Double effort day today with Mike Polling paying he near weekly visit to ring at Aylmer Avenue and George having a brief session at the Observatory. The result was 16 birds processed although with only 6 New birds and 10 Retraps, it would seem that we are now into the quietest time of the year (The period after the Spring migration ceases and before the youngsters from this year have left the nest).
The days combined catch was made up thus (New/Retrap) - (1/0) Blackbird, (2/0) Lesser Whitethroat, (1/4) Whitethroat, (1/1) Willow Warbler, (0/1) Blue Tit, (0/1) Great Tit, (0/1) Chaffinch, (0/1) Greenfinch and (1/1) Goldfinch.
The really disappointing thing about this years Spring is that the local populations of some species seemed to have taken an absolute hammering over the winter period, presumably in December 2010. Robins, Dunnocks and Wrens that we would expect to be now be catching daily are simply not on site in normal numbers.
Subsequently we are not now going to be catching the youngsters, especially so of Robin that should be on the wing by now. (Having said that, last year we didn't get the first young Robins last year untill the first week in June although this was a couple of weeks later than normal).
Also Tim ringed 8 more Lapwing pullus today whilst nest monitoring the rest of the marsh area. That makes 12 for the year after the four yesterday, a record year for the Observatory, amply demonstrating the increasing attractiveness of the reserves habitat for waders.
Also reported on the reserve on the 5th May 2011 were -
x1 Buzzard
x1 Wood Sandpiper
x1 Spotted Redshank
