Fynbos ringing

With Mark back from his time away, we had another ringing session at the fynbos study site, on a beautiful winter’s day. We appear to be getting slack as firstly neither of us remembered a head torch (again) and then realised we had left the bird stand and gazebo at home! Not so good! But we put up 11 nets and waited. With all 6 of the Nature’s Valley Trust interns there, as well as a big group of volunteers from ORCA joining us, it was a busy people day! And a relatively busy bird day, a total of 47 birds including the usual suspects of Cape Sugarbirds, Cape White-eyes, Orange-breasted Sunbirds and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds. While checking the nets with a small group of NVT interns that I am training I passed a bird that made me do a double take and extract it, taking it to Mark with a big smile on my face! A quite rare species, this Victorins Warbler is the second that we have caught at this site, and as Mark pulled rank and ringed the first we caught, I was granted the privilege of ringing this one, a new species for my ringing list! Whoop!

Enjoying the morning.

An Orange-breasted Sunbird coming into his colours.

Victorin's Warbler in the spotlight.

Victorin's Warbler.