Leg-flagged Common
Redshank (Photo by somchai Nimnuan)
Birdwatchers should look out for shorebirds that have been
leg-flagged in Thailand since 2005. On the 3rd September 2007,
Phil Round placed the following request on the Malaysian Birders
Yahoo group.
"I'd like to alert shorebird watchers to the fact
that since 2005 Somchai Nimnuan and I have been banding
and leg-flagging shorebirds in the Inner Gulf of Thailand
at Samut Sakhon and Phetchaburi, in collaboration with the
(Thai) Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants
Conservation, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources
and The Wetland Trust (UK).
If anybody is watching waders in S. Thailand, Malaysia,
Singapore or Indonesia there is a slight chance that you
may see some of our birds, all of which are flagged black
over green on the right leg. Some of the Long-toed Stints
additionally bear other colour-combinations on the left
leg (usually two colour-bands) as they are the subjects
of a more detailed study.
Two of our leg-flagged Common Redshanks were sighted last
autumn, one in Penang and one in Singapore, even though
relatively few were banded, and already this autumn one
of our Common Redshanks banded in 2007, a juvenile, has
been seen in Penang. The chances of further resightings
must be higher this year as rather more have been banded
- 42 Common Redshanks in just two mornings just a couple
of weekends ago, and we are still catching a few each week.
Sightings should be reported online to http://www.tasweb.com.au/awsg/
using the form provided on that web-page, and the information
will get back to us. Thanks."
Phil has kindly supplied a photograph of a leg-flagged adult
Common Redshank at Laem Phak Bia on 11th August 2007, prior
to release, showing the colours and arrangement of the flags
applied to birds in Thailand, reproduced here. He also supplied
further details of how the flags have been used on other species.
"With the longer-legged waders, both flags are
placed on the tibia. With smaller or shorter-legged waders,
we put the black flag on the tibia and the green flag on
the tarsus."
It is quite common to see wading birds in Thailand with this
arrangement of leg flags and if you happen to see one then
it is good practice to try and read the number of the metal
ring on the left leg. Sometimes this can be done with a very
good telescope or a photograph.
Recommended Book
Shorebirds:
An Identification Guide to the Waders of the World is
still the most complete guide to shorebirds of the world with
a wide variety of plumages of all species illustrated both
standing and in flight. Packed full of information this is
the book if you want to learn more about this fascinating
group of birds. There are often some very cheap second-hand
copies available on Amazon.
Central
Mongolia , 20th May-3rd June 2021 - Black-billed
Capercaillie, Oriental Plover, Henderson's Ground Jay, Azure
Tit, Pallas's Sandgrouse: Contact
me for details
Thailand
Raptor Migration, 26th Oct-5th Nov 2021 -
Black Baza, Grey-faced Buzzard, Pied Harrier, Lesser Fish
Eagle, Spoon-billed Sandpiper: Contact
me for details
Shorebirds:
An Identification Guide to the Waders of the World
South
Korea, 5-17th January 2021 - Steller's Sea
Eagle, Relict Gull, Red-crowned Crane, White-naped Crane,
Baikal Teal, Solitary Snipe, Asian Rosy Finch: 
Central
Mongolia , 20th May-3rd June 2021 - Black-billed
Capercaillie, Oriental Plover, Henderson's Ground Jay, Azure
Tit, Pallas's Sandgrouse: 
Thailand
Raptor Migration, 26th Oct-5th Nov 2021 -
Black Baza, Grey-faced Buzzard, Pied Harrier, Lesser Fish
Eagle, Spoon-billed Sandpiper: 
