Having cleared the net rides at the seaward end of the reserve during my last visit, I decided to use them today. What a difference an intact sand bar and a couple of weeks of rain makes! Water levels had risen way too close to the top of my wellies for comfort and, with the Ringing Hut Ride not safely accessible, and it only being possible to erect one net in Lower Marsh Ride out of the usual two I quickly decamped back to the dryer, eastern end after a brief attempt to clear some of the cobwebs out of the ringing hut,
Things here were best described as slow and steady. Juvenile Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps have started to appear in increasing numbers but young Reed and Sedge Warblers have yet to put in an appearance – a little later than usual. The day was brightened by the recapture of an adult male Cirl Bunting but the final total was only 27 birds, 19 of which were new: 1 Blackbird, 3 Blackcap, 1 Blue Tit, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Cirl Bunting, 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldfinch, 2 Great Tit, 1 Reed Bunting, 5 Reed Warbler, 1 Robin, 4 Sedge Warbler and 2 Wren.
The Early Worm 