Spring trap inside chicken coop
We visited Maskam farm on 5-6 August 2024 to see the spring daisies and other flowers. While the group drove around the scenic loop, I did some bird ringing. On the first day I had some spring traps, and I placed them around the farm house and nearby dam. Cape Weavers, Southern Masked Weavers and sparrows were coming to feed inside the chicken coop but a spring trap nearby did not catch any weavers, although a Cape Robin-chat was caught here. When a farm worker let the chickens out to forage in the farm yard, I placed a spring trap inside the coop next to the chicken feed. Soon an adult male Cape Weaver was caught!
Mist net in front of out-building
I also noticed birds flying in and out of a nearby out-building. Looking inside, I noticed bags of oats that the weavers were feeding on. The farmer did not mind as the oats were too old to plant or eat. The next day we returned and I placed a 12m net in front of the open doorway – I tried leaving gaps below the net, and later above the net, for the birds to fly into the room. Both methods seemed to work. Some weavers flew into the net on the way in, but most managed to fly in and were caught on the way out. Once I crept up to the net and dropped it when several weavers were inside. Some weavers fluttered in fron of the net and then flew away without being caught (at least at that moment!).
Only Cape Weavers were flying in and out through the day, and 16 were caught – 13 adult males, 2 immature males and a breeding female. Mostly adult males were using this food source, so the catch seems representative of those visiting here. There were several colonies in thorny Prosopis trees scattered around the nearby dam. Females were probably targeting insect food for themselves and their young, while the males made use of this easy source of food.
Thanks to Ancarene and Awie van der Westhuizen for letting us ring at Maskam. Salome Willemse hosted us at Botuin Cottages.
Fact sheet:
Number ringed to date (SAFRING): 49770 [1948-2024]
Longevity: 17y 5m
Trip report: ebird, BDI blog
Reason special: unusual trapping sites
