th Jun 2010 at Warnham LNR, Sussex and controlled on 3rd Aug 2011 at Weir Wood Reservoir, Sussex 22km away.

X969143 Blackcap ringed as a first-year female on 21st Sep 2009 at Chesworth Farm, Horsham and controlled on 23rd Jul 2011 at Cissbury Ring, Sussex 21km away.

Also, Sue Cocker found Canada Goose 5256306 at Southwater Country Park on 15th Sep 2011 which had been ringed on 6th Jul 2009 as a juvenile at Wimbledon Park, London 48km away.