Last week of the season

Post date: Oct 3, 2014 5:31:01 PM

Three ringing sessions were carried out this week. There were generally few birds, and on wednesday had to put up some extra nets for the visit of PQT, LPS and PBL, as I was supposed to evaluate the latter, who wants to become a full ringer. The total number of captures and retraps for the whole week were the following:

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus 3

Acrocephalus scirpaceus 10 (3)

Aegithalus caudatus 5 (1)

Caprimulgus europaeus 2

Carduelis chloris 2

Cettia cetti 11 (4)

Cisticola juncidis 1

Emberiza schoeniclus (1)

Erithacus rubecula 5 (2)

Estrilda astrild 5

Euplectes afer 14 (2)

Ficedula hypoleuca 2

Locustella naevia 3

Luscinia svecica 1 (1)

Parus caeruleus 7

Parus major 1 (2)

Passer montanus 1

Phoenicurus phoenicurus 1

Phylloscopus collybita 8

Phylloscopus trochilus 6 (2)

Saxicola rubicola 1

Sylvia atricapilla 2 (1)

Sylvia borin 1

The Redstart (P. phoenicurus) was only the second I ringed at this site, although they may be rather common migrants, but pass later than my usual ringing period. There was also an interesting Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), a very pale juvenile that raised questions about its subspecific identity, but this is very difficult to confirm by any means, as subspecies overlap completely in morphology (differing only on average) and are also extremely similar genetically.

A young male Redstart (P. phoenicurus)

The pale juvenile Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Next week will go to Spain to evaluate a PhD thesis, but hope to attend a ringing session where a new species awaits me... Otherwise, ringing (in Portugal) will only resume on Christmas time!

Cheers

JMN