Training

I joined the Teifi Ringing Group on 1st September this year. Whilst Richard and Wendy are away in Costa Rica I was asked if I could work with Chris to do some training with the Groups trainees either at my sites or those of the TRG. C permit holders can get out and do their own thing within the endorsements they have on their license but trainees are unable to ring unless someone goes with them. With two of the groups senior members ringing abroad it means trainees could be restricted. I invited all the Groups trainees to come to my site at Fygyn Common which is in Carmarthenshire. For some this is a shorter distance to travel than to the Teifi Marshes and it makes sense for trainees to spread their wings a little and get to different sites with different people gaining different experiences along the way. I had two sessions, Dai Stacey came to the first and Andrew Hughes came to the second. I will add I have met both Dai and Andrew before on a couple of occasions but since the time they have spent with me I know them much better.

Results for Dai

Dai Stacy	Full Grown	Pulli	Retraps	TOTAL
Wren	4	0		4
Dunnock		0	1	1
Robin	4	0		4
Redstart	1	0		1
Chiffchaff	2	0		2
Goldcrest	1	0		1
Coal Tit	1	0		1
Chaffinch	3	0		3
Goldfinch	5	0		5
Reed Bunting	2	0		2
Grand Total:	23	0	1	24
Total Species:	9	0	1	10

Bird of the day for Dai was this Juvenile Redstart which he aged and sexed confidently. The 10 species gave him the opportunity to handle and process the different birds and in particular 3 species he had done before but not in any great numbers namely Goldcrest, Reed Bunting and Coal Tit.

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Results for Andrew

Andrew Hughes	Full Grown	Pulli	Retraps	TOTAL
Meadow Pipit	11	0		11
Dunnock		0	1	1
Robin	1	0		1
Chiffchaff	5	0		5
Coal Tit		0	2	2
Blue Tit	4	0	2	6
Chaffinch	4	0		4
Goldfinch	8	0		8
Reed Bunting	2	0		2
Grand Total:	35	0	5	40
Total Species:	7	0	3	9

Andrew wanted Meadow Pipit having not ringed one before so I thought I would set the scene to catch a few. The day before he came he caught 2 birds with Chris and me at Mwnt. At Fygyn Common we caught another 11 which was good for him and helped to consolidate his ageing of this lovely bird which notoriously can be difficult at times.

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Two days in the Caribbean

Here we go with the last 48 hours of our banding in the Caribbean .......starting with yesterday at our Tortuga Lodge site.

This tiny Brown-capped Tyrannulet was the surprise of the trip. A species of the canopy, very closely related to the Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet which is not known in our area. 6.9g of Flycatcher and when Sutch was written, the nest of the species had never been found in Costa Rica.....What a bird..

This adult male Chestnut-backed Antbird was a surprise too...

We haven't recorded the species at this site for three years. We were amazed that the bird was also a recapture, a bird we ringed four years ago..!

This is an American Pygmy Kingfisher, a species we can catch at all of our five Tortuguero standard banding sites.

Other wildlife adds to our enjoyment at Tortuga Lodge. Our best site for poisonous  Strawberry Dart Frogs.

This Three-toed Sloth was a treat too....

Disturbed from the ground where the Sloth was relieving himself - as they do. He rapidly climbed up the tree next to our mist net pole.

Very little is passing at sea - a sea with a large swell for this coast as Hurricane Michael is starting have an impact on our weather.

Sanderling are the shorebird of the moment. These were feeding in the crater left by the emergence of Green Turtle hatchlings. Insects everywhere in the newly abandoned nest.

Now for today at our Sea Turtle Conservancy site. An early start for Thrushes produced this likely important recovery of a juvenile Veery with an American ring, 2581 67323

We are hoping  for an update on the original ringing during this week. Our first Gray-cheeked Thrush appeared today too.

This is a good looking male Prothonatory Warbler. One of two recaptures of this species ringed last year or in previous years. Three new Prothons' caught today too.

This Great Crested Flycatcher made an appearance today, as did the first Alder Flycatcher of the Fall. We visit our Cano Palma standard banding site in the morning, hoping for Short-tailed Nighthawks from the boat as we travel through the Cano canal at dawn.....

All photos by Wendy