(Transmitter) / Blue-Yellow-(Green)

This bird was banded in Gallocanta Lake, Spain, on 30 Dec. 1991, by J.A. Alonso and J.C. Alonso. It was also provided with a leg transmitter mounted on the left tibia.

In 1992-93 A&A observed that the antenna of the transmitter was already missing (broken) although the transmitter was still in place. In the next winter season (1993-94), two years after banding, the same observers realized that the whole transmitter had been lost. On 26 Nov. 1998, JSa reported the bird, for the first time with only two rings: Blue-Yellow. Nevertheless the bird was observed by the ringers too, who identified it because it still held the same winter territory where it was banded seven years before, and in the meantime observed a number of times.

The picture was shot in November 1999 by H. Rutar, who noticed that the blue ring had already some white colour on one side. The bird was still alive in February 2000, and the rings did look like in the picture.

We think that the white colour on the blue band appeared probably when the colour was worn off the ring due to the constant rubbing against the transmitter, while it was still attached to the left tibia (two years).