Our ninth CES session at Thornwick saw a mild morning, with periods of sunshine and a gentle breeze.
A steady start, followed by a few very quiet net rounds was followed by a flurry of activity! We caught a mixed flock of Long-tailed tits, Blue tits, Willow Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat.
It was rewarding to ring 4 juvenile Reed Warblers, most likely out of nests at the nearby Thornwick pools.
A total of 33 birds of 14 species caught, of which 23 were new birds and 10 re-traps of birds previously ringed. Re-traps provide valuable data on longevity of adults, and it is always nice to see birds return to their breeding grounds after surviving migration.
Only 4 of the birds caught were adults with all the rest being juveniles fledged this year. Pictured are a juvenile Blackcap and a juvenile Chiffchaff, showing the duller and fluffier, looser textured feathers of young birds compared to adults.
