Easter Joy

Our annual jaunt to Martham woods and fishing ponds took place on Easter Monday, Arthur was also available after a busy weekend.
The nets were erected the evening before ready for dawn the next day, the first Cuckoo of the year was heard.
As usual Sharon supplied the cakes ! Saturday it was chocolate fudge brownies and today it was Mum's Easter buns, very nice. Easter eggs were also supplied by Justin on Saturday.

Arthur with his bun.

It was another sunny day , but with a keen NE wind blowing making it feel a bit cooler.

An excellent mornings ringing was had with 57 being processed, 21 from the ponds and the rest from the wood.

Several firsts for the year being, Cettis/Reed/ Sedge and Grasshopper Warblers, Jay and the first pulli being Tawny Owl. The morning will also remembered as not one Willow warbler was caught, historically this has been one of the better sites for this species !

Cetti's Warbler

Gropper

The big surprise was catching a male House Sparrow , a first for the site !

Male House Sparrow

49 new birds were ringed with 3 of them pulli and 8 ( retraps).

One of the retraps was a Reed Warbler that was originally ringed at the pond site on 17/06/2006 and also re-trapped there on 03/05/2008 ! Its flown a few miles so far.

Another retrap from the ponds was a Reed Bunting that was originally ringed in Tony's garden on 29/01/2008.

 Male Jay

Tawny Owl 3, Wren 4 (1), Dunnock 1, Robin 1 (1), Blackbird (1), Cetti's Warbler 1,

Grasshopper Warbler 2, Sedge Warbler 4, Reed Warbler 1 (1), Whitethroat 3,

Garden Warbler 2, Blackcap 1 (1), Chiffchaff 3 (1), Long-tailed Tit 4 (1), Blue Tit 8,

Great Tit 3, Treecreeper 1, Jay 1, House Sparrow 1, Chaffinch 2, Reed Bunting 3 (1).

Tawny Owl pulli, Lunch in the box was 2 young Rats. 

Crane's could be heard calling in the distance.

Several Speckled Wood butterflies were on the wing, and a pair of Large Red Damselfly were seen.

Male Large Red