From 1-3 October some 25 students from Imperial College, London, staying at Klipbokkop, Worcester, South Africa, underwent basic training in bird ringing skills.
Ringing was conducted in the mountain-side fynbos around the comfortable accommodation. This provided low numbers as expected, but great diversity of fynbos specials including sunbirds and a Cape Sugarbird.
Two mornings were spent ringing next to the reeds of the Modder River, on the plain below Klipbokkop. Ringing was conducted for a short time to reduce disturbance at the colony of breeding Southern Red Bishops and weavers. Nearly all female bishops had clear brood patches, indicating that breeding was synchronised in this colony, and at the incubation stage.
Julia found a nest with 2 eggs of a Three-banded Plover. She made a chicken-mesh cage and caught the incubating bird. After ringing, the bird continued incubating.
A list of birds was also kept. A highlight was a Eagle with a wing-tag – it had been ringed 5 years previously as a chick about 50 km away towards the coast. It was seen for a few days in the area and then apparently moved on.
Table. Ringing totals at Klipbokkop in two habitats, 1-3 October 2019
| Species | Latin | Fynbos | Reeds |
| Three-banded Plover | Charadrius tricollaris | 1 | |
| Malachite Kingfisher | Alcedo cristata | 1 | |
| Familiar Chat | Oenathe familiaris | 1 | |
| Cape Robin-chat | Cossypha caffra | 2 | |
| African Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus baeticatus | 3 | |
| Levaillant’s Cisticola | Cisticola tinniens | 1 | |
| Cape Wagtail | Motacilla capensis | 1 | |
| Cape Sugarbird (endemic) | Promerops cafer | 1 | |
| Malachite Sunbird | Nectarinia famosa | 1 | |
| Southern Double-collared Sunbird (near endemic) | Cinnyris chalybeus | 1 | 1 |
| Cape White-eye (near endemic) | Zosterops virens | 4 | |
| House Sparrow (introduced) | Passer domesticus | 2 | |
| Cape Weaver (near endemic) | Ploceus capensis | 1 | |
| Southern Masked Weaver | Ploceus velatus | 6 | |
| Southern Red Bishop | Euplectes orix | 58 | |
| Cape Siskin (endemic) | Crithagra totta | 2 | |
| Cape Canary | Serinus canicollis | 4 | |
| Cape Bunting | Emberiza capensis | 1 | |
| TOTALS | 19 | 73 |
Thanks to the staff of Klipbokkop who provided comfortable accommodation and amazing meals every day!
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