18/05 Thatcham Marsh LNR CES Visit 2025.03

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR CES Visit 2025.03

Session: 18/05/2025 06:00 to 11:15hrs.

Present: JHW,JL,IW,DL.

Weather: bright sunny, cloudy early sunny periods later cool early warm later, calm to light breeze.

Nets: 198M long reed bed ride up from 06:30 to 10:30hrs.

Lures (): None

Juvenile Robin

Notes: The total number processed appeared low at 28 birds, however a check of the totals for visit 3 since 2010 showed the average for this visit to be 32 (range 2017-54 to 2023-17) so a little on the low side of average is not that bad considering that much of the reed along the 1A portion of the ride has been cut and the 3metre or so clearance where the overhead electricity cables bisects the 2A portion of the ride. There appears to have been an influx of new Sedge Warblers since last weeks visit and it was good to get two Reed Bunting in breeding condition; they once bred in numbers on the reed bed but just the occasional pair locate near the net ride in recent times. The first juvenile of the year a Robin for visit 3 is a little early.

Recaptures: (16)

Cetti’s Warbler ringed: 06/10/2024, 13/04/2025

Reed Bunting ringed: 30/06/2024, 06/04/2025.

Reed Warbler ringed: 22/05/2021, 11/06/2023, 11/05/2024, 07/06/2024, 03/05/2025x3, 10/05/2025.

Robin ringed: 10/07/2022, 16/07/2023

Sedge Warbler ringed: 10/05/2025, 13/04/2025

Sightings: The Great White Egret was feeding on the strenear the end the session, once a regular encounter this species in the breeding season is scarce in the area now. The Cuckoos were calling around the marsh for most of the session. Not many butterflies about today and a few demoiselles were on the wing.