Weavers Galore

Turtle Bay Beach Club is one of three big, fancy resorts that sit in a row at the North end of the marine park. Tuesday I discovered that not only does it attract flocks of Italians on holiday, it also is home to flocks of African Golden and Golden Palm Weavers (birds).

The resort is closed for the season so we were able to pack up our team of eager volunteers and research staff, a mist net, and every bird bag we could find and take over their garden area for an evening.

The pond in the garden courtyard area of Turtle Bay, otherwise known as the home of the Weavers. 

The trees/shrubs/bushes are full of their cool little nests dangling precariously from the tips of branches. 

Can you believe a little bird built this? I have opposable thumbs and I don't think I could have built it.

It's always funny watching birds get caught in a mist net. Against a backdrop of foliage the fine mesh disappears and even we forget where it is exactly in the expanse between its two support poles. Birds fly leisurely by and then suddenly stop and fall mid-air, hanging suspended in a pocket of net. Others come in so fast that they stretch the net and get flung backwards by the elasticity. After a while the entire expanse of the net was dotted with yellow, orange, and green birds, struggling to understand how they ended up in such an awkward and precarious position.

Once we filled all of our bird bags, we crammed ourselves back in the car. And I mean crammed. 9 people + 45 birds in bags strung across two bamboo poles = a very full car.

Our cozy backseat. People are a little tired and hungry...and squished!

Back at Mwamba, ringing commenced.

I had received a crash course in recording bird ringing data at Turtle Bay, so back at home I was made designated scribe. Having three people tell me a variety of numbers and measurements and comments for each of their birds, all at the same time, having to get every number right, remember which line I'm on, and whose voice goes with which initials, I definitely had Starbucks morning rush flashbacks. At least this time I didn't have to run around with hot coffee, dodge co-workers, and try not to slip on spilled milk too...

Taking down some measurements from Silas, one of the research team members. 

Our birds.

Andrew examining flight feather molt on a young African Golden Weaver

45 birds later, I had been bitten and scratched by both African Golden Weavers and Golden Palm Weavers, learned to tell the difference between them (males and females) and got an introduction to bird aging, measuring, etc. All in all, a very successful, enjoyable evening :)