2021 CES #1 Wendover – 30 Apr 2021

Weather: calm, cool and patchy cloud. The start of a new CES season always brings an exhilarating feeling and it was the same for 2021.  CES#1 was not possible in 2020 because of Covid but 2021 has now started as normal, albeit with the same socially distanced arrangements between ringers as we adopted for all sessions completed in 2020. We keep the nets furled between sessions so that our 1 hour before dawn start can be done quickly and smoothly, when the birds are just waking, singing and getting ready to go. CES#1 delivers one of the lowest number of encounters of the year and it was no different this time.  In the standard 6 hours that the nets were open a number of the regular resident species put in appearances and a single blackcap and chiffchaff represented the migrants.  The bird of the day arrived near the end - a 2nd year Jay in superb condition. Early on, a male roe deer watched us go about our business before disappearing into the scrub and wooded areas.  In net checking visits on the following days, a female and fawn were also seen on site.  Although it is exciting to see the wildlife, deer have wrecked nets in the past, so we hope this family will be better behaved. Catch summary:   Species Name New Subsequent Grand Total Blackbird 3 2 5 Blackcap 1   1 Blue Tit   3 3 Chiffchaff 1   1 Dunnock 2   2 Great Tit 2   2 Jay 1   1 Long-tailed Tit 1   1 Robin 3 2 5 Song Thrush 1   1 Wren   1 1         Grand Total 15 8 23

 

Ringers:  Adam Light,  Pete Weisner

Wendover CES4 – 3rd June 2019

560 ft of nets in 6 rides.
Nets open 03:49 – 9:49

Weather: Wind light, Rain none, Cloud scattered. 

	New	Retraps	Total
Blackbird	2 (2 x J)	2	4
Blackcap	3 (1 x J)	2	5
Blue Tit	13 (8 x J)		13
Bullfinch	1	1	2
Chiffchaff	3 (3 x J)		3
Dunnock	6 (6 x J)	4	10
Great Tit	2 (2 x J)		2
Robin	7 (7 x J)	3 (2 x J)	10
Song Thrush	3 (1 x J)	2	5
Whitethroat		1	1
Total	40	15	55

An above average catch for CES#4 with the total of 55 comparing with a historical mean of 41 (range 21-62).  Good contributions of juveniles from the resident species of Blue tits, Dunnocks and Robins.  Also the first juvenile Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.

Ringers Adam, Pete + Christine as scribe.

Wendover 2019 CES 1 & 2

Wendover CES1 - 6th May 2019

560 ft of nets in 6 rides.
Nets open 04:24 – 10:24
Weather: Dry, Cloud increasing through the session, generally calm but cold at the start.

	New	Retraps	Total
Blackbird	2 (1 x J)	4	6
Blackcap	2	1	3
Bullfinch	1		1
Chaffinch	1		1
Chiffchaff	1	1	2
Dunnock		4	4
Great Tit	3	2	5
Long-tailed Tit	4	2	6
Robin	1 (1 x J)		1
Song Thrush		2	2
Wren	1		1
Total	16	16	32

A solid, if unspectacular start to the CES season.  A returning Blackcap and Chiffchaff were good to see, together with the first juvenile Robin and Blackbird.

At least one Whitethroat was behaving very vocally as were Tawny Owls at around dawn, but we failed to trap either.

A total of 32 was just below the mean for CES#1 (35, range 23-49).

Ringers Adam & Pete

Wendover CES2 - 14th May 2019

560 ft of nets in 6 rides.
Nets open 04:12 – 10:12

Weather: Dry, Sunny, generally calm but a little blustery at the end.  The bright sunshine was a delight to be out in but shone strongly on parts of nets 4 and 5 towards the end.

	New	Retraps	Total
Blackbird	2	4	6
Blackcap	2		2
Chiffchaff		1	1
Dunnock	1	4	5
Great Tit		2	2
Long-tailed Tit		1	1
Robin	2 (1 x J)	1	3
Song Thrush		1	1
Whitethroat	5		5
Wren		2	2
Total	12	16	28

A rather low number of captures, but more than compensated for by 5 superb Whitethroat (2xF, 3xM), all in fine breeding condition.

The total of 28 was just below the mean for CES#2 (32, range 20-44).

Ringers Adam, Pete & Ginny

Wendover CES 10 - 7th August 2018

 560ft nets (standard CES pattern), 

nets open from 04:50 to 10:50.

Calm, dry, mostly clear sky.

Species	Total	New Bird	Retrap
Blackbird	10	8 (8 x 3J)	2
Blackcap	4	3 (3 x 3J)	1 (1 x 3J)
Bullfinch	3	3 (2 x 3J)
Dunnock	2	1	1 (1 x 3J)
Great Tit	1	1 (1 x 3J)
Robin	4	2 (2 x 3J)	2 (1 x 3J)
Whitethroat	1	1 (1 x 3J)
Total	25	1	2

A below average catch for CES#10 (mean 39).   What looks like a new brood of Blackbirds has swelled their total to 41 individuals in 2018.  Robins are at 50 and Blackcaps 33.  The late dribble of Whitethroat continues.

Ringers Adam, Ginny & Pete