Bird ringing course, Wakkerstroom, 30 Nov - 6 Dec 2002
Organised by SAFRING and BirdLife South Africa.
In December 2002 the third national ringing training course was held in Wakkerstroom. This time there were 23 attendees (ringers and trainees), ringing over 1200 birds in one week. Selected photos below illustrate some highlights.
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Dawn at the Flufftail hide, BirdLife SA Wetlands Centre, Wakkerstroom. At this time our nets were up and we were getting ready to extract birds from the nets. The vlei level was rather low due to lack of recent rain. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
The daily program was getting up at about 3h30 in the morning to be ready to leave at 4h00 for ringing sessions. Ringing continued to about lunchtime. After lunch the trainees attended lectures covering all the theoretical aspects of ringing with opportunities to ask questions. These lectures were held in the BLSA hall. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
After the lectures the trainees were given practical training to fine tune their field skills. On the first afternoon they were given practice in putting up mistnets in pairs, then on their own. Other practical sessions on subsequent afternoons included a demonstration of a typical ringing kit, a check on accuracy of their measurements, and mapwork. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
On Sunday evening Arie Williams, chairman of the Penslaners Unie, continued his tradition of recognising the help that spouses give ringers. This time the award was presented to George Viljoen's wife, Rinie. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Many of the usual Wakkerstroom sites were tackled again. Since the water level was so low, it was possible to put nets at the bottom of the Amersfoort bridge instead of hanging the nets down from the top. Here many Cliff Swallows and Whiterumped Swifts and one Little Swift were ringed Nigel, Mike Ford. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
We ringed in Retirement Forest again, catching as many retraps as new birds. At one point we needed to escort donkeys past the nets. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
A trainee, Elizabeth, coming back with lots of birds when ringing in the grassland and vlei at the BLSA property. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Ringing table in Retirement Forest. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
There were lots of photo opportunities. Here Joubert and Joseph are photographing an Orangebreasted Waxbill. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
There were identification challenges. Females of Golden Bishop female on the left and Red Bishop on the right. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
More identification challenges were the cisticolas. Here is a Fantailed Cisticola - also caught were Ayres and palecrowned. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Glen Ramke brought us an immature buzzard, that had been picked up somewhere between Wakkesrstroom and Volksrust and could have been either Steppe or Forest Buzzard. After phoning a few raptor fundis we decided on Steppe Buzzard based on the underwing coverts. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Orangethroated Longclaw, BLSA grassland. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Little Swift, Amersfoort bridge. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Grassveld Pipit, BLSA grassland. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Grassveld Pipit nest, BLSA grassland, found by Shonie. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Quail Finch male, BLSA grassland, caught for the first time on a national training course at Wakkerstroom. The female has a grey throat and face instead of black. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Ethiopian Snipe, BLSA vlei. These had not been caught here previously - 12 were ringed this time. Common Quail were again noticably absent and none were caught (towards the end of the week some were heard). |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Starred Robin, Retirement Forest. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Cape Batis female, Retirement Forest. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Cape Batis male, Retirement Forest. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Bush Blackcap, Retirement Forest. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Rainy cold front moving over Zaaihoek Dam, Wakkerstroom area. On Friday morning we woke up at 3h30 to rain that did not stop until late in the morning, meaning we could not ring. |
The most ringed species for the week were Red Bishop, followed by African Marsh Warbler and then Redbilled Quelea. The previous two years Red Bishop and South African Cliff Swallow were at the top of the list. Much fewer species were caught compared to previous courses here, due to not having access to the acacia site at Ou Murasie.
