Attenborough CES, Visit 6 - Sunday 23 June

On Sunday, Kev, Gary, Holly, Josh and myself made the sixth and final visit to the Delta area of Attenborough Nature Reserve as part of the 2024 CES. The weather was as forecast, fine and light winds, so we were keeping fingers crossed for a good catch to close the season. We set the usual 10 nets, plus Gary and Holly set an additional net (away from CES area) to try and catch one of the cuckoos calling overhead. Although the cuckoos kept calling all morning, none found the net.

The CES catch was also limited, as has been the pattern of all 6 sessions, but at least we had several juvenile birds. Totals for the day were as follows: Wren 2, Treecreeper 1, Chiffchaff 2, Reed Warbler 8, Cetti’s Warbler 1, Great Tit 4, Blue Tit 2, Dunnock 4, Blackbird 1, Blackcap 1, Jay 1.

Bird of the day was of course the Jay, which we thought might be a recapture of the bird originally ringed a couple of sessions ago. However, it turned out to be a bird originally caught on 23/05/21, which and had not been caught again until now.

The team then removed all kit from the site, to close out the 2024 CES season.

Given the low numbers of birds during the CES visits that I attended this year (all numbers low, not just migrants and juveniles), I asked Kev for his overall impression of the 2024 season. He confirmed that this CES season has been the worst in the last 10 completed seasons, except for 2018. This year we had only 148 captures (not individuals). In 2018 we had 143 captures but 4 of the 2018 visits were affected by poor weather conditions (weather was not an issue this year). The average catch between 2014 to 2021 was 220, whereas in the last 3 completed seasons the average has been 163 (down by approx 25%.)

So, let's hope for a better CES season in 2025.

Sue

Attenborough CES, Visit 5 - Sunday 9 June

This morning we made our fifth visit to the Constant Effort Site for 2024. 

A smaller total than expected, but with some interesting captures and the star bird was a Jay (photos below). 

We finished on 25 birds, including just 3 juveniles (birds fledged recently) and 1 'control' bird (a bird not ringed by our group) and we await details of this control: a Reed Warbler.

Weather wise, the morning started encouragingly, going overcast and with not too much breeze (good catching conditions) but as the breeze increased, billowing the mist nets, it brought in short spells of fine drizzle with the occasional sunny spell.

Todays catch comprised: 5x Blackcap, 1x Robin, 4x Reed Warbler, 3x Chiffchaff, 1x Wren, 1x Cetti's Warbler, 1x Jay, 1x Song Thrush, 1x Dunnock, 1x Great Tit.

Kev B

 

 

Tenacious Tawny

A few weeks ago, I had a message from a landowner to say that their owl nest box had taken a hit in a storm and had come off the tree. However, it was still wedged up in the tree. I arranged to go and recover the box and try to reattach it. 

When I arrived, the box didn't seem to be damaged, but it was leaning precariously and the entrance hole was facing almost downwards. It didn't look too tricky to recover, but then as I climbed up to it, a Tawny Owl flew out!

Somewhat surprised, I tried to look inside the box, but the angle made it very difficult. Nevertheless, there appeared to be a single egg lying in a corner and it seemed to be a Tawny Owl egg. 

Some quick calculations suggested that the egg could have been laid before the box had been dislodged and it seemed the position of the egg was very awkward and I guessed the tenacious female owl would struggle to incubate it. 

Obviously I couldn't start moving the box, but it seemed reasonably secure, so I arranged to return a few weeks later. This plan was then thwarted by a car breakdown and it was a further 2 weeks before I was able to fit it in today.

Assuming that whatever the outcome, the box was now likely to be empty, I climbed up only to have the female Tawny fly out of the upturned box again! And when I reached inside, my hand found a well grown Tawny Owl chick perched on the slopping floor. The timing now suggests that the female may have laid after the box had moved, and she had clearly been able to incubate the egg, despite the odd position within the box. 

Pete

  

Attenborough CES, Visit 4 – Saturday 1 June

Our fourth Constant Effort Site visit for this year led to some encouraging results, with 34 birds
caught of 12 species – the busiest morning so far. Notable was a flock of Long Tailed Tits which were
caught. However, it was concerning that only one of eight was a juvenile – potentially a sign that
their breeding attempts could have been hindered by the weather. It will be interesting to monitor
the success of these over the next few months. Other birds caught were 2 Treecreepers, 3 Wrens, 2
Robins, 5 Reed Warblers, 3 Blue Tits, 1 Great Tit, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Dunnocks, 1 Blackbird, 1 Cetti’s
Warbler and 2 Reed Buntings. Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Cuckoo were all heard again, but did
not find the net.

Josh

Adult and juvenile Long-tailed Tits (JP)

Juvenile Robin (JP)

Adult male Reed Bunting (JP)