Mon 25th Aug

Not the best of days - it was quite windy and very overcast but it didn't rain.
Early catches were good but it dried up by 09:30 and we only caught 2 more birds and they were at ~11:30. Total was 19 (1/16/2)
Some good birds tho' as follows:
Wren - 0/0/1, Dunno - 0/1/0, Robin - 0/2/1(ad from '07),
Blabi - 0/1/0, makes 4 juvvies & 8 adults
Sonth 0/2/0, makes 5 youngsters & 8 adults
Leswh - 0/1/0, White - 0/1/0, Blaca - 0/1/0,
Garwa - 0/1/0, was 24.5 gms and fat 45
Star birds today = Goldf - 0/8/0, & there were more about,
Grefi 1/0/0, a 5M in mid moult.
Thanks to MFP & NM for their company

Sat 23rd Aug

Migration at CHA
GJB, EN & EDG had a good day at the STW; we caught many juveniles as follows:

Wren - 0/6/0, Dunno - 1/4/0,
Robin - 0/3/0, Blabi 0/1/0,
Cetwa - 0/1/0, Reewa - 0/4/3,
Sedwa - 0/6/0, Blaca - 0/4/0,
Chiff - 1/6/0, Wilwa - 0/1/0,
Lotti - (3)/2/0, Bluti - 0/2/0,
Greti - 0/1/0, Bullf 0/1/0

Total was 3 unaged (Lotti's), 2 adults, 42 juvs and 3 r/ts.
And we think we had two Malla - 'cos there wuz 2 big 'oles in one net!!!
A couple of Buzzards overhead and 2 fg Herons in the SSSI trees.
At one point, a group of Swallows passed south, twittering.
We didn't catch the KF. It was nice to see 2 yng LG on one of the lagoons.



The second juvenile at this site this year! There's no mistaking that it only has 10 tail feathers!

Fri 22nd Aug

Early start along the spit at Priory. 3 nets plus 1 on the crescent.
Got caught out by a late and rather heavy shower (forecast was they'd be over by then). Not bad - 19 in all.
Wren - 0/1/0, Dunno - 0/0/1,
Robin - 0/3/0, a mottley crew of 3's
Reewa - 0/5/1, all 5 juvs together, adult at least 5 years old
Blaca - 1/2/1, only the 1 (a 3) had finished moult
Chiff - 2/0/0, one of each, both ending moult
Bluti - 0/1/0, unringed ... of course!
Chaff - 1/0/0, a large male in the middle of its moult.
Chalton tomorrow?? CES on Sunday??

20th Aug & progress

Ed and I put a net up across the yard entrance at PCP this morning "before work".
21 birds caught incl. these 5 retraps - 1 Greti & 2 Bluti from the boxes. a young Reewa and VX36122, ringed as a pullus on 17-05-03 and recaught many times now.
New birds ringed were 1 Dunno, 4 ad. Greti, 4 ad. Bluti, 3 Chaff (2 juv males), and 4 Housp (all 3's in moult).

For a bit of fun I've looked up the rate we've ringed new birds so far this year.
First blood to MA on 01-01, a Greti.
100th on 09-02, a Goldf
200th on 15-02, a Dunno
300th on 02-03, a Bramb
400th on 10-04, a Woodp
500th on 05-05, a White
600th on 17-05, a Greti pull
700th on 19-05, a Garwa
800th on 24-05, a Bullf
900th on 29-05, a Bluti pull
1000th on 31-05, a Bluti pull
1100th on 11-06, a Bluti
1200th on 29-06, a Starl
1300th on 17-07, a Blaca
1400th on 01-08, a Garwa
So far, over 1500 new rings this year (data outstanding).

Will we catch another 1,000 new birds? Let's hope so!

CES V.11 - 16th Aug

A reasonable day, weather wise. Light winds at first but becoming breezy. A bit too cloudy with the sunny intervals waning. 27 birds in all, 4 of them in the extra net.

The significant things today were all the young Chiffs about, the Wilwas passing through, the 3J now 3 Blackcaps retrapped and it looks like the Tits are roaming at last, as they come to the end of their moult.
It's turning out to be a good year for "Mavis", too.

Wren - 0/0/1, Dunno - 0/1/0, Blabi - 0/1/0, Sonth* - 0/2/0, Reewa - 0/2/0, White - 1/1/0, Blaca - 0/3/3,Chiff* - 0/6/1, Wilwa - 0/2/0, Goldc* - 0/1/0, a really young one! Bluti - 0/2/0.

Ed took some photos of these * birds.



Above: A 3J Goldcrest



Above: This bird is saying 'You Song of a Thrush!'



Above: Chiff Chaff - the bird of the day.

No heavy birds today. It looks like this season is going to be a poor one overall.

