21/05 Thatcham Marsh LNR CES Visit 2017.03

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR CES Visit 2017.03
Session: 21-May-2017 05:30 to 10:30hrs
Headlines: I overslept and arrived a bit late, fortunately the nets went up without a hitch and got me back to time more or less. It was slow for the first half and the reed bed was noticeably quiet with relatively few Acrocephalus singing.
54 in the standard nets is the best ever for visit 3, well above the average of 35 range 2002-18, and previously 1993-51 was the highest total. We captured 16 Long-tailed Tits in the second half of the session that push the total up. Sedge Warbler with a capture of 8 was one below the average of 9, while 18 Reed Warbler is one above the average for visit 3. For both species the cumulative total is above average. After Cetti’s Warbler singing all around the nets and not being captured on the last visit we capture 5 this time. We rarely capture Jay here these days, we manage to extract and ring it only got minor injuries. As is often the case the capture of a Long-tailed Tit flock makes a big difference although without them 38 is quite a good total for the standard nets. All but two of the Long-tailed Tit were juveniles, quite early this year. 
Weather: Some sunny periods, often overcast, cool but warm when in the sunshine., calm
Present: JL, IW, JHW, DL, JPM, GB, SC
Nets: 256metres in four rides: standard nets, one reed bed ride of 108+90M, additional nets: three scrub rides of 18M, 18M and 12M up from 06:05 to 10:10hrs
Lure (none):
Capture (New/Recapture)

59(32/27)	33(13/20) CES V2016.03 22-May
Species New Retrap Juvs Adult BLABI 1 1 BLACA 1 1 CETWA 1 4 5 CHIFF 1 1 2 DUNNO 2 2 GRETI 1 1 JAY  1 1 LOTTI 15 2 15 2 REEBU 1 1 REEWA 7 11 1 17 ROBIN 1 1 SEDWA 3 5 1 7 WREN 1 1	Species New Retrap BLABI 1 BLACA 2 BLUTI 2 CETWA 4 CHIFF 1 1 DUNNO 1 MUTSW 1 REEWA 4 9 SEDWA 4 2 WREN 1

Recaptures: (27) Blackbird 210d Cetti’s Warbler 3y 290d, 2y 228d, 1y 265d, 267d Chiffchaff 250d (ringed at Greenham Common Sep 2016) Long-tailed Tit 245d Reed Warbler 2y 5d, 1y 329d 364dx2, 351d, 322d Wren 322d; others recent.

Sightings 49 Species: As I was putting my nets up a Buzzard flew west harassed by two crows. A few minutes late it return being buffeted by a Raven and the two crows with a Magpie not far behind and another two crows flew over to join in, having a bad day or what. Two Great Crested Grebe flying fairly high west, an unusual sighting. The substantial flock of Long-tailed Tit circulated from early morning until many were captured. Should be getting a lot more noisy soon as more juveniles fledge.