We were on site for 6am and put 7 nets up with the intention of being off site before temperatures, forecast to reach up to 30 degrees, rose too much.
As we put the nets up, there was an eerily quiet about the site. We weren't sure that this was going to be a very good morning. We had just put the last net up when Chris saw a Stoat dash across the track. The presence of a predator might also affect how much the birds use an area. We found this when there was a Mink on site a few years back. We knew where it had made its den and we stopped placing a net in that ride initially because there was a risk that netted birds might be easy prey, but it then became clear that few birds would feed in that area.
We need not have worried about a lack of birds. They were just very quiet while busy feeding. Birds were captured as they moved around in feeding flocks. The final tally exceeded 100 and included singles of Reed Warbler & Lesser Whitethroat with good numbers of Blackcap, Whitethroat and Garden Warbler.
The first few nets were down before 10am and we were off site by 11:30am. When we used to do CES with our old group, nets were up until noon so we started to take nets down at midday and were often there until 1pm. We were most grateful to be on our way home, drinking takeaway Frostinos, at midday rather than taking down nets.
Totals: 95 (9)
Wren - 1
Robin - 2 (2)
Dunnock - 2 (2)
Reed Warbler - 1
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat - 22 (1)
Garden Warbler - 15 (1)
Blackcap - 42 (2)
Chiffchaff - 2
Blue Tit - 4 (1)
Greenfinch - 1
Linnet - 2