Wed 13th Aug

The Spit - set a 300' line along the spit early. Not a complete waste of time - the wind was blowing and got worse! Ed helped out.
3 Reewa - a new J, a 5F from last year that had given up nesting for 2008, and a 6F Control! Also a 3JF Wilwa, a scarcity in these parts. Plus 2 (mundane) local retraps.
c.40 Houma over the tops of the Willows and a juv Swall.

Sat 9th Aug

LH: Tried for a few birds this morning - weather not at its best, though. Cool - and wind got up by 10am.
Two good results, namely a juvenile Kingfisher (pics by Ed) and an old Blackbird. This male was originally ringed as a 3JM on 15th Sept 2001 and, at 6 years 10 months & 25 days, is the third "oldest" ever for the Group. It had also not been caught since Aug 2002, when it had moved from 'the rough' to the 'long hedge'.

[For a list of the "top ten" oldest Blackbirds at Priory, go to the Priory CP blog of todays date]



Above: Weighing the kingfisher



Above: The kingfisher whispered to Errol, 'This is my best side'



Above: Just had to show you the bit most people see in the field (but up close!).

CES 10 - 7th Aug

Wing moult - adult Whitethroat

Fault barring - young Whitethroat

Young Willow Warbler - a season's first

(Second brood) Juvenile Robin in PJ moult

Now for some detail - 7-8 oktas and v.light W. wind
Wren - 0/4/0, Robin - 0/2/1 (all 3/3J), Dunno - 0/0/1 (a 3),
Blabi - 0/1/0 (late brood), Sonth - 0/2/0, our first Js for '08,
Reewa - 1/2/0 all undergoing BM, Leswh - 0/1/0 first J for '08,
White - 1/5/0, a good catch today, Garwa - 1/1/1,
The retrap was first ringed as a 1J last year. It was carrying
Fat 50 ESF and weighed 24.0 gm (which flagged a warning on IPMR)
Blaca - 0/2/0, Chiff - 0/3/0 another brood on the move?,
Wilwa - 1/3/0 (DK said there were 5!) local or incomers?,
Bluti - 0/1/0, Greti 0/1/0,
Grefi 0/2/0 (one of each), Goldf - 0/1/0, the first for '08.

No trainees today, so had a slow start putting up the new nets.
Stuck a 40 ft round the back later and had 6 birds here.
It rained heavily as I was taking down - now suffering with back ache!
A very good day, all in all; nice to catch more than 20 birds!

Migration under way; reports of large congregations of Wilwas "up north" and of the "last" Swifts moving out from colonies today. Some Houmas going south too.
Sedwa and Reewa moving on south coast.

All up figures for PCP so far this year are:-
425 new + 137 pulli = 562 and 269 retraps/sightings of 27 spp.
CES (NFY, new for year) 121 adults + 122 juvs of 24 spp.

Msgs from Ed @ WWRG

Sat am - Having fun. 8 Sanderling so far. May be on "The One Show" as BBC were filming! Sat pm - ringing 1 of 11 Redshank. Sum am - 7.2m tide @07:30; Knot & Dunlin



Above: Redshank from Saturday pm tide. 1 of 11 caught (11 of 30+ - conditions not optimal). Friskney Marsh.



Above: Sunday am (I very briefly handled this curlew sandpiper!)



Above: Getting into a knot (sunday am). c.80 knot, c.80 Dunlin, 3 ringed plover pulli + 1 curlew sandpiper in catch but wind direction + tide not optimal otherwise catch size could have been x2 or x3). Nr Friskney/Gibraltar Point.



Above: Dunlin in the hand.

Also, Sanderling on Saturday am. Seem to have lost the photographs though :o(

Xtra CES visit - 01/08

Friday - a fresher day, at last.
1 new adult / 10 new juvs / 5 re-traps (3 ad + 2 J's)
Dunno - 0/0/1, a male from 2003, caught many times
Blabi - 0/1/0, a new 3JJM
Sonth - 0/1/1, a 3JJ + a 5M from early Apr.
Reewa - 0/1/1, the 9M r/t was also at FL 8 days ago, but has now started BM
Garwa - 0/1/0, doing PJ BM
Blaca - 1/3/0, a 5M starting PP moult, a full 3 & 2 JJs
Chiff - 0/2/0, both pretty fresh
Bluti - 0/1/0, another 'escapee', a male in PJ
Lotti - 0/0/2, both 3Js in full M, caught at the end of May

4 more Blaca (2 = adult females) caught this week (early mornings @ FM & FL)
6 Reewa (3 new, inc 2x 3J) at FL
Others include Wren, Blabi, Dunno, male Bullf (the only one out of a family party) and a flock of 4 ad Lotti, all well on through main moult (all new birds these)