14/05 Thatcham Marsh LNR CES Visit 2

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR CES Visit 2

Session: 14-May-2016 05:30 to 10:30hrs

Headlines: Not a good session, the capture probably affected by the wind although the reed bed was quiet for the time of year. Conditions were uncomfortable except in the sun and not conducive to a lot of standing around. 15 from the standard nets is poor (CES visit 2 average is 31: range 2004 19, 2006 42). It is the worst visit 2 total since we started in 1993.

Weather: Sunny periods, cold and an unfriendly cold wind, blustery at times

Present: JL,IW,JHW,DL,GB,SC

Nets: Standard 198Metres along one ride (11x18M’ nets) Additional two 18M rides and two 12M ride, up from 06:05 to 10:10 hrs

Lure (none)

Capture (New/Recapture) 24 (15/9): Blackbird 1/0, Blackcap 2/0, Bullfinch 1/0, Cetti’s Warbler 0/1, Chaffinch 0/1, Chiffchaff 2/1, Long-tailed Tit 1/1, Reed Warbler 5/3, Sedge Warbler 1/3, Wren 1/0

Recaptures: 9: Chaffinch 1y 32d Long-tailed Tit 1y 285d Reed Warbler 1y 312d, 364d, 293d; others less than 100days

Age Range: Mostly indeterminate except Adults Blackbird 1, Chaffinch 1, 2nd calendar year  Blackcap 2, Bulfinch 1, Wren 1

Sightings 48 Species: As mentioned the reed bed was quiet, a couple of Reed Buntings singing with a few Reed Warbler and some Sedge Warbler. A squealing Water Rail revealed itself as we took the nets down. The Sparrowhawk, a male, flew back towards Bulls Lock carrying prey. A party of 30 swifts drifted over early and five seen later in the morning also a lone House Martin. Marsh Tit is a rare-ish visitor to the marsh these days. The swan keeps standing on the bridge over to the ride which is a bit of a nuisance and also makes it makes a mess. One reticent and two other attempts to capture it failed.

Blackbird 4 Blackcap 7 Black-headed Gull 3 Blue Tit 2 Bullfinch 4 Buzzard 1 Canada Goose 2 Carrion Crow 2 Cetti's Warbler 5 Chaffinch 2 Chiffchaff 5 Common Tern 1 Coot 4 Cormorant 4 Cuckoo 1 Dunnock 1 Egyptian Goose 3 Gadwall 2 Garden Warbler 2 Goldcrest 2 Goldfinch 2 Great Tit 2 Greenfinch 3 Grey Heron 1

House Martin 1 Jackdaw 5 Jay 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull 4 Little Grebe 2 Long-tailed Tit 4 Magpie 2 Mallard 4 Marsh Tit 1 Moorhen 2 Mute Swan 1 Reed Bunting 4 Reed Warbler 12 Robin 3 Sedge Warbler 6 Sparrowhawk 1 Starling 3 Swift 35 Tufted Duck 3 Water Rail 1 Whitethroat 1 Willow Warbler 2 Woodpigeon 10 Wren 4