CES - 4th June 2012

Almost a year ago to the day, I attended my first ever Constant Effort Site visit back on 5th June 2011. This was again, just after my first Puffin Island Visit, so it was nice today, to see how the catch varied.

Species caught were: Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Wren, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Lesser Redpoll, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Reed Bunting and Song Thrush totalling 61 birds, with the vast proportion being retraps.
We managed to catch freshly fledged juveniles of Blue Tit (which I of course insisted on ringing!), Robin, Reed Bunting and Chaffinch. This echod last years CES as the juveniles are just starting to fledge, however we were all surprised to not get any Long-tailed Tits at all.
Probably the 'star bird' of the day goes to the above Sedge Warbler which was a British-control. With it being such a long distance migrant, I will be keen to know where it was initially ringed in Britain, and if so, has it been controlled anywhere else?

It's always horrible to set your alarm for 03.15, but it certainly is worth it when you see the sun rising and hear the birds getting louder and louder as dawn breaks.