Saturday 21st July - CES 8 & jetty RAS

Jeremy was in the garden, for some "steady" catching, before the sun broke through mid session, and he ended on 22 + (9). Below the average for the last five years (46), and the highest for CES 8 is 86 (way back in 1986). However, his catch included a Buzzard, which had been sitting on the sweet pea frame for some time, before flying round the gn2 tree belt, to get caught in gn1. The commotion from other birds alerting Jeremy to the catch. It had moulted its inner primaries, which made it a bird hatched last year (an older bird would have three generations of flight feathers). Jerry was at the jetty, where several loads of spoil had been spread along the path, covering our post holes. Because it was so dry, he was unable to make new holes, and had to prop the poles in position with large stones. After a slow start (the reeds were wet after yesterday's evening rain), it picked up before the nets were in full sun by 9am. His catch of 18 + (8), included four more Reed Warbler for our RAS (the most for any of this year's RAS sessions). The day total was 40 + (17), with details - Buzzard 1, Wren 1, Blackbird 4, Song Thrush 4, Robin 2, Dunnock (2), Cettis Warbler (1), Reed Warbler 8 + (8), Sedge Warbler 1 + (2), Blackcap 9 + (4), Garden Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 1, Blue Tit 4, Tree Creeper 1, Greenfinch 2 and Reed Bunting 1.

Buzzard with the sweet pea frame in background