CES monitoring starts for 2020, with visits 4 & 5

With movement restrictions (slightly) lifted, it was possible to start our CES monitoring, after being delayed by over a month (visits 1 - 3 being abandoned due to the Covid-19 movement restrictions). Visit 4 is usually undertaken by George/Ron but the Lake was a bit too far for them to travel, so Andy "stepped up" to undertake the session on Monday 8 June. The weather couldn't have been better - calm and overcast, with only occasional periods when the sun broke through. The total of 25+ (9) was the 10th highest catch for visit 4, and above the long term average of around 25.5, so a decent start to our important long term monitoring of the common breeding birds at the Lake. Recently fledged Blackbird, 

Robin and Chiffchaff boosted the catch. The full species details were Wren 3 + (1), Blackbird 4 + (3), Robin 3 + (1), Dunnock (2), Cettis Warbler (1) - unfortunately not our "long lived" male, Chiffchaff 6,

Garden Warbler 1, Blackcap 3, Blue Tit 1, Long-tailed Tit (1), Treecreeper 1, Bullfinch 1 and Greenfinch 2. After Andy's disappointing nest box checks on Thursday 4th, just one brood was too small to ring. The three Great Tit chicks were dead on 8th, after a wasp nest had been started in the box. On a positive note, the "hut" Spotted Flycatcher eggs were hatching.

Visit 5 has been Peter's session for about 15 years, and he was disappointed that he wasn't able to do it this year. But Andy "stepped forward" again, and on Monday 15th, it was mainly sunny, which affected

the catch, to end on 12 + (9) - below the recent average for this session (35.5) and the all time average of 28.5. The species mix was Robin 1 + (1), Dunnock (2), Blackbird 1, Song Thrush 2 + (2), Chiffchaff (2), Blackcap 4, Garden Warbler (1), Reed Warbler 1 + (1), Treecreeper 1, Goldfinch 1 and Bullfinch 1. A brood of 4 Spotted Flycatcher (& c/1 not hatched) completed the ringing for the day. A second nest (c/5) was found, in an old Blackbird nest, in the wood store. Birding highlights were a Shelduck on the point, an Oystercatcher flying over the church/garden, a pair of Great-crested Grebe in the point bay with 3 small chicks (presumably a benefit of lockdown, and a lack of boat activity), and a Cuckoo calling on Mynydd Llangorse. The Canada Goose herd numbered c630 (incl c65 goslings), which would have given us one of our largest catches, had it been able to go ahead.