The second summer ringing session of 2014 at the Grange end of Holme Pierrepont was carried out today by Gary, Duncan, Tom, Nabegh and I. I thought the water level was such that we could get extra nets up into the reeds this week, so we tried, however the two wellies full of water that Gary received suggested I was incorrect! A great start with overcast and still conditions resulted in a first round catch of almost 50 birds. The catching continued in good numbers until the sun came out about mid-morning.
We finished with a total catch of 94 birds including 11 retraps made up of (new/retrap): Blackbird 2/0, Song Thrush 1/0, Robin 7/0, Wren 3/1, Reed Warbler 15/6, Blackcap 26/0, Garden Warbler 1/0, Whitethroat 3/1, Cetti’s Warbler 1/0, Chiffchaff 3/1, Willow Warbler 5/0, Blue Tit 3/1, Great Tit 5/0, Treecreeper 2/0, Reed Bunting 6/1.
It was nice to get a juvenile Cetti’s and with today's catch we have now had 36 Blackcaps in two visits without a single retrap! Of the retraps we did get, the oldest was another Reed Warbler from 2011. There seem to be very few returning Reed warblers so far.
A Cuckoo was calling and a recording appeared to attract it into the net judging by the large half-digested caterpillar in there but by the time we checked the net the bird had flown.
Kev
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