Ringing at Ewanrigg and Afdis

We ringed at Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens on Saturday the 13th. There were not many plants flowering or fruiting (all the aloes were completely finished flowering), so ringing was slow. We caught Streaky-headed Seedeater, Crested Barbet, Speckled Mousebird, a bunch of weavers and waxbills, and a pair of Long-billed Crombecs. We also re-trapped a male Black-backed Puffback, ringed in December 2011.

As usual with Ewanrigg, there were quite a few birds around. Ovambo Sparrowhawk, African Green-pigeon, Common House-martin, Western Violet-backed Sunbird and Red-headed Weaver, to name a few.

This female African Paradise-flycatcher was very quietly sitting on a nest.

A few days later, on the 16th, we went to Afdis in the evening to catch waders. There were lots around when we got there - About 10 Wood Sandpiper, plus a Marsh and Green Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, six Black-winged Stilts and a handful of Three-banded Plover.
Unfortunately, most of these birds didn't roost here! The plovers stayed behind, but most of the other things left.

We caught six Three-banded Plovers, three of which were ringed already. One from three weeks ago, one from 5 weeks ago, and one from June 2011.
We also caught two immature Blacksmith Lapwings. one of which was ringed three weeks ago.
The last bird we caught was also the most exciting; a Green Sandpiper.

Green Sandpiper. Noticeably bigger than Wood and Common Sandpipers.

Underwing of Green Sandpiper. If seen in flight, the dark underwing can be used as identification aid - Common and Wood sandpipers (and many others) have white on the underwing.

We also caught a trio of Yellow House Bats (Scotophilus dinganii). A pain to get out the net, but lovely to see anyway.