A mixed morning. Light winds with occasional, sometimes heavy, showers and bright intervals. We set nets in the open reed bed, through rushy ground with scattered scrub, and around the feeders. The latter were only opened once captures from the reed bed started to decline.
|
Species
|
Ringed
|
Recaptured
|
Total
|
|
Great Spotted Woodpecker
|
0
|
4
|
4
|
|
Wren
|
9
|
1
|
10
|
|
Dunnock
|
6
|
3
|
9
|
|
Robin
|
3
|
3
|
6
|
|
Blackbird
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Grasshopper Warbler
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Sedge Warbler
|
6
|
2
|
8
|
|
Reed Warbler
|
15
|
3
|
18
|
|
Whitethroat
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Willow Warbler
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Blue Tit
|
25
|
8
|
33
|
|
Great Tit
|
12
|
8
|
20
|
|
Chaffinch
|
4
|
2
|
6
|
|
Greenfinch
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Bullfinch
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Reed Bunting
|
8
|
1
|
9
|
|
Day Total:
|
103
|
37
|
140
|
The highlights of the morning were:
- Two grasshopper warblers. A juvenile and a recapture of the male of the pair (sexed earlier in the season) thought to have bred close to the net ride in which both were captured.
- A reed warbler initially ringed (as an adult) at the marsh on 20 July 2014, recaptured on 31 July 2015 and again on 23 July 2017, and therefore in at least its fifth calendar year.
- Good numbers of fledgling local residents, including nine new wrens, six dunnocks, twenty-five blue tits and eight reed buntings.
- Our first fledgling bullfinches of the year. Both were in entirely juvenile plumage.
It was also good to welcome some new starters, all of whom had responded to the blog post of the previous week. The range of species captured and the number of birds enabled a good initial (and hopefully not too overwhelming) insight into bird ringing.
Thanks to Heather Coats, Wayne Morris, Emma Cole, Val Wilson, Sarah Davies, Chris Jones, Kirsty Franklin, Stephen Vickers, Joanne Conway, Jamie and Lizzie Hobbs and Jake Gearty for company and assistance, and to Stephen and Kirsty for photos (below).
Owain Gabb
24/07/2017
 |
| A young great spotted woodpecker |
 |
| One of two juvenile bullfinches |
 |
| A young wren. This bird showed white tips to the primaries on the right wing (but not the left) |
