The third CES visit of the season was carried out on Sunday by Alex, Tom, Maria, Jake, Mick T, Gary, and I. No rain was forecast for Sunday morning but it did rain just before we met at the site. Fortunately it stopped and we got all the nets up quickly - but then it went down hill fast, there were very few birds around. I have not confirmed with a check of past data but I think this will probably rate as one of, if not the worst, CES catch we have ever had. Total catch was only 15 including 7 retraps made up of (new/retrap): Blackbird 0/2, Dunnock 0/1, Blackcap 2/1, Reed Warbler 1/0, Cetti’s Warbler 0/1, Blue Tit 2/0, Great Tit 1/0, Treecreeper 0/1, Bullfinch 1/0, Chaffinch 1/0, Jay 1/0, Reed Bunting 0/1. The oldest retrap was a Blackbird from 2016. Low warbler numbers are being reported around the country but we also seem to have lost many residents over the winter. Last year by visit 3 we had caught 7 Wrens, none so far this year, 8 Robins (including juvs on the first visit), 2 this year and no juvs!
Kev
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