I think it was with a sense of relief that we watched the weather forecast this week. However, after several weekends battling with rain, today’s enemy was heat and between 11 and 12 it became too hot to continue netting. Not that much was moving by then anyway. Still, a total of 76 birds processed was perfectly respectable
First round got us 30 birds, most of which were in a single mixed warbler flock with a few Long-tailed Tits, but the latter are still inexplicably scarce at the site. Other highlights included a young male Sparrowhawk, a Treecreeper and a pair of young Willow Tits.
Sight records included good numbers of Sand Martins flocking up along with smaller numbers of Swallows and House Martins. A single Swift was all we could manage. Have they gone? Green Sandpiper, Teal, Jay and Grey Wagtail all flew over and small groups of young Common Terns were knocking about all morning. On the A52 side, 2 Sandwich Terns came over. Fairly good numbers of dragonflies but damselflies were not as common as you might expect at this time. A few butterflies included a Brimstone and several Commas.
Thanks to all the rain the water levels are beginning to rise at last, but a more obvious effect has been the rampant growth of the vegetation and it was if the path through the reeds had never existed when we arrived this morning and coupled with the heavy dew, walking through it was I bit like strolling through a carwash.
Pete
First round got us 30 birds, most of which were in a single mixed warbler flock with a few Long-tailed Tits, but the latter are still inexplicably scarce at the site. Other highlights included a young male Sparrowhawk, a Treecreeper and a pair of young Willow Tits.
Sight records included good numbers of Sand Martins flocking up along with smaller numbers of Swallows and House Martins. A single Swift was all we could manage. Have they gone? Green Sandpiper, Teal, Jay and Grey Wagtail all flew over and small groups of young Common Terns were knocking about all morning. On the A52 side, 2 Sandwich Terns came over. Fairly good numbers of dragonflies but damselflies were not as common as you might expect at this time. A few butterflies included a Brimstone and several Commas.Thanks to all the rain the water levels are beginning to rise at last, but a more obvious effect has been the rampant growth of the vegetation and it was if the path through the reeds had never existed when we arrived this morning and coupled with the heavy dew, walking through it was I bit like strolling through a carwash.
Pete
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