2nd CES session plus bonus!

Post date: May 18, 2015 2:55:57 PM

As last year, today' constant-effort ringing session coincided with a ringing demonstration for the Faunistik course (of the Department of Biology, University of Lund).

The number of captures was pretty poor (nine birds of five species), which is perhaps not surprising given the moderate-to-strong wind conditions (though it is quite sheltered near the nets) and the pretty bad weather of the last few days. I did trap some new species for the year though, including two Long-tailed Tits (A. caudatus), which are always popular amongst students; as well as one interesting Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) that had some Marsh Warbler (A. palustris) features and the largest white spots on the tail feathers that I have seen in this species. The measurements, however, did not quite fit a Marsh Warbler (wing 69.5 mm, notch ≥ 12 mm), neither did it look like one despite its slightly lighter legs and claws, and its whitish tips to evenly-spaced primaries: it had a "reed warbler face" and a warm brown colour in the upper part, including a slightly rustier rump.

Reed Warbler (A. scirpaceus) with white-tipped rectrices (colours seem too cold in this photo)

In order to show some more birds to the students, I set up another net after the constant-effort session finished, in another habitat and some distance away (thus following the rules of CES), and managed to trap a Thrush Nightingale (L. luscinia), a Goldfinch (C. carduelis) and a Dunnock (P. modularis), which provided a nice variation for the students.