Three mornings in rb2

After almost a week of windy/showery weather, on Thurs 6th Aug, Andy and Jerry were in rb2, the occasional light drizzle didn't warrant deployment of the umbrella, and they had an excellent catch of 61 + (16). Although it was starting to slow down at 09.30, at 10.00, the nets (mainly the 3rd one with willow/alder scrub adjacent) held 34 birds. "Sylvia" warblers made up 30% of the day's total, with "Acros"
21% and "Phylloscs" 14%. Two Redstart brought the year total to 37, just 5 short of our maximum year catch, and still a few weeks left to catch some more. On 7th, Jerry was back, and with the "Acro" breeding season over, it was a first session of tape luring (mixed Sedge/Aquatic/Grasshopper song). Also a first outing for a 4th 18m net on the long boardwalk. Some mist gathered from 06.45 (which caused large drips to fall onto the ringing table/data sheets), but it had been burnt off an hour later, when the sunny conditions started to dry and warm the reedbed. The session ended on 38 + (5), with "Acros" making up 70% and "Sylvia" 19%. Star birds were a control Reed Warbler - (Y697811) an adult female with BP4, likely breeding at the Lake, and a 3JJ Cettis Warbler - proving successful breeding. On 8th, Andy and Jerry had a third session, and with the early mist burnt off by 07.00, the slow catching improved as the reeds warmed up. The total of 28 + (9) involved 65% "Acros" - a positive indication of the effects of tape luring. This was the first session where Sedge outnumbered Reed Warblers, indicating that passage through the Lake had started. A high proportion were adults, so it won't be too long before the youngsters start moving through. Two adult Reed Warbler (ringed in 2014 and 2013) had managed to evade capture during our RAS project, and a second 3JJ Cettis Warbler was probably from the same brood as yesterday's bird.

The species breakdown for the three days was -
Wren 3 + (1)
Robin 1 + (2)
Redstart 2
Blackbird 2 + (2)
Willow Warbler 7
Chiffchaff 4 + (1)
Reed Warbler 34 + (9)
Sedge Warbler 26 + (1)
Cettis Warbler 2
Blackcap 21 + (2)
Garden Warbler 10
Blue Tit 14 + (7)
Long-tailed Tit 1 + (2)
Treecreeper (2)
Reed Bunting (1)

The "locals" coming to see if anything interesting has been caught 

No chance of putting up the ditch net

the new 4th net at the landward end of the main boardwalk