I did a solo session at Webb's Wood this morning. It was remarkably cold for the time of year: with my car thermometer registering an outside temperature of zero at 4:30 - and it didn't rise above four degrees until 10:00. Even after the sun came up, the wind, when it gusted, was bitterly cold. The session was pretty good, regardless of the weather. My personal mantra is: 20 birds is worthwhile; 30 is a good session, any more is a bonus.
There were at least six singing Willow Warbler males in the vicinity, I caught a couple:
There was a similar number of singing Chiffchaffs. One of the Chiffchaffs had a most peculiar song: instead of the usual "chiff - chaff" it was "chu - chiff - chu - chiff - chaff": a stammering warbler? The highlight had to be my first juvenile Song Thrush of the year. It beat my previous earliest by a whole three days (29th April 2016 in Ravensroost Woods).
The list for the day was: Treecreeper 2(1); Blue Tit 1(1); Long-tailed Tit 1; Wren 2; Robin 5; Song Thrush 2; Blackbird 3; Blackcap 5; Chiffchaff 4; Willow Warbler 2; Goldcrest 1(1). Totals: 28 new from 11 species, three retraps from three species, making 31 processed from 11 species.
All of the birds caught this morning were in breeding condition, except for the obvious exception of the juvenile Song Thrush. ST