Ringing totals for the course (also 2 previous courses)
| No. | Species | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| 67 | Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus | 2 | ||
| 82 | Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus | 5 | 5 | |
| 84 | Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia hagedash | 1 | ||
| 96 | Yellowbilled Duck Anas undulata | 1 | ||
| 99 | Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota | 1 | ||
| 130 | Blackshouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus | 1 | ||
| 152 | Jackal Buzzard Buteo rufofuscus | 1 | 2 | |
| 154 | Steppe Buzzard Buteo buteo | 2 | 2 | |
| 189 | Common Quail Coturnix coturnix | 4 | ||
| 238 | Threebanded Plover Charadrius tricollaris | 3 | ||
| 245 | Blacksmith Plover Vanellus armatus | 1 | ||
| 247 | Wattled Plover Vanellus senegallus | 1 | ||
| 250 | Ethiopian Snipe Gallinago nigripennis | 12 | ||
| 316 | Cape Turtle Dove Streptopelia capicola | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 317 | Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 322 | Cinnamon Dove Aplopelia larvata | 3 | 2 | |
| 343 | Redchested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius | 1 | ||
| 344 | Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus | 2 | 1 | |
| 351 | Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas | 1 | ||
| 352 | Diederik Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius | 2 | 1 | |
| 367 | Cape Eagle Owl Bubo capensis | 2 | ||
| 368 | Spotted Eagle Owl Bubo africanus | 4 | ||
| 383 | Whiterumped Swift Apus caffer | 17 | 10 | 35 |
| 385 | Little Swift Apus affinis | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 390 | Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus | 6 | 11 | 6 |
| 395 | Giant Kingfisher Ceryle maxima | 2 | ||
| 397 | Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 431 | Blackcollared Barbet Lybius torquatus | 10 | 4 | 1 |
| 440 | Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator | 1 | ||
| 442 | Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor | 1 | ||
| 443 | Sharpbilled Honeyguide Prodotiscus regulus | 3 | 1 | |
| 445 | Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus | 1 | ||
| 450 | Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens | 2 | ||
| 452 | Olive Woodpecker Mesopicos griseocephalus | 2 | 3 | |
| 453 | Redthroated Wryneck Jynx ruficollis | 1 | ||
| 474 | Spikeheeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata | 1 | 2 | |
| 488 | Redcapped Lark Calandrella cinerea | 1 | ||
| 493 | European Swallow Hirundo rustica | 1 | 18 | 50 |
| 495 | Whitethroated Swallow Hirundo albigularis | 10 | 18 | 14 |
| 502 | Greater Striped Swallow Hirundo cucullata | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 504 | South African Cliff Swallow Hirundo spilodera | 305 | 196 | 92 |
| 506 | Rock Martin Hirundo fuligula | 2 | 1 | |
| 508 | Sand Martin Riparia riparia | 2 | ||
| 510 | Banded Martin Riparia cincta | 4 | 2 | |
| 517 | Forktailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis | 2 | ||
| 521 | Blackheaded Oriole Oriolus larvatus | 1 | 1 | |
| 527 | Southern Black Tit Parus niger | 2 | ||
| 542 | Bush Blackcap Lioptilus nigricapillus | 20 | 11 | 9 |
| 545 | Blackeyed Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus | 27 | 14 | 3 |
| 551 | Sombre Bulbul Andropadus importunus | 2 | ||
| 552 | Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyana | 1 | ||
| 553 | Olive Thrush Turdus olivaceus | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| 569 | Buffstreaked Chat Oenanthe bifasciata | 1 | ||
| 573 | Mocking Chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris | 1 | ||
| 575 | Anteating Chat Myrmecocichla formicivora | 1 | 5 | |
| 576 | Stonechat Saxicola torquata | 3 | 3 | |
| 578 | Chorister Robin Cossypha dichroa | 5 | 11 | 1 |
| 581 | Cape Robin Cossypha caffra | 55 | 33 | 15 |
| 589 | Starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata | 26 | 5 | 11 |
| 595 | Garden Warbler Sylvia borin | 1 | 2 | |
| 599 | Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus | 10 | 5 | 6 |
| 603 | Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus | 1 | ||
| 604 | Cape Reed Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris | 13 | 18 | 17 |
| 606 | African Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus | 84 | 132 | 140 |
