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Early mornings and mist nets: bird ringing in Huelva

  • May 6
  • 2 min read

At the beginning of this month, I had the chance to attend two bird ringing sessions in the province of Huelva, near the small Andalusian village of Santa Olalla del Cala. The name alone already sparked curiosity, but it was the birds that made the experience memorable. The sessions were organised by skilled and passionate bird ringers, all members of the SGHN (Sociedad Gaditana de Historia Natural), in collaboration with Fundación Monte Mediterráneo.




As expected with bird ringing, early starts were essential. We had to be on-site before sunrise to set up the mist nets in time, taking advantage of the morning activity of the birds. The first session was especially rewarding in terms of variety. Among the species captured and ringed were Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Glossy Starling, and—somewhat unexpectedly—a Nuthatch. The Nuthatch was a pleasant surprise, as it's not commonly caught during such events. It drew attention from everyone present, and we all took a moment to admire its beautiful colours.



Two colourful birds are tangled in a net against a blurred green background.
Two Goldfinches have flown into one of the mist nets

A person carefully frees a small bird from a net in a lush, green setting.
A Blue Tit is freed from the net


Hand holding a small bird with blue and tan feathers against a blurred green background.
Nuthatch

Grey and beige bird perched on a person's hand against a plain white background.





Person gently holds a small bird, examining its wing.







A brief explantion to the event attendees
A brief explantion to the event attendees

Glossy Starling
Glossy Starling


A person gently touches a black bird in hand.


A sparrow with brown and white feathers in a person's hand.
Male House Sparrow

Person holding a small green and yellow bird with black and white markings.
Great Tit

Man gently holding a small brown and yellow bird with a leg band.
Melodious Warbler


The second session, held a few days later, had a much more specific focus: Barn Swallows. The aim was to study this species during its peak breeding season. Most of the birds caught were adults actively flying in and out of their nests to feed their young. For this purpose, the mist nets were set up to span the entire entrance side of a barn, making the process highly efficient.




The mist nets were set up to span the entire entrance side of the barn
The mist nets were set up to span the entire entrance side of the barn


Barn swallow perched on a mud nest under a corrugated roof.
Adult Barn Swallow on its nest


Birds trapped in a net under an orange roof.
In a matter of minutes the first birds flew into the nets


The Barn Swallows are calmly freed from the mist nets — no panic, just trust
The Barn Swallows are calmly freed from the mist nets — no panic, just trust


Hands gently hold a small bird with red and black markings, set against a netted background.



Barn Swallow nestlings are briefly removed from the nest for ringing
Barn Swallow nestlings are briefly removed from the nest for ringing

Man in green jacket studies a book at an outdoor table with various tools and a tablet.



Man in green jacket carefully frees a bird from a net in a grassy outdoor setting.



In total, we ringed around forty Barn Swallows. Each bird was gently extracted from the nets, quickly measured and weighed, and then released as soon as possible to minimise stress. Particular care was taken with the females showing signs of carrying eggs. The ringing process was carried out with admirable speed and attention, always keeping the welfare of the birds as the highest priority.


A swallow with dark blue wings and a white underbelly flies against a clear blue sky.



Two trees stand in a vibrant field of purple and yellow flowers under a moody, cloudy sky.
A threatening sky over a colourful landscape

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