I still can't believe Mick P, Gary, Steve, Nick and I managed to get a full session in on Sunday at Holme Pierrepont. The forecast said it would rain by 10.00 and the morning started grim looking with slight drizzle but we went ahead and even managed to park in the car park, which was an improvement on last week - although security were on duty when we returned. Net erecting was a rather slow process because many of the rides needed clearing and the poles and guys finding. We found all the kit bar a few guys and erected nets in the usual rides, although a couple of rides had to have shorter net lengths because of the high water level. The reed beds seemed relatively quiet for a July morning!
The weather stayed mainly overcast, the sun appearing briefly mid-morning and the rain only started just as we had decided to take down, the wind was light all morning. Catching was steady right up to the time we took down.
We ended with 86 birds including 19 retraps, made up of (new/retrap): Wren 4/0, Dunnock 1/1, Robin 2/1, Blackbird 2/0, Sedge Warbler 2/3, Reed Warbler 12/8, Whitethroat 3/0, Garden Warbler 5/1, Blackcap 12/0, Willow Warbler 2/1, Chiffchaff 6/1, Blue Tit 3/1, Chaffinch 2/0, Greenfinch 1/0, Goldfinch 2/0, Bullfinch 1/0. Reed Bunting 7/2.
Interestingly the same weekend last year gave us a catch of 84 birds but 42 of those birds were Reed Warblers and in the 42 there were 27 juvs (64%). This year we had a similar number of adults (16) but only 4 juvs (10%). We also failed to sex 4 of the adult Reed Warblers as they showed no sign of CP or BP, strange for this time of year. Have they had a terrible breeding season, giving up early or just not bothering?
Kev
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