Sunday 1 August 2010

Kingfisher morning

Last Friday in Tzor'a Valley Ringing Station, I caught my first two migrant Common Kingfisher of the season. They were ringed together with the two other kingfisher species in Israel, White-breasted Kingfisher and Pied Kingfisher.

The White-Breasted Kingfisher was a very worn adult in active post-breeding complete moult and the Pied Kingfisher was a juvenile after limited partial moult.

Pied Kingfisher

White-breasted Kingfisher

In Israel, most migrant and wintering Common Kingfishers are juveniles while most adults stay further north for the winter. In autumn 2009, out of 86 birds ringed in Tzor'a Valley, only one was adult.

Common Kingfisher

Savi's Warbler