A fairly impromptu decision was made to have a Friday ringing session due to a rapidly deteriorating forecast for the weekend.

Despite a clash with both CES and a session that had been organised by Richard Dann in his garden, we were still able to raise a strong team of six. This demonstrates how much the Group has grown over the past ten years; we now number over 25 people.

The overall catch of 83 was dominated by siskins. These were mainly juveniles and adult males; only one female was captured. Other highlights were:

• A control goldfinch. The bird was in its second calendar year (the worn and pointed tail being the most immediate and obvious pointer). Demon (the online ringing database administered by the BTO) indicates it was ringed in April 2021. We await where with interest.
• A few reed and sedge warblers. Despite a grasshopper warbler reeling very close to the nets we didn’t catch it. The reed beds were relatively quiet.
• A blue tit ringed on 22 November 2015, recaptured four days later, and next encountered on 14 May 2021. A reasonably long-lived bird with an inexplicable gap in its life history.

Otherwise standard fare. The marsh is quiet in April and May, with bird numbers increasing as the tits fledge in June, before peaking in July and August as the swallows start to pour through and the reed and sedge warblers start moving.

Thanks to the team of Keith Vaughton, Val Wilson, Dionne Jenkins, Miguel Lurgi and Kate Hammond.

Photos (by Kate) are below.

Owain Gabb

16/05/2021