North Wilts Group

28th June 2015 - Swindon STW CES6

 
With the weather forecast all over the place we opted to try to complete CES 6 and we got away with it despite some brief showers mid morning. I was joined by Paul W, Simon and Noah so we only set the CES nets and a couple of extra nets.
 
Two Green Sandpipers were a pleasure to see back on site, feeding along the muddy margins of the lagoons. The male Cettis Warbler was notable by his absence, so he has either died, given up or found a partner but I suspect the latter is the least likely.
 
We were kept pretty busy all morning as the site abounded with juvenile warblers, dominated by Chiffchaffs, Blackaps and Whitethroats. Years ago, when I trained, we used to catch large tit flocks at most sites but I haven't seen this spectacle (away from feeders) for years and today was the nearest I have seen to those 'good old days' as we ringed 19 Great Tits, 18 Blue Tits and 8 Long Tailed Tits and these in turn were joined by 3 Treecreepers which is a site record in itself. A juvenile Kingfisher was a good addition to the CES totals and Simon was especially pleased to see the first returning nestling Reed Warbler from last year. The oldest bird of the day was a six year old Dunnock.
 
We took it in turns to scribe and Noah decided that the usual BTO codes weren't good enough and so invented a few of his own which was entertaining but sadly we had to make him get back in line.
 
125 new and 36 retraps was remarkably similar to the same session last year. At the end of the session Simon took Paul off to ring a nestling Cuckoo which is the first ringed on site and sadly the only one we have this year. MP, SW, PW, NW
 
cuckoo
 
Kingfisher 1, Treecreeper 3, Goldcrest 1, Lesser Whitethroat 2 (2), Whitethroat 14 (2), Blackcap 15 (2), Chiffchaff 19, Reed Warbler 3 (9), Sedge Warbler 4 (5), Dunnock 9 (7), Robin 2 (4), Blackbird 0 (2), Song Thrush 0 (1), Wren 2, Greenfinch 4 (1), Goldfinch 1, Great Tit 19, Blue Tit 18, Long Tailed Tit