Monday 10th October 2016

First frost......

This morning started off quite cool, with a grass frost as well as frost on the wooden stiles...

The first surprise was to hear a burst of song from a CETTI'S WARBLER, a new bird for the site.

A couple of new net sets this morning to try and make the most of the fact that there are less cattle on site at the moment.

The first on the edge of a pond backing on to some bramble and dead elder was not as successful as it could have been as the sun soon came round and was shining directly on the net, in overcast conditions I think it would have been more successful there were a lot of finches coming down to drink!

Another net, set just below a ridge between the reed bed and more bramble scrub was more successful with two Stonechats and a Whinchat caught, along with a Wren from hell, ringers will understand...,

Whinchat

Whinchat

The usual net in the Willow scrub failed to attract any more Yellow-browed Warblers, but did yield another a new bird for the site in the form of Long-tailed Tit, a flock of c10 flew around before going into the net, along with three Goldcrests.

Stonechat

Long-tailedTit

A decent session again proving you can never tell what you are going to catch.

The bird species list for the reserve in 2016 stands at 134