Light winds and mainly overcast sky’s were ideal conditions. However, in the first 3 hrs only 7 birds had been caught which is usually the best part of the morning. Having said that the air was filled with bird song and we talked at length without coming to a positive conclusion why it was such a slow start with so many birds around. Usually around 10.00am we only catch the odd bird but on this occasion the catch rate improved. The Long Tailed Tit flock of nine birds helped, 4 of which were new birds and the re-traps being caught on CES1 and CES2. Also worthy of note were the 2 Blackcaps and 2 Chiffchaffs but the highlight of the morning was a Lesser Whitethroat.

A quick check of the ringing book showed only one other bird had been caught since 2010 and this was on CES3 last year on the 26th May, so it is a bit of a coincidence to catch another bird today exactly a year apart except for one day.

The total catch for the day was 25 birds a few less than CES2 this year and CES3 last year. Compared with some of the poor sessions in the last couple of years the feeling is the staff at WWT have done a great job reducing the height and thinning out many of the trees in and around our net rides. The results are speaking for themselves and have improved.