Back To Business

Back To Business

I just finished the long course, I didn’t ring at all for over a month!, so with itchy fingers and great anticipation i finally got back to the ringing station this week, doing what I like to do best! Ring!

So as November is here in full swing many ‘late’ migrants are around, Bluethroats,Chiffchaffs, Stonechats, Sardinian Warblers, Spanish Sparrows and the last of theBlackcaps and Reed Warblers.

Last days were pretty good with around 60 birds a day, today we were slowing down a bit, probably because of the storm raging in the north (no rain here, don’t worry).

Since I got back to the station 4 days ago at least 2 Fieldfares were hanging around just between the nets and the Heligoland traps, and the mist nets even ignoring the MP3 player, but yesterday I caught up with one (Tick!). what a fantastic northen bird!

Earlier that morning I had the second beautiful Rose-colored Starling for this autumn, a juvenile just finishing a complete moult, looks much better then the first one I caught in September.

 Svensson states some might retain some juv. feathers even after complete moult, and to me it seems  this one will do just that, leaving behind some odd coverts and alula. but still to early to determine, i will have to catch another one...

As for other cool birds around many Penduline Tits are around, yesterday I caught one, a recapture from last year, and today I made my best to catch more, but caught only two.

On the 'less common and pretty cool' list this time, a Moustached Warbler.

No doubt the coolest Acro in Israel!

Yesterday at K 19 many common ducks and hundreds of Cormorants were in the water. In the skies above Booted Eagles and Marsh Harriers are keeping the doves and pigeons on the run. Noteworthy was a single male Ruddy Shelduck. thinking about that, i never ringed a cormornt...

Down town Eilat the White wagtails Roost near the central bus station looks very tempting with Hundreds of them pre-roosting of the roofs around. Maybe worth try out some urban ringing there next week.

Yotam