05/05 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR CES visit 1
Session: 05-May-2019 06:00 to 10:50hrs

Notes: The first CES of the season and the first session here this year thanks to help with the bridge by BBOWT. Half the main standard net ride had a much need  cut of the phragmites reed bed in the winter, so expectations are low at least until late June from here. This may account for the lower Reed Warbler capture compared to last year. A steady capture throughout the session and a good total for an early session. A control Blackcap was unexpected, Some of the early ringed Reed Warblers were not captured in 2018. Six Great Tits and two Blue Tits out on the reed this early probably indicates early breeding as found to be the case in our nest boxes.

Weather: cold early frost, warmer later cloudy, calm.
Present: JL, IW, DL, GB, JHW
Nets: 234metres, 198m standard reed bed ride nets, one 36m additional net ride up from 06:30 to 10:30hrs
Lure ( ): none

Capture (New/Recapture) 36(21/15) 10 Species	Matching Visit: 06-May-2018 26(14/12) 8 Species
Species New Rtp 1stCY 2nd+CY BLACA 2 1 2 indtmt BLUTI 2 2 CETWA 1 3 indeterminate CHIFF 3 indeterminate DUNNO 1 1 GRETI 4 2 2 4 REEWA 4 4 indeterminate ROBIN 2 1 indtmt SEDWA 4 1 indeterminate WREN 2 1 1	Species New Rtp 1stCY 2nd+CY BLABI 1 1 CETWA 4 indeterminate DUNNO 1 1 GRSWO 1 1 LOTTI 2 1 indeterminate REEWA 7 5 indeterminate SEDWA 4 indeterminate WREN 1 1

Recaptures: (15)

BLUTI             ringed 03/06/2017, 08/04/2018
BLACA           ringed elsewhere 02/09/2018 location details awaited
CETWA          ringed 16/08/2014, 01/04/2018
GRETI            ringed 08/10/2017 x 2
REEWA         ringed 04/062016 x 2, 11/06/2017, 17/06/2018, 08/07/2018
SEDWA         ringed 30/07/2018
WREN            ringed 25/06/2017, 03/08/2018

Sightings 45 Species: A few Swifts over today, the first of the year for some of us. Not many hirundine about and no terns over. Two Buzzards displaying over the woods to the west and a high flying Sparrowhawk was also zooming about. The remaining areas of reed bed were quite quiet, hopefully more acrocephalus will arrive in the next few days.