The promise of 6mph wind never quite materialised, but we still gave it our best shot with nets in the reedbad extending out into the lake, a double on the bramble lined spit and a triangle for Meadow Pipits on the soil mound.
There were a great deal of Meadow Pipits about and we consistently had much more in the catching area than was actually netted. It wasn't long before the wind began to billow out the mound nets with unwelcome attention from a Kestrel causing the birds to behave nervously and frequently scatter farther afield. The nets were very visible and it soon became clear that the birds were favourling an area just to the left of where we had set. All the same we managed a respectible number and this made up the majority of our catch.
There were a great deal of Meadow Pipits about and we consistently had much more in the catching area than was actually netted. It wasn't long before the wind began to billow out the mound nets with unwelcome attention from a Kestrel causing the birds to behave nervously and frequently scatter farther afield. The nets were very visible and it soon became clear that the birds were favourling an area just to the left of where we had set. All the same we managed a respectible number and this made up the majority of our catch.
Meadow Pipit aged 3 showing diagnostic longer tooth marking on median coverts and diffuse greater coverts.
We were interested to note that we appeared to have birds from two separate populations. Apart from some birds being longer winged and heavier, these had all without exception completed their moult while the birds that were of a slighter build were still in the process of moulting.
There was very little from the bramble double so this was taken down by 10am. We would have relocated it close to th-e Mipit triangle, but there was too much wind so we settled for more frequent trips onto the mound as we no longer had the double to check.
The Reed bed gave us a few Sedge and a Reed Warbler. At least two Cetti's Warblers had been heard and one male was enticed into the net with the assistance of a recording.
3M Cetti's Warbler
Apart from a couple of Blackcap and the odd Chiffchaff, that was about it. We saw some small groups of Swallow heading south and tried to draw them into the vicinity of the nets over the lake but they were travelling with purpose and showed not the faintest interest in taking a break.
Total : 54
Meadow Pipit - 39
Song Thrush - 1
Blackbird -1
Cetti's Warbler - 1
Sedge Warbler - 4
Reed Warbler - 2
Blackcap - 2
Chiffchaff - 1
Blue Tit - 1
Great Tit - 2