Namibian ringers get-together, Farm Wiese, Namibia

20-25 May 2004

Photo H.D. Oschadleus	The welcome sign on the farm gate.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Group photo.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Wiese Farm is some 120 km south of Windhoek, consisting of acacia thorn and some Kalahari dunes. The farm belongs to Werner and Renate Bader, who kindly hosted the Namibian ringers get-together. The days were spent ringing, mostly around the farm house, with times for discussions.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Ground Squirrel - neighbours of the farm house. There are Gemsbok, Kudu and smaller antelope on the farm. Domestic animals include cattle and sheep.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Vulture trap - large numbers of vultures had fed here previously, but unfortunately none during the ringers week.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Great Sparrow with two primary moult centres.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Dirk caught a Pearl-spotted Owl in his mist net.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	An unexpected catch - a Quail Finch caught by Ursula. This species is not common in Namibia, being found at scattered localities around Windhoek and in northern Namibia.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Forktailed Drongo.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Wattled Starling, immature male. A flock of Wattled Starlings flew into mist nets at a waterhole one morning. The birds were all juveniles or immatures.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Tim Osborne hoped to demonstrate how he traps Black Koorhaans with large nets, but the birds on Wiese farm kept flying up instead of running.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	There are many Sociable Weaver colonies on the farm, so some ringers targeted two colonies.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Most of the Sociable Weavers were moulting primary 8 or had moulted it. Breeding was also in progress with chicks in the nests.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	In the evenings we gathered around the camp fire.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Around the fire.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	On one evening two special awards were made to Dirk and Holger for their mist net catching abilities.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	After supper Werner and Dirk organised night drives to see game and catch birds by torch-lighting. Commonly seen animals were antelope, warthogs and porcupines.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	This Pygmy Falcon pair was retrapped at a Sociable Weaver colony - the female has a chestnut back.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Sabota Lark trapped at night.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	On 24 May a group of ringers drove to Hardap Dam. En route we encountered this Mole Snake.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	At Hardap Dam we ringed young White Pelicans - see here for a trip report.
Photo J. Kemper	Dieter on quad-bike, caught in action by Jessica Kemper.
Photo H.D. Oschadleus	Sunset on Wiese Farm.

Thanks very much to Werner and Renate for hosting the ringers. Thanks to all the Namibian ringers for hosting Michael and Dieter for this special event, and thanks to Ursula Bader and all helpers for the wonderful catering.
In 2005 the Namibian ringers plan to have a get-together on Tim Osborne's farm Windpoort.