11th July - CES 7 and jetty RAS

Carlton successfully completed his CES session in near perfect weather conditions, being warm, dry and still, with varying light cloud cover.

Obvious highlight of the day was the number of new juvenile (3J) Blackcaps, with 27 amounting to about 39% of the day's total catch of new birds. Reed Warbler also featured quite well and with an adult singing close to GN 6, a total of 5+(1) were trapped, again consisting of mainly 3J’s. So possibly a family group. Several birds were in full adult wing moult and interestingly one of the adult Spotted Flycatchers had replaced secondaries 2 & 3, plus a few tertials on each wing. Demongin indicates that Spotted Flycatchers usually undergo a complete prebreeding moult (in the late winter), but it may be suspended with the retention of some secondaries.

The morning ended with a total of 69 + (7) consisting of 16 species, Cetti’s Warbler being the only species being of retraps only. The session total is our fourth highest (for CES 7) after 2010 (117), 2011 (109) and 81 (2004), and well above the totals since 2011.

Wren 1, Robin 3, Redstart 1, Blackbird 7 (1), Cetti’s Warbler (3), Reed Warbler 5 (1), Blackcap 27 (2), Chiffchaff 4, Spotted Flycatcher 2, Blue Tit 4, Great Tit 4, Treecreeper 3, Goldfinch 1, Siskin 1, Greenfinch 2, Bullfinch 4.

Jeremy was at the jetty for another RAS session, and also had a useful catch of 18 + (8) - bringing the day total to 87 + (15). His catch was made up of Reed Warbler 5 (8), Blackcap 4, Sedge Warbler 1, Blue Tit 4, Lesser Redpoll 1 and Reed Bunting 3. The Redpoll was a bit unexpected (at this site, and so early in the summer), and his visit added another two Reed Warbler to our RAS data.