Common Redshank / Tringa totanus / 赤足鷸
Get this thing off my back please !!!
This Common Redshank (non-breeding plumage) had flown past me on several occasions with what appeared to be something unnatural on its back.
At first I had assumed it was a mutant mass of feathers or perhaps the result of a healing of an old injury.
Once I managed to capture an image of the bird, it became clear what the object really was: a miniature solar array with attached GPS transponder plus dual antennae.
The bird had also been ringed / tagged, so presumably the GPS transponder was attached at the same time.
The bird appeared to be in excellent health and seemed entirely oblivious to the foreign object on its back; certainly, there was no discernible impact on its overall behaviour nor foraging / flying abilities.
Hopefully, some scientist / ornithologist somewhere is receiving some great data about this particular bird’s activities, movements and migrations throughout East Asia / Australasia !
Thank you for your interest, views, faves, comments and awards ! This image was captured in Hong Kong 香港. (Best viewed on a larger screen.)
© This Image is under full copyright Rick C. Graham. © All rights reserved Rick C. Graham. © This image is subject to international copyright laws and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transferred or manipulated without the express written permission of Rick C. Graham.
Common Redshank / Tringa totanus / 赤足鷸
Get this thing off my back please !!!
This Common Redshank (non-breeding plumage) had flown past me on several occasions with what appeared to be something unnatural on its back.
At first I had assumed it was a mutant mass of feathers or perhaps the result of a healing of an old injury.
Once I managed to capture an image of the bird, it became clear what the object really was: a miniature solar array with attached GPS transponder plus dual antennae.
The bird had also been ringed / tagged, so presumably the GPS transponder was attached at the same time.
The bird appeared to be in excellent health and seemed entirely oblivious to the foreign object on its back; certainly, there was no discernible impact on its overall behaviour nor foraging / flying abilities.
Hopefully, some scientist / ornithologist somewhere is receiving some great data about this particular bird’s activities, movements and migrations throughout East Asia / Australasia !
Thank you for your interest, views, faves, comments and awards ! This image was captured in Hong Kong 香港. (Best viewed on a larger screen.)
© This Image is under full copyright Rick C. Graham. © All rights reserved Rick C. Graham. © This image is subject to international copyright laws and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transferred or manipulated without the express written permission of Rick C. Graham.