Thanks, Neil - all very interesting and useful. We've been without phone lines for 4 days 
since my last email but that same morning (tues 16th - I was emailing between opening 
nets and first round...) we caught two retraps (one from 2002, the other an 05 bird) and 
a first year bird still juv head plumage. from what I can remember, none of our birds, or 
very few, are in moult at all while they are here - I'll double check on that however.

Have only heard my first one here at my place along the beach from the centre today so 
it seems they're just trickling in. I'll have a look at our data to see what ratio of ads to 
young and MM to FF as well. Some nice work to be done here and certainly the 
possibility of a joint paper. Late rains would seem to be a good explanation for the late 
arrival of them - almost a month later than in some years. 

Colin

On 17 May 2006 at 13:47, Neil & Liz Baker wrote:

> Hi Colin
> 
> We have long suspected that these natalensis visitors to the coast
> have a SW origin rather than a simple southern one from the coast but
> of course have no idea how far they have travelled. I do recall a bird
> on Kifufu incorporating East Coast Akalat song phrases so perhaps some
> of your birds do not move far. We know they do not move in numbers
> through Mufindi and are not common as nocturnal migrants in Amani.
> 
> One day I'll get around to analysing our 1100 + ringing records.Terry,
> this would keep you busy for a few weeks !!!
> 
> Colin, what's your sample size now ? there should be a joint paper
> here somewhere.
> 
> Rains were VERY late this year and these are rains breeders. Moult is
> critical for these birds, they have to leave breeding grounds before
> they become too dry and burn. Adult males begin moult when females are
> on eggs.
> 
> It was always complicated in the Pugu Hills because we had a small
> resident breeding population there as well as passage birds and
> "winter" visitors.
> 
> 1st arrivals would be adult males having completed moult on their
> breeding grounds, 2nd batch would have the 1st young of the year and
> remaining males, 3rd batch the last lot of imms and the 1st females,
> 4th batch would be the remaining females, the last of these would
> still be moulting inner secondaries such is their "desire" to migrate.
> 
> Now, it was never quite as simple as this of course but that's the
> general pattern.
> 
> In reality we could be taking about waves of birds from different sub
> populations.
> 
> So.. I would guess that your birds are late because the rains were
> late on the breeding grounds and they waited a few extra weeks before
> breeding.  Sadly no one working in coastal Tanzania any longer.
> 
> I would be interested in the ratio of imms to adults this year and a
> comparison with previous years, this might give you a feel for
> breeding success this year.
> 
> Hope this helps
> 
> Neil
> 
> Colin Jackson <colin.jackson@arocha.org> wrote: ...following my email
> a few days ago asking where were all the Red-capped Robin Chats I
> heard the first one during church on sunday in Malindi! Did a bit of
> env. education and pointed it out to the congregation which amused and
> interested them all!! Still haven't had them at Mwamba yet however -
> but understand one or two have been recorded in Arabuko-Sokoke. It's
> very late for them, all the same and would be interesting to know if
> any Tanzanians who get this (Neil?) have any idea why they may have
> delayed so much.
> 
> Colin
> 
> -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - -- -- --
> Colin Jackson Mwamba Bird Observatory & Field Study Centre, A Rocha
> Kenya PO Box 383 Watamu, 80202 Kenya
> 
> Tel: +254-(0)42-32023 (O), 32037 (H)
> Mobile 0722-842366
> eml: colin.jackson@arocha.org
> 
> see also 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa,
> Tanzania. Mobiles: 0748-509906 and 0748-834273.
> http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com Subscribe to:
> tanzaniabirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
> 
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