Jetty - RAS, more rb2 - RAS, CES 7 & 8, and Sand Martin roosts

July usually sees an increase in our activities at the Lake, with some projects in full swing, and others just starting. Friday July 1st saw a (rather belated) start to our Reed Warbler RAS at the jetty. Andy and Jerry had a useful catch of 18 + (9) which included eight birds for the RAS. The catch was limited by one net having tall Willows on one side, causing several birds to overfly the net, while the top panel of the second net was above the reeds, and was billowing when the breeze picked up later in the session. The species mix was Blackbird 1, Redstart 1, Chiffchaff 3, Garden Warbler 1, Reed Warbler 12 + (8), and Reed Bunting (1).

Jerry was back on Sunday 3rd for the rb2 - RAS (4th visit). Despite near "ideal" weather for catching, it was a disappointing 18 + (5), made up of Wren 2, Robin (1), Cettis Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 2, Reed Warbler 11 +(2), Blue Tit 2, Treecreeper (1), and Reed Bunting (1). Only two adult Reed Warbler were caught, one of which was added to the RAS total.

Tuesday 5th saw a good turnout for CES 7, with Carlton, George and Ron - this visit usually has one of the highest CES catches, and this was no exception. At 53 + (11). This was the 3rd highest for CES 7 of the last 10 years, despite some disturbance in the garden from mowing the lawns. The species mix was Wren 4 + (1), Robin 9, Dunnock 2, Blackbird 4, Cettis Warbler (1), Chiffchaff 10 + (3), Willow Warbler 1, Blackcap 3 + (2), Reed Warbler 8 + (1), Blue Tit 1 + (2), Long-tailed Tit (1), Treecreeper 3, Siskin 4, Bullfinch 2, Greenfinch 1, and Reed Bunting 1. In the evening Peter and Alan J had a first attempt at the Sand Martin roost (recently holding some 500 birds), and they conservatively estimated the flock size at 800+. It was looking very promising, but suddenly there were only small fast moving mini flocks of 1-10 birds. They weren't sure if an unseen Hobby had disturbed the flock, or if most had already gone to roost closer to the Llangasty car park (where Andy saw them the previous evening), with just a few stragglers at the jetty. The catch of 9 + (6) was made up of Sand Martin 1, Swallow 1, Blackbird 1, Cettis Warbler 1 + (1), Chiffchaff 1, and Reed Warbler 4 + (5) (incl 2 more for the RAS). The catch total for the day was 62 + (17).

Jeremy opted for an early start for a jetty RAS on Thursday 7th, but his catching ended at about 9.30 when the sun broke through and the wind picked up (with a high pressure system over the country, this was regular problem for most of these early July mornings, though this did not seem deter members from trying). He nevertheless had a useful catch of 10 + (7), including our first Sedge Warbler of the year. The mix was Robin 1, Dunnock (1), Cettis Warbler (1), Garden Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Reed Warbler 4 + (5), Starling 1, and Reed Bunting 2.

Jerry had another rb2 RAS visit on Saturday 9th, and the initial catch was promising (until the sun broke through the cloud cover at 09.30). He finished on 21 + (6), with a limited species selection of Wren 2, Reed Warbler 16 + (4), Blue Tit 1 + (1), Treecreeper 1, and Reed Bunting 1 + (1).

Not deterred by the low catch at their first roost attempt (see above), Peter and Alan J tried again on Sunday 9th. The "pre-roost" catch was a useful 13 + (4), and with some 900 hirundines responding to the tapes, they were hopeful of a better catch than last time. A modest 20 were caught, with Swallow dominating, as most of the Sand Martin going to roost to the east of the jetty. The evening's total of 33 + (4) was made up of Sand Martin 4, Swallow 16, Blackbird 2, Blackcap 2, Garden Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Reed Warbler 2 + (3), Chaffinch 1, and Reed Bunting 4 + (1).

Next up was Andy on Tuesday 12th, for a "standard" RAS session at the jetty. It was overcast, so more suited for netting, but the catching still slowed down at about 9am. His catch of 16 + (7) was made up of Robin 1, Chiffchaff 4 + (1), Willow Warbler 1, Garden Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Reed Warbler 3 + (6) - (including two more for the RAS), Blue Tit 1, Bullfinch 1, and Reed Bunting 3.

On the evening of Thursday 14th, Peter and Alan J tried another roost, but despite some 2000 hirundines present the roost catch was in single figures. The evening produced a total of 12 + (1), made up of Kingfisher 1 (our first of the year), Sand Martin 5, Swallow 3, Blackbird 1, Reed Warbler 1 + (1), and Long-tailed Tit 1.

First Kingfisher of 2022

The next morning, Jeremy (with Jerry helping from mid morning) did CES 8. It was a quiet session (the 5th lowest total for CES 8 since 2009, even though there was some cloud cover at times. The catch was 19 + (9), the best of which was a recently fledged brood of Cettis Warbler, with the full mix - Robin 2 + (3), Blackbird (1), Wren 2 + (2), Chiffchaff 1, Cettis Warbler 3, Blackcap 4, Garden Warbler 2, Reed Warbler 3, Blue Tit 1 + (1), Treecreeper 1 + (1), and Bullfinch (1). Despite good numbers of Blackbird and Song Thrush on the lanes when arriving for the last few CES visits, the catches of both have been poor.