23/07 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR CES 2023.09
Session: 23/07/2023 06:00 to 11:00hrs
Notes:  A disappointing session, although given the current unsettled weather we were quite lucky to get the session done. Over the 30 years of CES the average capture for visit 9 is 43, lowest 2019 (20), highest 1998 (87). We did have a couple of periods of light drizzle mid-session, and it was breezy at times. No Sedge Warblers ringed today, we’ve had some good numbers on visit 9 in the past, 25 in 1995, but since 2008 numbers for visit 9 are low single figures as are those for visits 10 to 12. The lack of resident species continues; both of the Blue Tits singletons were adults one from 2019 and the other 2022; normally we would be getting  small flocks of mostly juvenile Blue Tits and Great Tits moving through. Comparing with the matching 2022 visit 9, the low number of juveniles this season is apparent.
Present: JHW,IW,JL,DL,KMB
Weather: cloudy with sunny periods, two short light rain showers mid-session, breezy, warm-ish.
Nets: 198M reed bed ride up from 06:30 to 10:30hrs
Lures: None.

Recaptures:(09)

Blue Tit                ringed: 27/08/2019, 04/09/2022

Reed Warbler     ringed: 21/05/2022, 07/05/2023, 03/06/2023x2, 11/06/2023, 02/07/2023x2

Sighting: Two Raven flew north when we were erecting the nets as did a Buzzard, and a lone

Shoveler flew towards Lower Farm GP.  A few small groups of Swift drifteds south, also a House

Martin or two seen high up. A Water Rail called briefly from the reed bed and a Little Grebe called

from the nearby pit.