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The first week in August 2008, Dave, Linda, and Stuart, were ringing in the Seine Estuary, Le Havre.
The project was set up by Pascal Provost, the main aim being to trap, ring, and radio tag Aquatic Warblers as they passed
through on their migration from their breeding grounds in Lithuania, Hungary, Ukraine, and Western Russia, to their wintering
grounds in West Africa. This species is globally threatened and lots of work is being done to understand the best feeding
areas they use during migration so these can be protected.
| Aquatic Warbler |
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Similar to Sedge Warbler, but note the extra stripe on the crown.
Other birds caught during the week were lots of Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Bearded Reedlings, and Marsh
Warblers.
| Bearded Reedling |
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| Marsh Warbler |
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Almost identical to Reed Warblers, especially the juveniles. Checks on wing formulae were used to
confirm identification.
Lotan Kibbutz, Israel
25th. March to 1st. April. 2007. Always eager to
try pastures new, I joined Gary Elton's trip to Israel in 2007 to Lotan Kibbutz, situated about 30 miles north
of Eilat.
Accommodation was first class at the Kibbutz, and inexpensive, just £20 a day, including 3 meals a day and
airport transfers.
The largely 'veggie' diet and intermittent bar facilities was more than made up for by the great species
and numbers of birds. Over 1200 birds were ringed during the week, around half of which were Lesser Whitethroat.
One bird which caused great excitement for the Israelis, but did little for us!, was a Robin (Erithacus
rubecula), an apparent rarity in Israel.
Most days found us ringing in the Kibbutz organic garden from dawn till lunch, or a bit earlier for the
ones who had not yet ringed a Scops Owl! In the afternoons, we continued to ring round the swimming pool
area, where on a couple of days we tried our hand at flick netting, adding Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Red Rumped
Swallow, Crag Martin, and Pale Crag Martin to the ever growing ringing list.
There was time for a few field trips during the week for the serious bird watchers of the group, who added
Egyptian Nightjar, 3 species of Sandgrouse, Bar Tailed Desert Lark, and White Crowned Black Wheatear to their list, to name
but a few.
A few pics can be found below to whet anyones appetite for next year. If anyone is interested in this trip,
please contact Gary. His email address is eltons@tesco.net
| Red Rumped Swallow |
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| Arabian Babbler |
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| Blackstart |
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| Black Eared Wheatear |
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| Black Eared Wheatear Tail Pattern |
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| Wryneck |
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| Isabelline Wheatear |
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| Masked Shrike |
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| Little Green Bee Eater |
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| Dead Sea Sparrow |
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| Graceful Prinia |
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| Cretzschmars Bunting |
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| Water Pipit |
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| Yellow Wagtail (Feldegg) |
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| Lesser Whitethroat |
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| Subalpine Warbler |
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| Ruppells Warbler Female |
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| Red Throated Pipit |
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