CES, RAS, nests and Stormies

Two CES sessions have been completed successfully on the Teifi Marsh since the last blog.
CES 4 on the 9th June was fairly quiet in breezy conditions during a brief lull in a very stormy week.  29 new birds and 16 retraps including some returning Reed Warblers from 2014 and 15.
CES 5 was busier with 80 birds (55 new and 25 retraps). Highlights were the first juvenile Kingfisher of the year and an adult female Redstart.

This was only the 5th adult that we have caught in 8 years. Among the retraps was a Goldcrest ringed as a juvenile last year that was now a breeding bird and a Reed Warbler ringed in 2010.
Other ringing activities continue as well as CES...
The day after CES, we were up early again and ringing at 2 sites on a different part of the Teifi Marsh. More returning Reed Warblers for RAS and the first juvenile Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings. A couple of Cetti's Warbler juvs too.
Breeding Siskins are again being targeted in Richard's garden as part of a RAS project. The first juvenile was ringed on the 11th June.

Low numbers are coming to the garden feeders this summer so far but are very active in nearby woodland.
The first juvenile Linnet was ringed on the 7th June at Mwnt. Retrapping adults from last year for RAS is going very well with over 50 caught already. More details on this from Chris once the RAS season finishes. Our location for this ringing at Mwnt really is unbeatable on a sunny morning especially when deserted after a busy half term.

Also at Mwnt, but at night, we catch Storm Petrels. On Monday we caught the first five of the year. All were new but the map shows the different locations of controls to and from Mwnt previously.

Finally nest boxes. With many birds now fledged from their nests we can complete our nest records for submission.
One successful nest was Pied Flycatchers at Ffynone Wood.
Starting with 7 eggs, 6 hatched and 5 fledged.

Karen has been ringing Pied and Spotted Flycatcher pulli in the Gwaun Valley and Charlie has been ringing Swallows and continuing with his nest boxes in the Towy Valley. A blog about that project from Charlie soon.

CES 3, a wandering Dipper, Chough and Skokholm.

A CES session that will long be remembered for the unprecedented number of Blackbirds! 28 juveniles, 5 new adults and 3 retraps.

The total for the session was 107 (87 new and 20 retrap) of 19 species.
Only 4 birds were extracted from the very dry reed bed nets, a female Reed Bunting with a brood patch, 2 retrap Reed Warblers from 2014 and 2015 and a juvenile Dunnock.
The only unusual capture was a juvenile Nuthatch, the second caught during a CES session although the 97th for the group with most being ringed in our gardens. A Coal Tit was unusual too, only the 7th CES bird. Compared to previous years we were missing Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats.

As well as CES, the group have been busy with other ringing activities.
Chris and Jenny went over to Ramsey Island to help ring Chough pulli. 4 chicks were colour ringed.

Thanks to Tim Guilford, Oxford University for the climbing expertise.
See Tweet by Ramsey Island

Karen had a surprise when she was helping at Paddy Jenks CES. A Dipper she had ringed at a nest box in the Gwaun Valley turned up in one of the nets. As Paddy explains in his blog, although only 10km away in a direct line it had jumped catchments, probably crossing the Preseli hills!
Pembs Ringing blog

Two of us have been out on Skokholm Island for a week. The highlight was undoubtedly a Bluethroat

but regular work was as interesting as ever with over 50 Manx Shearwaters caught one night and more adult Oystercatchers colour ringed as part of Pembs ringing group project looking at survival and dispersal.

Look out for Oystercatchers with orange colour rings.

With the continuing wind, our biggest challenge this week is trying to fit in CES4 but a fine weather window is looking unlikely at the moment.