Stanwell Moor - 30 August 2013

We were joined by MRB and Margaret for one of our infrequent morning sessions at the site. We deployed nets in the reedbed area, the bramble lined spit and the cut through. We could see birds moving about the site but the route taken by birds working the hedgerows avoided our nets by and large. The reedbed was a little more productive and it was good to know that there were still Reed Warblers for the catching (despite the absence of their song on the last couple of visits).

Our most significant find was an adult Blue Tit V791026, ringed at the site on 22/12/2007 as an adult making it at least seven years old.

V791026

Total:  25 (1)

Wren1

Robin 2

Dunnock 1

Blackbird 3
Song Thrush 2 
Sedge Warbler 1

Reed Warbler 5
Whitethroat 1

Garden Warbler 1

Blackcap 2

Chiff-chaff 4

Blue Tit 1 (1)

Great Tit 1

Wraysbury Gravel pit - 29 August 2013

A walk around the site the previous day had produced a good number of birds in an area between the sailing club and the CES site across the stream. The section once was an area containing low trees and a fairly extensive patches of blackberries, but due to degradation by 'unofficial' use of the area for grazing ponies, which have almost doubled this year, the habitat is much less, but in what there is, seemed 'alive' with birds. I decided to make a ringing visit the next day, not without some concerns for the nets due to the four hoofed friends, but it went off okay, though the ponies remained ever close and needed a watchful eye keeping on them. With just four nets in a fairly confined area, 60 birds were processed, mainly Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiff-chaff.

Totals: 55 (5)

Dunnock - 6
Robin - 2
Whitethroat - 11 (1)
Garden warbler - 4
Blackcap - 18 (2)
Chiff-chaff - 12 (2)
Blue Tit - 1
Great Tit -1

Stanwell Moor - 27/28 August 2013

It being some time since we'd been at Stanwell in the evening, we arrived at 7pm to see what was happening at the site. GDB joined us and a 60ft net was swiftly put up in the filterbed area. We found that the reeds had again fallen across the path and ride but this didn't create too much of a problem and three further nets were erected. Unfortunately, one of the wooden pegs floated up from the lake bed and during our efforts to re-set the nets we ended up with the fixed post snapping off close to its base. The nets were clear at the time but we were sorting it out when a small group of swallows came for a look. Two Hobbies then took an interest in the small flock - and that was the last we saw of them. For all our effort we ended up with three Great Tits and two Chiffchaffs in the knowledge that the nights were really closing in and 7pm was really too late to start.
Chris decided to call back to do some 'gardening' on the 28th and caught a Cetti's and a Reed Warbler in one net while he did some site maintenance.

27/08 Totals: 4 (1)

Chiffchaff - 2
Great Tit - 2 (1)

28/08 Totals: 2

Cetti's Warbler - 1
Reed Warbler - 1

Broadwater GP - 26 August 2013

Following on from our last visit when in excess of 80 birds were ringed, we arranged to meet PD, MRB and Margaret to give the site another go. We had all net up before 8am and began catching soon after. We were also joined by MBR, Caroline, Jessica and Amy - once they finally found the site.

There was a Cetti's Warbler, singing throughout the morning but it managed to evade our nets. We managed to better our previous total with the leading species being Chiff-chaff with four birds still present from the 13th. There were also good numbers of Willow Warbler and Blackcap with a few Garden Warbler for good measure. The catching began to drop off after 11am and we were all packed and off site shortly after 12.30pm.

Age 3 Garden Warbler

Total: 87 (4)

Wren 2

Robin 3

Dunnock 1

Blackbird 1

Reed Warbler 1

Garden Warbler 3

Blackcap 11

Chiff-chaff 28 (4)

Willow Warbler 13

Treecreeper 2

Blue Tit 14

Great Tit 3

Long-tailed Tit 4

Chaffinch 1

Pendeen, Kenidjack, Sennen Cove and Hayle Estuary - 24 August 2013

We started the day at Pendeen. There was a northwesterly blow, less strong than when we were last here and a minimal chance of rain. There were fewer people to scan for passing seabirds and of course some time was given up to discussing the precise events of the day all but one dipped on Red-billed Tropicbird. We spent about three hours scanning the waves and saw hundreds of Manx Shearwater with some Sootys and Balearics. There were a few groups of Scoter and several Arctic Skuas but not a glimpse of Great or Cory's, even at a great distance off shore.

 

The coast at Pendeen

We then drove to Kenidjack. It's been years since we visited and although we saw nothing more interesting than a Buzzard, a Whitethroat and several Chiffchaff, it was extremely promising due to the open nature of the vegetation and definitely worth a look when migrants are about.

 Kenidjack valley

We then checked out Sennen Cove. Birds tend to collect in the area below the car park. Chris had a quick look but the only find was a Wheatear on the parking area.

 Northern Wheatear

 Sennen Cove directly below 'migrant trap' area.

The final stop off before driving back to Buckinghamshire was the Hayle Estuary. The tide was out and all the gulls were scattered over a wide area. A close check for anything out of the ordinary or wearing colour rings eventually turned up a Med Gull to round off our week spent in the West Country.

Mediterranean Gull

Marazion Marsh - 23 August 2013

The final day of our monitoring efforts dawned (since Saturday was forecast to be much too windy) and we were up at 5am and on the reserve within 20 minutes. This primarily because we had the extra drive of starting after light SE winds overnight. We put up two further nets to make the most of the newly mowed viewing rides and had Aquatic playing at every likely netted location. We also arrived to find the water levels significantly higher after the boards were removed to allow water in from the  high tide.

The nets in the newly mowed rides caught well early on giving us some reedbed species retraps as well as Stonechat and Reed Bunting.

 3M Stonechat

Age 3 Reed Warbler

Aquatics failed to put in an appearnace, but the SE wind did produce something as the morning ticked over slowly a Citrine Wagtail flew in to the pool, being identified, initially on call, by CL and local watcher DP. It wasn't long before a few phone calls were made and all the local birders turned up to wait expectantly for its reappearance. It took a while but the bird eventually showed well. There was also a Wryneck seen at Porthgwarra, so there were at least some drift migrants turning up!

Juvenile Citrine Wagtail (with ultra visible wing bars - even in flight.)

So the week had come to an end with no sightings or captures of Aquatic Warbler at Marazion and no more volunteers to man the coming weeks. There will still be some autumn ringing at Marazion but not on a daily basis (weather permitting) as would be the case, were there any more volunteers.

Total: 36 (5)

Wren 2

Dunnock 2

Blackbird 0 (1)

Sedge Warbler 13 (3)

Reed Warbler 12 

Chiffchaff 1

Whitethroat 1 (1)

Stonechat 1

Reed Bunting 4

Marazion Marsh - 22 August 2013

We had been warned to expect a tractor at 9am to cut extra viewing rides so knew that there would be some disruption to our usual routine. As it happened, the tractor arrived early and we had to take down the dogleg double pannel from the junkas as well as our own 30ft net before 8.40am.

The catching still went fairly well although species were limited and we continued until 1pm before packing in.

 Reed Bunting

 Newly cut viewing ride

The afternoon was spent at Nanquidno where we located two Pied Flycatchers and photographed some rather splendid insects and plants.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly

Montbretia

 Speckled Woods fresh and worn

Total: 43 (2)

Sedge Warbler 24

Reed Warbler 10 (2)

Chiffchaff 1 

Blue Tit 7

Reed Bunting 1