Reserve Naturelle National Estuaire De La Seine, Le Havre, France 1 August 2011

A 5am start saw our team off to the marshes where we split into two teams to cover the two ringing sites. Our team of seven had a particuarly busy start with one net line of three 60s (no.1) possibly having around sixty birds in it, with just under 50% being Bearded Tits. Further rounds naturally dropped off, with an obvious drop after 10am.  Nothing outstanding was seen flying over. By midday it was in the high 20s and it was time to pack up. Every one was wearing waders and I suspect someone might have wished they checked the tide tables as today was not one of the soon to be expected high tides that will flood the marsh, and wearing something akin to a wetsuit in the heat is not to be overly recommended. In all 250 birds were caught with a single re-trapped French rung Aquatic Warbler, from the first round (net run 3), later a single Savi's and Marsh Warbler, with Bearded Tits (77), Reed (66) and Sedge (82) Warblers dominating, plus thirteen Bluethroats, three Cetti's, two Grasshopper Warbler and three Reed Bunting, along with a single Blue-headed Wagtail and Whitethroat. The other site were fortunate enough to have single new Aquatic and Marsh Warblers. The other team operating a seperate site had 107 birds with one new adult Aquatic Warbler and a single Marsh Warbler.

Net ride - first round

Adult Aquatic Warbler

Juvenile male Bluethroat

Juvenile Marsh Warbler

Juvenile male Bearded Tit