Back to the reed bed...

With at least once daily visits to the Teifi Marsh we knew when to start our Spring migration ringing after seeing the first White Wagtails coming to roost and hearing the first Sedge Warblers so on Monday evening our nets were back up around Mallard pond.
The first White Wagtails of spring were ringed that night. Over 100 came to roost in the reedbed. A total of 35 have been ringed this week.

The following morning (Tuesday) there were a lot of Sedge Warblers singing and 8 were ringed

Wednesday morning was very different. The morning dawned with a hard frost and once it warmed up just 2 Sedge Warblers were ringed and the dawn chorus was quieter as the migrants had moved on. Importantly though, between the Mallard nets and those over on Pentood Marsh, 5 retrap Cetti's were caught. The oldest was ringed in 2012. They seem to have had a good breeding season and winter as at least 6 dominant territorial singing males can be heard on a circuit of the marsh.

This is a control Cetti's Warbler from Hampshire that we caught 2 years ago

The reedbeds are looking good ready for the return of our breeding Sedge and Reed Warblers. Reed Buntings are singing from their territories

We haven't just been in the reed bed. On Thursday we had another visit to Mwnt to catch Linnets in a Whoosh net. A successful day with 30 Linnets ringed and 2 retraps.

We were ready with the springtraps too to catch Wheatear but despite a few hundred being recorded on the islands the day before not one was at Mwnt.