A glorious morning greeted us for the first session of the year at Holme Pierrepont. All the 'usual' warblers were heard singing during the day but alas no Cetti's. We put up 14 nets, some in the new or modified sites created at our clearance session a few weeks ago. The catching rate was fairly brisk until about 10.30 when the sun got too bright and hot, so hot even Meisha agreed it could now officially be called warm!
We ended on 57 birds, 43 new/14 retraps, broken down: Chiffchaff 3/0, Willow Warbler 5/1, Wren 2/1, Chaffinch 2/0, Blackcap 7/2, Grasshopper Warbler 1/0, Bullfinch 3/0, Reed Bunting 3/4, Sedge Warbler 5/0, Dunnock 2/1, Robin 1/1, Reed Warbler 4/1, Great Tit 1/1, Garden Warbler 1/0, Song Thrush 3/0, Blackbird 0/1, Blue Tit 0/1.
The Grasshopper Warbler pleased Ruth and was a strange bird in that it was caught in the net wrapped around the top shelf, well above the altitude normally associated with this species. Of the four retrap warblers 1 Blackcap was ringed in 2010, the Reed Warbler and Willow Warbler were both ringed in 2009 and both caught again in 2010 - but the best was Blackcap T304253 originally ringed in may 2005 and only caught twice since, the last time in 2007.
There was little moving overhead the best being 3 Oystercatcher. So a good start to the ringing season at Holme Pierrepont despite the singing Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroat evading the nets.
Kev
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