31 Sedge Warblers to start the CES season..

A window in the weather meant that we could complete CES 1 on the Teifi Marsh today.
49 new birds and 34 retraps was slightly up on the last few years
2010   93  (71 Sedge Warblers!)
2011   57
2012   63
2013   64
2014   42
2015   83
but a small fall of Sedge Warblers probably accounted for this with 31 new birds. These were nearly all carrying fat and still on their way north, not breeders on the reserve.

Other new birds included the first Garden Warbler of the year as well as a returning Garden Warbler that bred on the reserve last year.

Four returning Willow Warblers were good especially one that was ringed in 2011 and caught each year since as a breeding female.

As we are doing a RAS on Reed Warblers, every adult that returns is providing good data. Oldest so far this year was one ringed in 2009 that has been caught each year since apart from last year.

With bad weather for a few days then two of us off to Skokholm island and Richard still in Canada, Teifi ringing will be on hold again for the next 10days. Richard tells us that migration through Long Point Bird Observatory has now picked up with a massive 532 birds of 39 species banded yesterday with Grasshopper Sparrow being his highlight.