RAS sessions completed, and first "Acro tape sessions"

The RAS catching period has now ended, and we have re-trapped 28 different Reed Warblers that qualified to assess adult survival (ie they were adult last year), so a reasonable effort.  We managed 7 visits to the jetty (including 1 evening, and 2 "overnight" sessions), and 8 visits to rb2.  Over half of these RAS Reed Warblers were caught in just two of the visits - 14th June at rb2, and 20th June at the jetty.  Although the overall catches were modest, these early visits are much more productive in this respect (something to remember for next year).  The 28 birds were originally ringed in 2012, 2013, 2014 (5), 2015 (7) and 2016 (14).
With 456 birds ringed in July, our YTD total is now 1190 (1207 ringed at same stage in 2016).

Tuesday 1 August was the best day of the early part of the week, but the forecast was for rain arriving at 10 (and it did). Carlton thought it was still worth trying the jetty, and Andy/Jerry were in rb2, for the first "Acro tape sessions" of the year.  Sedge (and probably also Reed) Warbler passage was well under way. 
Total for the jetty was 34 (no re-traps), and in rb2 it was a bit busier, with 63 + (9). 
The species mix was made up of - Wren 4, Robin 1, Song Thrush 2, Blackbird (1), Chiffchaff 4 + (1), Willow Warbler 6, Blackcap 1 + (1), Reed Warbler 49 + (6), Sedge Warbler 29 and Long-tailed Tit 1.