Geronticus eremita

Ìbis-pelada at Herdade de Saudade "golfe", one of six ringed birds from the Spanish re-introduction programme.



Canon 1D Mk3 500mm f/4 + 1.4 TC
1/1600s f/8.0 at 700mm ISO 400

Colin

Very good Colin

What´s that in the back of the bird?

1 Abraço,
Pedro

Pedro Marques escreveu:Very good Colin

What´s that in the back of the bird?

1 Abraço,
Pedro

Wind (Vento)!!

Colin

E mais:







Colin

Hi Colin, I hope you are doing fine.

The pictures are very nice and so are the birds.

Where is this "Herdade da Saudade golfe" you mention? I can't find it. It's not Herdade dos Salgados golfe or is it?!

Thanks for any info, cheers, Luís Gordinho

Hi Luís,

Yes, they are one and the same; "Herdade da Saudade" refers to the entire complex of hotels, apartments and other amenities of which Salgados Golfe is only one component.

When I saw the birds last Saturday they were feeding by a pool just to the right of the clubhouse. I crept onto the actual course to get as close as possible without realising that I was holding up the golfers, a large group of which had formed a "bottleneck" at one of the "T"s. Someone must have phoned the clubhouse because the next thing I knew was two security guards in paramilitairy uniform came up and "frog-marched" me off the green and told me never to return!!

If you intend going to see these birds I would suggest not going at the weekend if possible as the place is incredibly busy (and try not to look like a birder or photographer!!). The birds are also quite mobile (although very tame and approachable since they are now used to human presence) and I think I was just lucky to find them so easily - I know a few people who have gone but not seen them.

Best wishes,

Colin

Hello again, thanks for the tips.

I'm sorry you gave a "less than good" impression about birders to the local golf staff. I've spoken to them previously and they were somewhat cooperative.

I was not familiar with the expression frog-march (www.yourdictionary.com/frog-march). Very nice. Cheers,

Luís G

Nice pictures Colin!

Some years ago (1999?) Mark Bolton and myself entered the golf-course with permission from the director - Pedro, I think (and now I cannot remember his surname). He was extremely co-operative and took us around the lakes in a golf buggy! He was very enthusiastic about "his" Purple Swamp-hens. The motive of the visit was to get a closer look at putative Redhead Aythya americana - later we made an article about this "dead ringer" for Birding World after we realised it was a hybrid (Probably Ferruginous x Pochard). Maybe a previous visit to the reception would result in entry - if it was an occasional affair.

I always wonder what is on the golf lakes here - is the White-headed Duck still there - are there any Ferruginous Ducks breeding? It would be interesting to find out. Why not organise a photographic shoot - the birds are used to people and very approachable.

In December, Rui Eufrasia took me to see these birds roosting (apparently habitually) on the high fence near the clubhouse - he also told me that one day the reception had to close their front doors because these birds were walking in the building!

I think these are marvellous creatures - which I was lucky to see in Morocco back in the eighties. I watched them habitually feeding on beetles on extensive sand dunes, quite similar to the dunes at Lagoa dos Salgados.

Best wishes

Simon

Does anyone have complete pvc ring readings? I've read only 2! I've send them to the "Proyecto Eremita" in Spain but still waiting for reply!

I think Colin is being a bit unfair to the golf course staff, because in the late 90's I've visited the golf course with the permition of the director and I was very well treated! Now they have new owners and I don't know if there is a new director.

Last visit I've made to the golf course the birds were in the little river south of the 18th hole and I was in the wall and the security guards doesn't say nothing to me.

One thing that we have to be aware is that golf activity is a paying hobby. People pay to play and don't want strangers in the middle of the playing areas! And it's a private property is nice to ask before you enter, I wouldn't like that people that I didn't know entering in my house!

Hello Simon & Nelson,

When I turned up at the golf club I was amazed that these birds were there so close to the road and was perhaps a bit "over-enthusiastic" in rushing to get some shots (the place was incredibly busy and I had trouble finding somewhere to park). I know a few people who have been there recently and failed to see the birds.

I crept just inside the fence to the right of the clubhouse in the shadow of some trees and was taking fairly distant shots when a "foursome" came past and we had a chat, they were obviously regulars and knew what the birds were. They said that they were almost tame enough to touch and suggested I should get closer for some better shots. Little did I realise that in doing so I was holding up the "progression" of players on what was a very busy day (due to it being a Saturday and the only sunny day for a long time). I was so absorbed in what I was doing I just didn't realise what was going on.

If someone had said something I would obviously have moved, but the action of the security staff was little short of physical assault.

I understand from Rui that the new owners of the club are not at all "birder friendly", hardly surprising after the friction caused due to RSPB/SPEA involvement in trying to prevent the illegal draining of the lagoon, Rui's many attempts to stop golfers climbing over the fence to retrieve balls from the breeding areas, etc.

Colin

Have had a look at the large number of shots (182) I took and can only read two of the numbers on the white plastic rings: V72 and V7N.

Here are a few more which I have just processed:















Colin

Pedro Marques escreveu:Very good Colin

What´s that in the back of the bird?

1 Abraço,
Pedro

Just had another look at some of these shots Pedro, and several birds seem to have this "ruffled patch" on the back; also, it was not a windy day. I wonder if these birds originally had satellite transmitters fitted?

Regards,

Colin

That is the gps transmitter! Take a good look...there is a antenna in the middle of the feathers!

Amazing pictures! Congratulation Colin and keep the good work!

White rings:
V72
V7A
V7J
V7M
V7N

Arade escreveu:White rings:
V72
V7A
V7J
V7M
V7N

Have you had any "feedback" as to where and when these birds were reared and released?

Colin

Cannot remember all the info, but the birds have been free flying for some time and apparently one of "our" birds is a fledgling from last breeding season "in the wild". I think the place where they bred is near Barbate, Cadiz - or was it nearer Zahara-de-los-Atunes on military land. Maybe Arade can help on this?

Simon

Mensagem/noticia que coloquei no forum a 30/6:

http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/servicios/noticias/detalle/212758.html

Abraço,
Pedro

The people of the "Proyecto Eremita" or from the Doñana Ringing Station, did not give me any feedback. But they know that the birds are in the Algarve. Rui Eufrásia tell me that they were there a few time ago to see the birds!

Jose Manuel Lopez Vázquez, coordinator of the Proyecto Eremita tell me that the birds were released in July 2008 in Barbate (near Gibraltar).

Sadly V7J was found dead in Salgados Golf Course in March 3rd.

I heard from a visitor at Salgados that last week two birds were seen perched on the noticeboard (the one advising that dogs should be kept on a lead) at the start of the "Ecovia" walkway/cycleway and were taking food (bread, etc.) from the hands of people passing by!

Clearly, these birds have had too much "human intervention" in their upbringing prior to release.

Colin

Partilho uma situação algo engraçada com um Ger ere que se passou no passado fim-de-semana nos Salgados. Logo após a cena da imagem apareceram duas
pessoas com cães que deixaram as duas aves presentes como que "deixa lá ver se estes
vêm açaimados".

Hoje dei por mim a pensar nisto: a que categoria pertence o Geronticus? Será C ou E?

"You know best" Gonçalo, mas não será Cat E?

Epa... devia ser, não é? Mas trata-se de um projecto de reintrodução e é suposto eles começarem a nidificar, acho eu... caso em que passariam à Cat. C.

Esta questão já foi falada há tempos a propósito do quebra-ossos.

São categoria E3 em Portugal e E2 em Espanha.
Abraço