Jetty - 5 and RB2 - 6

On the evening of 21 July, Alan and Ron tried another roost at the jetty, but Sand Martin were in short supply, and they retired for the night with just 10 birds ringed. They were up soon after 4 to continue with a Reed Warbler session; the morning was more successful with a catch of 35 + (3) - incl the French ringed Reed Warber again. On 22nd, Jerry was in rb2, and caught a similar 35 + (9), both sessions having to finish early when the forecast rain duly arrived at 10am. The main difference between the catches, were an absence of Sedge Warbler in rb2. Interesting sightings were a group of 7 very noisy Oystercatcher who spent most of the morning flying over the point field and rb2, a Green Sandpiper over rb2 and a Kingfisher heard near the nets. A Fox took an early morning stroll across the rb2 field to disappear into the alder carr, not far from the netting area. A total for the two days of 80 + (12) and the species breakdown was -

Sand Martin 4 (3 in the evening, 1 in the morning)
Wren 2 + (1)
Robin 3 + (2)
Redstart 1
Blackbird 1
Reed Warbler 44 + (7)
Sedge Warbler 4
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 10 + (1)
Willow Warbler 1
Chiffchaff 1
Blue Tit 1 + (1)
Long Tailed Tit 2
Bullfinch 3
Reed Bunting 2

the rb2 ditch net catches proportionally more than its 30" might suggest

The first juvenile Blackcap of the year, where pj moult was sufficiently advanced to sex the bird

Alan and Ron also had a Bat get caught at the jetty, this very occasionally happens as a bicatch of the ringing and they are released immediately.

a Pipistrelle sp (most likely Soprano), not the more usual Brown Long-eared that we occasionally catch at the jetty.

Sand Martin with a Tick

The Tick in question having been removed