SAFRING National Bird ringing course, Landela, 11-17 November 2005
In November 2005 a ringing training course was held at the Landela Christian camp, just outside Port Elizabeth. There were 15 attendees (ringers and trainees), ringing over 276 birds of 46 species over the duration of the course. Selected photos below illustrate some highlights.
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
One of the adult Black headed-Orioles that was ringed. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
An immature Black-headed Oriole, showing the duller colours. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
One of several Forest Weavers that were ringed. Dieter spent many hours following these birds around. |
 Photo Peter Nupen |
Our ringing group hard at work! This group consisted of (from the left): Bob Ellis, Dieter Oschadleus, Sampat Lokugalappatti (standing), Oscar Noels, Graham Oatley, Michael Brooks, David Swanepoel, Cassy Sheasby, Christo Botes and Gerrie Horn (standing), with Peter Nupen behind the camera |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
A SARCA moment. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
A pair of Paradise Flycatchers ringed early in the course. Having both birds at the same time was a treat. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
A Scaly-throated Honeyguide. A rare bird to have in the net. In 60 years of ringing only 121 are on record with 3 retraps. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
A Red-fronted Tinker-barbet. For many of us this was the first time to see this bird. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
A Dusky Flycatcher that was ringed. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
Numerous Green-backed Camaroptera were ringed during the course. |
 Photo Peter Nupen |
Our group at the Landela forest during a quiet spell. |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
A Black bellied starling’s eye before… |
 Photo H.D. Oschadleus |
…and after. The eye colour changes to red when the bird is stressed. Remarkably it took a while for the eye to change colour. The bird was “in hand” for at least 10 minutes before the eye changed colour. |
The course yielded 275 birds of 46 species. Although there were relativey few birds caught, the number of species made up for it. For many of the trainees, it was the first time to handle some of these species.
| Species | Ringed | Retrapped |
| Steppe Buzzard | 1 | |
| Cape Turtle Dove | 1 | |
| Red-eyed Dove | 1 | |
| Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove | 2 | |
| Olive Woodpecker | 1 | |
| Redcollared Barbet | 2 | |
| Redfronted Tinker Barbet | 1 | |
| Lesser Honetguide | 3 | |
| Sharpbilled Honeyguide | 1 | |
| Scaleythroated Honeyguide | 1 | |
| Redfaced Mousebird | 4 | |
| African Hoopoe | 2 | 3 |
| Brownhooded Kingfisher | 4 | |
| Forktailed Drongo | 5 | |
| Blackheaded Oriole | 22 | 2 |
| Sombre Greenbul | 3 | |
| Terrestial Brownbul | 2 | |
| Olive Thrush | 3 | 1 |
| Cape Robin Chat | 6 | |
| Whitebrowed Scrub Robin | 1 | |
| Cape Bulbul | 1 | |
| Familiar Chat | 1 | |
| Bar throated Apalis | 5 | |
| Greenbacked Cameoptra | 6 | 1 |
| Willow Warbler | 3 | |
| Neddicky | 1 | |
| Cape Batis | 6 | 1 |
| Paradise Flycatcher | 3 | 2 |
| Dusky Flycatcher | 4 | 1 |
| Fiscal Flycatcher | 1 | |
| Fiscal Shrike | 1 | |
| Southern Boubou | 1 | |
| Blackbacked Puffback | 4 | 2 |
| Cape Wagtail | 2 | |
| Blackbellied Starling | 2 | 2 |
| Glossy Starling | 2 | |
| Cape White-eye | 142 | 6 |
| Collared Sunbird | 7 | 3 |
| Amethyst Sunbird | 4 | |
| Lesser Double collared Sunbird | 4 | |
| Greater Double collared Sunbird | 3 | |
| Greyheaded Sparrow | 1 | |
| Cape Weaver | 4 | |
| Forest Weaver | 4 | 3 |
| Goldenbreasted Bunting | 2 | 1 |
| Greater Striped Swallow | 1 | |
| Total | 275 | 33 |
We also managed to get a sighting of a pair of Narina Trogon on the farm!!
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Eugene & Renee Cooney for allowing the course to be held at Landela!