| 607 | European Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris | 3 | 1 | |
| 608 | European Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 609 | African Sedge Warbler Bradypterus baboecala | 24 | 39 | 40 |
| 610 | Barratt's Warbler Bradypterus barratti | 7 | 4 | |
| 618 | Grassbird Sphenoeacus afer | 1 | 4 | |
| 622 | Barthroated Apalis Apalis thoracica | 14 | 9 | 7 |
| 627 | Bleating Warbler Camaroptera brachyura | 1 | ||
| 629 | Fantailed Cisticola Cisticola juncidis | 26 | 1 | 7 |
| 634 | Ayres' Cisticola Cisticola ayresii | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 635 | Palecrowned Cisticola Cisticola brunnescens | 9 | 2 | 5 |
| 637 | Neddicky Cisticola fulvicapilla | 1 | 1 | |
| 642 | Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chiniana | 1 | ||
| 646 | Levaillant's Cisticola Cisticola tinniens | 13 | 28 | 49 |
| 648 | Lazy Cisticola Cisticola aberrans | 3 | 2 | |
| 1049 | Drakensberg Prinia Prinia hypoxantha | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| 655 | Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta | 1 | ||
| 665 | Fiscal Flycatcher Sigelus silens | 2 | 1 | |
| 666 | Yellow Warbler Chloropeta natalensis | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 671 | Yellowthroated Warbler Phylloscopus ruficapillus | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| 672 | Cape Batis Batis capensis | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| 682 | Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| 686 | Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis | 2 | 6 | |
| 688 | Longtailed Wagtail Motacilla clara | 2 | ||
| 692 | Grassveld Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 701 | Yellowbreasted Pipit Hemimacronyx chloris | 3 | ||
| 703 | Orangethroated Longclaw Macronyx capensis | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 707 | Fiscal Shrike Lanius collaris | 12 | 5 | |
| 708 | Redbacked Shrike Lanius collurio | 1 | ||
| 709 | Southern Boubou Laniarius ferrugineus | 3 | 1 | |
| 712 | Puffback Dryoscopus cubla | 1 | ||
| 717 | Olive Bush Shrike Telophorus olivaceus | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 722 | Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus | 2 | 1 | |
| 734 | Indian Myna Acridotheres tristis | 1 | ||
| 735 | Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea | 1 | ||
| 736 | Plumcoloured Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster | 3 | ||
| 745 | Redwinged Starling Onychognathus morio | 1 | ||
| 746 | Pied Starling Spreo bicolor | 16 | 6 | 6 |
| 751 | Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia famosa | 2 | 8 | 1 |
| 758 | Greater Doublecollared Sunbird Nectarinia afra | 8 | 2 | |
| 760 | Lesser Doublecollared Sunbird Nectarinia chalybea | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| 772 | Black Sunbird Nectarinia amethystina | 4 | ||
| 775 | Cape White-eye Zosterops pallidus | 68 | 54 | 19 |
| 787 | Southern Greyheaded Sparrow Passer diffusus | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 788 | Yellowthroated Sparrow Petronia superciliaris | 1 | 1 | |
| 799 | Cape Weaver Ploceus capensis | 43 | 48 | 45 |
| 803 | Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus | 110 | 149 | 127 |
| 805 | Redbilled Quelea Quelea quelea | 12 | 129 | |
| 808 | Red Bishop Euplectes orix | 550 | 422 | 279 |
| 812 | Golden Bishop Euplectes afer | 19 | 5 | 41 |
| 813 | Redcollared Widow Euplectes ardens | 11 | 6 | 4 |
| 816 | Redshouldered Widow Euplectes axillaris | 18 | 49 | 57 |
| 818 | Longtailed Widow Euplectes progne | 28 | 46 | 49 |
| 833 | Bluebilled Firefinch Lagonosticta rubricata | 2 | 1 | |
| 838 | Orangebreasted Waxbill Sporaeginthus subflavus | 6 | ||
| 843 | Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild | 23 | 12 | 6 |
| 844 | Quail Finch Ortygospiza atricollis | 2 | ||
| 846 | Pintailed Whydah Vidua macroura | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 854 | Cuckoo Finch Anomalospiza imberbis | 1 | ||
| 857 | Cape Canary Serinus canicollis | 8 | 6 | 36 |
| 858 | Forest Canary Serinus scotops | 7 | 2 | |
| 859 | Yelloweyed Canary Serinus mozambicus | 2 | ||
| 874 | Goldenbreasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris | 3 | ||
| Total ringed | 1795 | 1523 | 1269 | |
| Retraps | 145 | |||
| Species | 96 | 91 | 69 | |
| Attendees | ~60 | ~50 | 23 |