Birds of Saudi Arabia: A good ringing session

Whilst ringing at Sabkhat Al Fasl on 9 October 2015 we caught 44 birds which is the highest number we have caught in a single day. We set nine 18 metre nets in our normal locations in the reed bed site and apart from the Citrine Wagtail and Savi’s Warblers posted about earlier we also caught a few other species, some of which are commonly trapped and others not so. Species that we do not often catch but that we caught this time included Barn Swallow. We had only caught two previous birds but caught nine this time possibly as we had the nets up well before first light and the birds were caught leaving their roost site in the reeds? Another species we caught that we had only caught one of previously was a Yellow Wagtail. Although the species is common at the location and birds are often seen near the nets they are rarely caught as they can see the nets and skillfully avoid them. We caught both Graceful Prinias, Little Bitterns and Indian (Clamorous) Reed Warblers three common resident species as well as passage migrant birds that we also regularly catch such as Great Reed Warblers, Eurasian Reed Warbler and Turkestan Shrike. The last species we caught was the winter visitor Common Kingfisher. Normally we catch females at this location but this time we caught two females and a single male, allowing photos to be taken of both male and female together in the hand at the same time.