After the solo effort on Saturday, it was a pleasure to have a team out with me on Wednesday: Andrew, Neil, Steph and Lillie turned up to help. Our penultimate CES session started well, with 65 birds caught and processed before 9:30 - and then died off very quickly. We ended up with just another seven birds between then and our pack up time at 11:30.
The list for the session was: Sparrowhawk (1); Treecreeper 1; Blue Tit 11(1); Great Tit 2(1); Wren 2(2); Robin 3(2); Blackbird 1; Reed Warbler 1; Blackcap 11(3); Garden Warbler 1; Chiffchaff 13(4); Willow Warbler 4; Goldcrest 1; Bullfinch 5(2). Totals: 56 birds ringed from 13 species; 16 birds retrapped from eight species, making 72 birds processed from 14 species. All bar two of the Chiffchaffs and one each of the Wrens and Willow Warblers were juveniles.
The retrapped Sparrowhawk was the same juvenile male caught at the last session, caught in the same net. Perhaps he has newly established himself in his own territory: unfortunately for him, it rather seems that includes our net ride. At least he will only have one other opportunity to get caught this season.
Photo by Andrew Bray
This is the third year of the CES sessions and the number of Garden Warblers have reduced year-on-year. In 2015 we ringed 47; 31 in 2016 and 23 so far in 2017 - so, unless we ring 8 in the last CES session there will be another decline this year. ST/AB/NS/SB/LW