Bird makes 7 500km trip

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Bird ringing has proven a very valuable tool in understanding the behaviour and movements of feathered creatures. This was highlighted in Plettenberg Bay recently when a common tern was found more than 7 000km from where it was first ringed last year.

Plett conservationist Dr Mark Brown, who has been involved in bird ringing for more than 20 years, said resident Astrid Meyer sent him photographs of a common tern she found dead on Robberg Beach.

"I absolutely love being able to contribute to our understanding of birds through bird ringing. I have been privileged to be a bird ringer for over 20 years now, and have come across some really interesting ringing recoveries and retraps," Brown said.

"Carrying a standard metal ring, plus an engraved colour ring, she [Meyer] took the photographs and sent me the details. Excitingly, this is the first recovery I have been involved in from Israel."

Brown immediately got in touch with the South African Ringing Scheme (Safring) and Yosef Kiat of the Israeli Bird Ringing Centre. They sent back some data on the bird and it turns out that it was ringed for the first time on 21 July last year at the Atlit salt pans in Israel. This is some 7 519km in a direct line from where it was found on Robberg Beach.

"Yosef kindly sent some photos of the salt pans where it was ringed," said Brown. "What a stunning place! Having spent six months as a student doing a biodiversity course in Israel in 1999, this was an extra special recovery for me, and one I am really glad to be a part of."

He commended Meyer for noticing the rings and reporting the find. "Let's all keep an eye out for ringed birds on our beaches - you never know where they may come from! In my eight years in Plett I have now had rings from Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Israel and elsewhere in South Africa."

Yosef Kiat of the Israeli Bird Ringing Centre sent Dr Brown this information about the common tern found on Robberg Beach.

According to Safring, bird ringing or banding is the process whereby registered ringers permanently mark wild birds to study their life cycles - births, deaths, age of breeding and survival rates - habits, populations and movements. To do this, metal rings marked with unique numbers are attached to the birds for future identification.

Safring administers all bird ringing within Southern Africa, supplying rings, ringing equipment and services to volunteers and professional ringers. Safring curates all the Southern African ringing records on site and maintains a close relationship with all other ringing schemes.

It is believed that common tern, after their breeding season in Europe, Asia and parts of North America, migrate south where they spend their winters along the tropics and the southern hemisphere including Africa, South America and South-east Asia.

It is believed that they have one of the longest migrations of all birds, with an average round trip of 35 000km each year.

Should anyone find a ringed bird they can contact Safring.

A common tern ringed in Israel was found dead on Robberg Beach in Plettenberg Bay, more than 7 000km away.