A nice layer of cloud to the east covered the sun up for lengthy period of the Middleton CES, bringing into play the best of the mist nets, the sun-prone Net 3. An interesting morning with an early flurry of especially Grasshopper Warblers, then it seemed to die a bit of a death until a light rain shower at 0735hrs seemed to trigger quite a lot of activity
Middleton CES
Swift - 11 south
Common Sandpiper - one south
Grasshopper Warbler - 6 singing males still, two unringed adult female, 3 unringed juveniles and one very recent nest departee (a 1J in ringer's terms)
Lesser Whitethroat - 6 ringed - a high number for here
Newly-ringed birds this morning comprised: 6 Grasshopper Warbler, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Robin, 9 Common Whitethroat, 10 Sedge Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Bullfinch, 4 Goldfinch, 10 Swallow, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Dunnock, 2 Blackbird and a single Great Tit. There were just 10 retraps, mainly Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat and Blue Tit
Moths
An early Copper Underwing plus Barred Rivulet and Bordered Beauty were the stars of a smallish show
Butterflies
22 Gatekeeper but 'only' 21 Meadow Brown on a walk round the reserve - how times have changed!
