Late July - CES 8 and 9, RAS sessions in rb2/at the jetty, and another Osprey nest.

After a short period of unsettled weather, ringing resumed in the second half of July with Jeremy doing CES 8 on Wednesday 16th (with help from Jerry). It was mainly sunny, dry and reasonably calm - the catch was 24 + (5), at the lower end of the range for recent 10 year catches for this visit. The mix was Dunnock 4, Blackbird 4 + (2), Cettis Warbler 1, Reed Warbler 2, Blackcap 2, Chiffchaff 2, Blue Tit 1 + (1), Great Tit 1, Chaffinch 2, Bullfinch 4 + (2), and Reed Bunting 1. On the same morning Andy was at the jetty for a RAS visit, but it was very quiet with 6 + (3). The mix was Cettis Warbler (2), Reed Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Blackcap 2, Chiffchaff 1, Blue Tit (1), and Great Tit 1. The day total was 30 + (8).

Some light rain in the early hours led to a delayed start for Jerry on Thursday 17th in rb2. The RAS visit went well with a total of 40 + (7), made up of Wren 3, Robin 2 + (1), Blackbird 1, Dunnock 1, Cettis Warbler 1, Reed Warbler 22 + (5) - of the retraps only one was new for the RAS, Sedge Warbler 2, Garden Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 3, Willow Warbler 1, and Blue Tit 3 + (1).

Friday 18th saw the "Osprey team" (schedule one licence holders) heading to the north of the county where two chicks were ringed in 2024. As usual there was only a short window between when the chicks would be old enough, and before they fledged. This time three chicks were raised, we believe by the same adult birds as last year. We have confirmed the female Blue 469 (2021 bird from a Private Lancashire site) is still the breeding female and we believe the male (2019 bird from Clywedog) has now lost the colour ring Blue KA7 that we observed was damaged last year. In the evening Peter and Ted were doing a jetty roost for 33 Sand Martin, 1 Cettis Warbler and 2 Reed Warbler. The day's total was 39 birds ringed, with one of the last Sand Martin being our 1,000th bird ringed for the year

Brood of Osprey chicks, from left to right - blue (9K6) probable male, blue (9K7) male, and blue (9K8) female - (sexed on combination of wing length/weight) - photo LRG. Hopefully one or more will be seen back in UK in the future years.

After a wet weekend (with weather fronts crossing the country), Peter and Alan J were back for another roost on Monday 21st. The "pre-roost" catch of 16 birds comprised Reed Warbler 2, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 4, Willow Warbler 1, and Long-tailed Tit 8. General Hobby disturbance disrupted the roost and no Sand Martin were caught.

Jerry had another useful catch in rb2 on Wednesday 23rd, with 45 + (4). Perfect ringing conditions with a short spell of light drizzel failing to penetrate the tree canopy. The mix was Robin 1, Blackbird 1, Cettis Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 3, Reed Warbler 33 + (4) - only a single adult caught, Chiffchaff 2, Willow Warbler 1, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 1, and Treecreeper 1.

Andy was doing CES 9 on Thursday 24th (with Jerry helping for the second half of the session). The catch picked up towards the end (when it became sunny and insects began moving) to end on 34 + (7) - the third highest CES 9 catch during the last decade. The mix was Wren 1, Robin 1, Dunnock 3 + (2), Blackbird 2, Reed Warbler 1, Blackcap 6, Garden Warbler 2, Chiffchaff 11, Willow Warbler 5, Marsh Tit (1) - ringed rb2 a couple of weeks ago, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 1 + (1), Bullfinch (2), and Reed Bunting (1). Jeremy was in rb2 for another RAS visit and had a very useful catch of 17 + (9), which included another RAS bird, and a Portuguese ringed Reed Warbler. The mix comprised Robin (1), Cettis Warbler (2), Reed Warbler 16 + (6), and Garden Warbler 1. The day total was 51 + (16).

The Portuguese ringed Reed Warbler - the first for LRGp (although we have had a small number of Lake birds caught in Portugal). photo Jeremy Richards.

On Friday 25th Peter, Alan J and Ruth tried another roost for a catch of 13 birds - Sand Martin 5, Reed Warbler 2, Chiffchaff 5, and Willow Warbler 1. Lots more Hobby disturbance!

Saturday 26th saw two RAS visits - Andy at the jetty for 5 + (2), and Jerry in rb2 for a more productive 23 + (9), unfortunately no more RAS birds were caught. Few adult Reed Warbler have been caught since the start of the month, having already started leaving the breeding sites. The day's mix was Wren (1), Robin (1), Blackbird 1, Cettis Warbler (1), Reed Warbler 13 + (8), Sedge Warbler 1, Blackcap 2, Chiffchaff 7, Willow Warbler 1, Blue Tit 2, and Treecreeper 1.

Gareth was in rb2 for another RAS session on Sunday 27th, and had a useful catch of 23 + (4) - made up of Song Thrush 3, Reed Warbler 15 + (2) - the only adult had been caught a couple of weeks ago, so already counted for the RAS, Sedge Warbler 3, Blue Tit 2 + (1), and Treecreeper (1). Although plenty of Chiffchaff were heard from the alder trees along the wood edge, none of them made it to the nets.

Another roost visit for Peter on Monday 28th, but only 1 Swallow was caught. The nets were not set until dusk, due to the windier than forecast weather! Once open a Hobby was seen chasing the Sand Martin flock down towards the toe. The roosts this year have been quite disappointing, it's impossible to know whether that's due to the adjusted net positions due to winter storm damage to the jetty, the amount of Hobby disturbance, the encroachment of Willow into the reed bed or for some other reason that we haven't thought of yet!!!

Jerry was doing the final RAS visit (in rb2) on Wednesday 30th, it was reasonably cloudy at times and he had a decent catch of 22 + (12). The mix was Wren (2), Reed Warbler 13 + (8) incl 2 more adults for the RAS, Sedge Warbler 3, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 2, Willow Warbler 2, Goldcrest 1, Blue Tit (1), and Tree Creeper (1). Another roost by Peter/Alan J in the evening produced 13 birds - only a single Swallow, but two new species for the year - Pied Wagtail and Hobby, with the "pre-roost" catch adding Chiffchaff 4, Reed Warbler 5, and Reed Bunting 1. The day total was 35 + (12).

Pied Wagtail

Hobby - The flash on the camera making the twilight conditions appear much darker than it was

 

During July we ringed 544 birds, only 2015 (with 553) and 2010/2011 (both over 700) have been higher in recent decades. Our YTD becomes 1,215.