First "overnights" at the jetty

The jetty was set up on Thursday 9th July before Peter and Jerry stayed until dusk, with a session the next morning by Peter and Alan. The 3 hour session on evening the 9th produced 6 birds, 3 + (2) Reed Warbler and 1 Goldfinch. Both the retraps were RAS "eligible" birds. A handful of Sand Martin responded to the the tapes but weren't interested enough to come down to the nets. Andy had tried in his garden before helping set up the jetty and also had a disappointing time, catching just 4 birds. Although the two Great Spotted Woodpeckers take our year total to 5, which is only one off our year max of 6 (from 2015) and comes after not catching any new birds at all in 2019 for the first time since the year 2000!

Peter and Alan's session on the morning of the 10th started slowly and didn't pick up in "breezy" conditions. Jerry had sent Peter a text saying catching couldn't be any slower than the night before! He was wrong was with only 8 new birds and no retraps in 4 and a half hours! The species mix was 7 Reed Warbler and a Reed Bunting! A party of House Martins skimmed the top of the nets and a Hobby was seen over the lake.

Another "overnight" on 12th/13th by Andy/Jerry was a bit more productive, but still relatively quiet - just 4 + (4) & 13 + (3) respectively. A decent number of adult Reed Warbler were caught for the RAS, but it looks like many young are yet to fledge, and Sedge Warbler are just starting to move through. The combined mix was Robin 1, Sedge Warbler 2, Reed Warbler 12 + (7), Garden Warbler 1 and Reed Bunting 1. The day ended with a brood of 4 pulli Spotted Flycatcher ringed in Andy's garden.