Marsworth 24th September 2017 - some fat Blackcaps

Marsworth
Warm, calm at first becoming breezy
06:00 - 11:00am
Tapes playing - Blackcap on one 60' net and the german Chiffchaff/Goldcrest/Yellow-browed Warbler mix from Chris at the double net (100').

I also put a couple of nets around the hopper which was where the reed buntings were caught.

SPNAME	Row Summary	New Bird	Retrap
Blackbird	1	1
Blackcap	19	18	1
Blue Tit	3	2	1
Chiffchaff	6	6
Goldcrest	2	2
Great Tit	1	1
Reed Bunting	8	5	3
Robin	2	1	1
Wren	1	1
Total	43	37	6

There were only 6 retraps and one of them was a male Blackcap ringed 20/04/2011 and last trapped in June 2013. 

Quite a few of the Blackcaps are now carrying fat, There were two very fat ones (Fat 6+) weighing in at 22.5g and 23.2g, plus a couple at Fat 5 (around 20g). There was also a Chiffchaff at Fat 4, weighing 8g. One of the Blackcaps had a very mottled head with unusually wide brown fringing to the feathers (see photos).

I caught 8 reed buntings, only one already had colour-rings so another seven were colour-ringed bringing the total up to 33. Hopefully we will be able to re-sight these over the winter. One of the retrap female Reed Buntings was still in main moult.

A Goldcrest still in post-juvenile moult was replacing just the two innermost greater coverts.

There were two Cetti's Warblers singing and Robins singing autumn song. The  Hobbies are still here; I must have disturbed them when I arrived because they started calling from the trees above the reed bed in the dark.

Lynne

 Male Blackcap with brown fringed head feathers