Migrant warblers return for CES 1..

Yesterday was the start of our 2014 CES season. For the sixth year we will be contributing to this long term BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) scheme which provides valuable trend information on abundance of adults and juveniles, productivity and also adult survival rates for 25 species of common songbird.
Fourteen nets are operated in the same locations over the same time period at regular intervals through the breeding season..

43 birds were processed of which 19 were new and 24 were retraps. The stiff breeze was unexpected and probably reduced the catch. CES 1 last year we caught 64 birds.
The first Garden Warblers of the year weren't a surprise as we had heard their song contributing to the dawn chorus..

Other new birds included a Cetti's warbler, 2 more Reed Buntings for our colour ringing project, Blackcaps, Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Willow Warblers but no juveniles of any species yet.
The more years that we ring on the reserve so the retrap data becomes more interesting and significant. These are some of the retraps histories
Willow Warbler DRB146 was ringed as an adult female in May 2011 and we have retrapped her every year since on her return to breed
Blackcap T990314 was ringed as an adult in May 2009 and hadn't seen him again
Blue Tit X769789 is one of our older Blue Tits ringed as a juvenile in June 2009
Reed Warbler Y206832 is another 2011 bird that we retrap every year when he returns to the same part of the marsh to breed.

Meanwhile Richard  is ringing out in Canada at Long Point Bird Observatory - it is a cold start to spring there with ice still on Lake Erie. This is Mick from Stanford Ringing Group enjoying the cold!

They are banding good numbers and varieties including a 320 bird day but not a big flood of warblers yet.