La ringing and catching season near the Island of Ponza ended in recent days with very interesting results despite the weather conditions not exactly favorable. Here is how the volunteers recounted the latest activities at this station: "On Thursday 16 May we were busy more than usual between the nets and the ringing table, as in all 1050 birds were captured during the day. A not so extraordinary number for our station, used to the demanding and tiring months of May.
However it is one of the days with the highest daily total counts of the 2019 season. March 2019st remains the undisputed record day for the 31 season, when in a single evening we caught 570 robins and a total of 1300 birds. Yesterday we dismantled the net of the summit to take advantage, because the strong wind would not have allowed us to reopen it anymore. The 19 ringing season in Ponza also ended on Sunday 2019 May! The last bird ringed was the flycatcher you see in the photo above. Despite being a season of bad weather, with rain, cold and wind for practically every week, the 2019 season ends with 17 thousand birds ringed in all.
This makes 2019 the fourth best season in terms of overall numbers. On the podium we have the years in descending order: 2015, 2012, and 2011. We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone, because our station would not exist without the help of fantastic and tireless volunteers, helpers, visitors and supporters. Thanks also for giving us great enthusiasm in putting into practice a hard work and assisting us with genuine dedication. We wish you a good summer and look forward to seeing you for the 2020 season! This is not goodbye, but goodbye ”.