22nd August 2019

CISSBURY RING: Catches during the morning's ringing included young individuals of Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler. We caught a good number of Blackcaps indicating an arrival, along with a few Willow Warblers and Whitethroats. Three Tree Pipits and a Yellow Wagtail flew over. What was presumably the same Marsh Tit could be heard calling first thing. Other birds included six Swallows, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three Bullfinches, a House Martin, a Treecreeper, a Yellowhammer and a Buzzard (DKC/VB).

An early morning visit to Cissbury Ring and, given the clear and still night, surprised and delighted to find so many migrants still present. Numbers made up mainly of Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Blackcap, but half-a-dozen each of Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher, plus a couple of Willow Warblers and a Wheatear.
Good supporting cast too, with several Bullfinch, and Nuthatch, Treecreeper and 2 Marsh Tits in the woods near the top S side.
Mainly too early for butterflies, but did start to see a few towards the end - mainly Meadow Browns, but also several Brimstones, Painted Ladies, Wall Browns, Small Heath, Small White, Red Admiral and a Holly Blue (Ray Baker via SOS).

juvenile Sedge Warbler at Cissbury Ring

juvenile Bullfinch at Cissbury Ring

juvenile Goldfinch at Cissbury Ring

LADYWELL: A Tree Pipit was trapped and ringed, while the Blackcap arrival was experienced here too, with 40 new birds (and two retraps). Other catches included 16 Willow Warblers, 42 Blackcaps, seven Reed Warblers, three Whitethroats, two Kingfishers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and five Chiffchaffs. Sightings included a Grey Heron, two Buzzards, a Tawny Owl, two Cetti's Warblers and a Mistle Thrush.