Swift flicking

After our first proper rain last night, even if just for a few hours, we were expecting some swifts to be feeding low over campus catching emerging chafers , and we weren't disappointed. In a couple of hours we caught 14 birds before they all disappeared, would have been more if it weren't for Iain disappearing for meetings every half hour leaving me to catch them on my own. Lets hope they're there again tommorow.

CES 3 - Norfolk Broads (inc. 2 Controls - X050107 & L702451)

Our third CES visit of the year was much more successful than the last, with the help of the wind dropping right off this morning, the birds (and unfortunately midges) were much more mobile. Two controls, a Bearded Tit, 5 Groppers, a fly through osprey and numerous dragonflies and Swallowtail butterflies were the highlights. 


Total 36 new (21 retrap) 2 controls


Blackbird 1
Wren 1
Robin 2
Blackcap 2
Sedge Warbler 9 (14) + 1 cont. X050107
Grasshopper Warbler 4 (1)
Reed Warbler 4 (3)
Willow Warbler 4 (2)
Chiffchaff 1
Great Tit (1)
Bearded Tit 1
Long-tailed Tit 1
Jay 2
Reed Bunting 4 + 1cont L702451

CES 2 - Norfolk Broads, 16th May

Despite having over 1000 feet of net, today's CES (inckuding extra non-ces nets) was very poor with just 28 birds being caught, 19 new (7 retraps) and 2 remaining unrung due to scaly-leg. Moth trap was quiet too but a couple of Eyed Hawk-moths were nice.

Totals 

Robin (1)
Sedge Warbler 8 (4) 2*
Reed Warbler 2
Willow Warbler 3
Great Tit 3
Blue Tit (1)
Reed Bunting 3 (1)

*not ringed due to scaly leg

First CES of the Year

Our first CES (constant effort site) visit of the year at a site in the Norfolk Broads took place on Sunday (8th May). For those who aren't familiar with CES, the idea is to run 12 visits each about 10 days apart over the breeding season. Each session is run using the same number of nets in the same locations for a set time, to produce a more standardised dataset than day-to-day ringing. This is the second year that we have run this CES.

Totals for the morning 30 new (7 retraps)

Sedge Warbler 8 (3)  All three retraps were Juveniles from last year

Willow Warbler 7

Bullfinch 4

Grasshopper Warbler 2

Wren 2

Robin 2

Blue tit 0(2) both adults from last year

Great tit 1(1) adult from last year

Chaffinch 0(1) adult from last year

Reed warbler 1

Treecreeper 1

Marsh tit 1

Reed bunting 1

Final Waxham visits of the spring

On 28th April we headed to Waxham again hoping for an arrival of migrants, unfortunately the fine weather meant we just caught on up the resident birds. A couple of spring-trapped wheatears and a stonechat were nice though. We also tried to spring trap a Shorelark which arrived mid morning... and failed miserably.

Totals (retraps)

Wheatear 2 M&F
Stonechat 1F
Robin (1)
Blackbird 1
Wren (1)
Blackcap 1
Whitethroat 1
Chiffchaff (1)
Willow Warbler (7)




The final Waxham visit of the year 3rd-4th May was a bit more successful with a total of 27 new (13 retraps). Grasshopper Warbler being the highlight, though starling might be a first for the site (ringed, that is).

Totals (retraps)

Robin 1

Song Thrush 1

Wren (1)

Blackcap 2

Whitethroat 8(3)

Grasshopper Warbler 1

Chiffchaff 1

Willow Warbler 1(7)

Great Tit 2

Long-tailed Tit (1)

Starling 1

Magpie 4 (pulli)

Chaffinch 2

Bullfinch 1(1)

Goldfinch 2

A newly arrived pollen/sap faced Chiffchaff