Ringing Report – 7 May 2026
The weather was dry, some sunny intervals and cool, but still. This session was a short one from dawn to 11.00am. It was aimed at catching warblers.
The Tawny Owl, an immature male, was a surprise and an interesting bird, very soft feathers.
A number of older birds were caught, who used the Island annually, including Reed Warblers ringed in June 2021, May 2022 and another in May 2023. There was also a Blackcap ringed in August 2024 and a Sedge Warbler ringed in April 2025. It is also noticeable that the number of Sedge Warblers caught this year is significantly higher than last year when only four individuals were caught. Since the prolonged floods in 2024 the Blackcap numbers have halved, presumably due to lack of food in the form of Elder and Ivy.
Unusually, one of the Sedge Warblers caught (see photo bottom right) had a lot of white feathers in its wings and on its head.
A Fox was seen on the Island and two Muntjacs, along with a two Cuckoos, several Common Terns and two Greylag Geese. In the Meadow a Small Copper butterfly was found.
Left: Tawny Owl, bottom right: aberrant Sedge Warbler, bottom centre: Small Copper
Photos: Julian and Sue Limentani
