Constant Effort Ringing 2018, Visit 1 - Thursday 3rd May.

Following recent unsettled weather Carlton took advantage of a good forecast for the first day of the season and successfully completed the first session. Luckily, the weather stayed as forecast, remaining calm and dry throughout and at times even the sun shone. The totals birds processed were 36, being 24 new and 12 retraps, this was above the long term average for the first session and continues a recent trend for above average catches for the first session. 6 of  the last 7 years (and 12 of the last 15) have produced above average catches in CES 1 including our 4 highest ever catches; 2012&2016 - Joint highest, 2015 - 3rd highest, 2014 - joint 4th highest.

Of the retraps there were returning migrants Sedge Warbler and Blackcap, although the Blackcap had a good weight so it may have not ventured far over the winter. Also our longest surviving Cetti’s Warbler (6M) X789016 was retrapped, for its twelfth time, this time in GN4, having originally been ringed on 27/7/10 its longevity record has now increasing by almost a year to 7yrs 9 months 13 days. This has moved this bird to within 18 months of the all time longevity record for a BTO ringed bird (which incidentally also holds the European record for this species). That record holder was a bird ringed at Chew in June 1999 which was last recaptured 9 years, 3 months and 28 days later.

Also a new Cetti’s Warbler (5F) was also ringed out of GN2 and was subsequently retrapped twice more during the morning both times in GN6, so may possibly be a mate to the retrap male above.

Final totals were -

Blackcap 5 (1), Garden Warbler 4, Robin 1, Cetti’s Warbler 1 (1), Sedge Warbler 1 (1), Bullfinch 2, Wren 4 (2), Wilow Warbler 1, Long-tailed Tit 2, Dunnock 1 (3), Greenfinch 2, Song Thrush (1), Blute Tit (2), Reed Bunting (1).