The Cape Bird Club

Bird Ringing at Paarl

Francis Hannay - Has taken over the birding ringing at Paarl.     updated 24/11/2010
For details of times ph 021 855 2745 or 076 478 7265 or fhannay@netactive.co.za

November 2010

Our team had an enjoyable morning ringing at the Paarl Bird Sanctury on 20 November. The highlight of the day was the Namaqua Dove ringed by Felicity Ellmore. This appears to be the first Namaqua Dove ringed at this site since our records began in 1998.

photograph by Cathy Hannay

Robyn Kadis with a bird, Francis Hannay looking on, while Felicity Ellmore
checks the data in Roberts and Marilyn Scholtz records the data.

15 African Reed-Warblers were mist-netted. These included 2 birds previously ringed here; one in October 2007 and one in October 2006. Even more remarkable was the little Levaillent's Cisticola, first ringed in December 2003. Pity we did not get a photo of him/her.
A number of Lesser Swamp-Warblers, 2 Masked Weavers, 2 Red Bishops and a single Cape Robin-Chat joined us during the morning.

photograph by Cathy Hannay

Felicity Ellmore with Namaqua Dove in hand.

photograph by Cathy Hannay

Checking the wing-moult on the Namaqua Dove.

September 2010

We seem to have got ringing at Paarl onto a more regular basis now. Where possible we plan to ring monthly, on the same day as the Paarl Bird Club have their bird counts – that is generally the 4th Saturday of the month. In September this falls over a long weekend, so we will be ringing (weather permitting) on 18 September instead of the 24th.

Felicity Ellmore, Robin Kadis and Cathy and Francis Hannay had a fairly productive morning’s ringing on Saturday 28 August. The first three African Reed-Warblers of the season were ringed. In total we ringed 32 birds and recaptured six previously ringed birds. The recaptures are always rewarding and are the main motivation for ringing. Saturday’ recaps included a Southern Masked Weaver first ringed by Felicity in February this year. Four Levaillant’s Cisticolas were recaptured, one first ringed last month, and two in 2009 and one first ringed in August 2006. The oldest recap of the day was a Cape Robin-Chat, first ringed on 26 November 2005.

May 2010

Francis Hannay and Felicity Ellmore were ringing at Paarl Bird Sanctuary on Saturday 22 May 2010.
About 25 birds were ringed - mostly Southern Red Bishops and Lesser Swamp warblers, with a single Malachite Kingfisher that received the most attention.
Also helping were Robyn Kadis, a trainee bird ringer and Marilyn Scholtz.

photograph by Cathy Hannay

l to r Marilyn Scholtz (back to camera), Felicity Ellmore, Francis Hannay, Robyn Kadis.

photograph by Cathy Hannay

Felicity Ellmore recording measurements of a Southern Masked Weaver.

photograph by Francis Hannay

You wont get any closer to this beautiful sight than this. It is even better if you were there helping.

photograph by Francis Hannay

Wow!!

Paarl 2005

photograph by Reg Weiss

Birds in bags - Gordon Scholtz's bird-ringing group at the Paarl Bird Sanctuary, August 2005. Gordon (right) chats with Megan Taylor while Gwen Hannay enters particulars in a log.
Chresendo Francke and Jeane-Marie West from Orleansvale Primary School stand by to assist. Gordon has been encouraging local pupils to take an active interest in their own natural heritage.

10th Anniversary Celebrated.

photograph by Sally Weighill

This group of bird ringers celebrating the anniversary at the Paarl Sewerage Works.

What to do if you find or see a bird with leg rings?

If you find a dead or an alive bird, with metal or plastic rings,  please give the information to;

SAFRING, 
University of Cape Town,
Rondebosch, 7701.
ph  021 650 2421/2
fax 021 650 3434
email safring@adu.uct.ac.za