07/10 Greenham Common

 Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk 2025-41

Session: 07/10/2025 07:40 to 11:00hrs

Present: JL,IW,KMB,ERL,NC.

Weather: overcast, cool, calm

Nets: 48metres 3 Rides, up from 08:00 to 10:35 hrs

Lures audio: (BC-CC-FC-GC),(FF-RE-ST),(YB),(BR-LR-SK), intermittently.

Notes: Lots of finch activity around the enclosure today – Goldfinch, Redpoll(Lesser) and Siskin. We played a mixed finch audio that called some into the enclosure scrub but unfortunately not into the nets. Three Firecrests all females in one session, probably an indication of the increasing local population. That’s seven here and one at Thatcham Marsh LNR so far this year!

Recaptures: (00) none

Sightings: As mentioned above lots of finch flocks included a flock of 38 Goldfinch and one flock of nine Redpoll also a few Siskin. A lone Mistle Thrush over west momentarily grabbed our attention hoping it might be a winter thrush. They must be due anytime we’ve ringed Redwing week no38 (2018) in the past but week no40 onwards seems around the usual time. Most of the Jackdaws were put up over by the bunkers by some sort of disturbance.

05/10 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR

Session: 05/10/2025 07:30 to 11:30.hrs

Present: IW,RAD,JL,KMB

Weather: Mostly Overcast, Cool, Strong Breeze early, that got stronger as the morning progressed to well above the 15mph forecast.

Nets: 36+36 metre nets where 1A&2A nets meet on the reed bed ride up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs.

Lures (audio): (BC-CC-FC-GC-GW-WH-LW-WO),(YW-WC-W.-TP-RT-RZ),(YB),(AQ,RW,SW,RB) intermittently. 

Notes: There was a strong breeze at nets up that grew stronger as the session progressed to the  point that around 10:15hrs the two more exposed nets were being blow to nearly 45degrees off the vertical and were taken down. The other nets sheltered by mature scrub and the railway embankment were relatively unaffected. Unexpectedly we ringed two Siskin that came down into the nets even though we didn’t have Siskin audio running; possibly attracted be the other calls. The Great Tit with a very pale plumage and many white feathers is unusual but not unknown. Summer migration has peaked over the last two or three weeks and will tail off from now on to be replaced by arriving winter migrants; the Siskins being an indication of this.

FG =age indeterminate

Recaptures: (03)

Cetti’s Warbler           ringed: 29/09/2024, 29/06/2025, 14/09/2025

Sightings: A Water Rail was squealing in the stream as we returned from nets up. The first Skylarks over for me are a sign of winter passage, as is the arrival of Siskins; maybe it is n indication of good winter numbers in the area tghis coming winter after the low numbers if recent years. The two Grey Wagtails came up from the weir near the railway embankment; there may have been more than two as we disturbed one almost every time we accessed the net ride. The removal of a hornet entangled in the netting delayed taking the wind affected nets down.

30/09 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk 2025-40

Session: 30/09/2025 07:40 to 11:10hrs

Present: JL,IW,NC.

Weather: bright clear, calm, hot later

Nets: 48metres 3 Rides, up from 08:00 to 10:40 hrs

Lures audio: (BC-CC-FC-GC-GW-WH-LW-WO),(YW-WC-W.-TP-RT-RZ),(YB),(RT←10:15), (GL,PW,MP 10:15→), intermittently.

Notes: It was clear and bright today which made the nets more visible than usual in the strong sunshine and we may have missed a few birds. There were a few Chiffchaffs about, some in the enclosure, but we ringed just one, captured at nets down. Nice to ring another Firecrest, this year, that’s four at this site and one at Thatcham Marsh last Sunday, We usually ring a few Reed Bunting here, this one is the first for this year; last year (2024) we didn’t ring any. As there were lots of Meadow Pipits about and they were not reacting to the miscellaneous species audio which includes their call we played a Grey Wagtail, Pied, Wagtail, Meadow Pipit in place of the Redstart audio for the last 20minutes or so. Had a reaction from a couple of Meadow Pipits and called down a Pied Wagtail but unfortunately they eluded the nets.

Recaptures: (00) none

Sightings: The was a good flock of Meadow Pipits just east of the enclosure and others further east on the open grassland. Also, a couple of groups of Goldfinch in the same area. The Stonechat was out on the open grassland in the scrubby area. Some Siskins have arrived in the area over the last few days. A couple of Small Heaths were out in the sunshine and an unidentifiable Damselfly, probably a recent hatchling. 

28/09 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR

Session: 28/09/2025 07:30 to 09.45hrs.

Present: IW,JL.

Weather: overcast, calm, rained off about 09:00hrs.

Nets: 18+18 metre nets where 1A&2A nets meet on the reed bed ride up from 08:00 to 09:00hrs.

Lures (audio): (BC-CC-FC-GC-GW-WH-LW-WO),(YW-WC-W.-TP-RT-RZ),(YB),(AQ,RW,SW,RB) intermittently.

Notes: As the weather forecast was for rain sometime in the morning CMD decided not to travel to Newbury. This was a good move weather-wise as it rained about an hour after nets up, though she missed out ringing the Firecrest. It must be quite a long time since IW did all the ringing! For an hours ringing 21 birds is quite good. Dominated by Chiffchaff, there seemed to be quite a few birds attracted by the audio lures, we might have had a good total had we completed a full session. No sign of any Reed/Sedge Warblers or Reed Buntings.

FG =age indeterminate

Recaptures: (01)

Cetti’s Warbler           ringed: 03/10/2021

Sightings: Probably missed a few species as we were both occupied extracting/ringing/writing the

log for most of the time. Interestingly given the weather no ducks recorded! I noticed the Hornet

investigating the tops of phragmites reed in the rain when taking down my net.

26/09 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk 2025-39

Session: 26/09/2025 07:40 to 11:10hrs

Present: JL,IW,NC.

Weather: overcast, calm, cool.

Nets: 48metres 3 Rides, up from 08:00 to 10:30 hrs.

Lures audio: (BC-CC-FC-GC-GW-WH-LW-WO),(YW-WC-W.-TP-RT-RZ),(YB),(RT) intermittently.

Notes: A steady session to today, mostly Chiffchaff with a few Goldcrest. Just a single Blackcap, thought there might be a few more about still. The re-trap Chiffchaff had been ring at Thatcham Marsh LNR on Constant Effort ringing session no 7. A very dull day and not much movement bird-wise over the heath.

Recaptures: (01)

Chiffchaff        ringed: 29/06/2025 (Thatcham Marsh LNR)

Sightings: IW saw the Dartford Warblers before a I arrived with a flurry of other birds in and around the enclosure. They also spent some time in the gorse near the car. Grey Heron over early, Great White Egret over just after nets down. Swallows going west mid-session. Something disturbed a mixed Woodlark and Meadow Pipit flock over towards Sandleford Heath and that landed on the grass area east of the enclosure. As I started driving along the track off the common a juvenile male Sparrowhawk flew just ahead of me for a while.