10/10 Greenham Common, Western Enclosure

Location: Greenham Common, Western Enclosure

Session: 10-Oct-2018 07:40 to 10:55hrs

Headlines: Ideal conditions today, perhaps a bit too bright during the clear sunny periods. Three Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff showed there are still one or two summer migrants about. Generally, very quiet. A Meadow Pipit briefly perched on a mist net pole but like yesterday most pipits showed no interest. A Green Woodpecker got out before I could get to it. The Reed Buntings dropped into the scrub as the mist moved in. There was very little activity for most of the session anywhere in the immediate vicinity. There was a lot of walking about, until late on when a small influx birds moved around the scrubby areas. This latter gave most of the capture. The next few days look to be unsettled so I might not get out again this week.

Weather: Bright, sunny, clear misty for a while mid-session then clearing again, mostly calm occasional light breeze, warm
Present: JL

Nets: 48metres in three rides of 18m, 18m, 12m up from 08:00 to 10:30hrs

Lure (audio): Redstart, Meadow Pipit, playlists: Autumn, BCCCFCGC intermittently 

Capture (New/Recapture) 11(11/00)	Matching Visit: none
Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 3 3 BLUTI 1 1 CHIFF 1 1 COATI 1 1 GRETI 1 1 REEBU 2 2 ROBIN 1 1 WREN 1 1	Species New Rtp Juv Adult

Recaptures: none

Sightings 29 Species: I know I missed a few, mainly finches, that flew over against the light also my hearing and  memory is not what it was. I did pick up a fly-over Brambling on call though. No sign of any winter thrushes so far this week. The Dartford Warbler is the first I have found here since before the April cold spell when most of the commons  population disappeared. It was either very mobile or there were two since I saw it or another individual moving through the scrub to the east after  the first sighting to the west of the enclosure.

09/10 Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Location: Greenham Common, Western Enclosure
Session: 09-Oct-2018 07:40 to 11:00hrs

Headlines: Week 41, still a few Blackcap and Chiffchaff going through. Meadow Pipits not responding to song? Was a bit blowy at times which affected the capture a bit; missed a few tits. Audio attracted down two Pied Wagtails and might have attracted a couple of inquisitive Snipe who after flying low around the enclosure a few times, landed by the biggish puddle and disappeared into some low brambles. 

Weather: bright, sunny, clear, calm sometimes breezy, warm
Present: JL
Nets: 48metres in three rides of 18m, 18m, 12m up from 08:00 to 10:30hrs

Lure (audio): Redstart, Meadow Pipit, playlists: Autumn, BCCCFCGC shuffled intermittently.

Capture (New/Recapture) 12(12/00)	Matching Visit: none
Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 4 4 BLUTI 1 1 CHIFF 5 5 GOLDC 1 1 GRETI 1 1	Species New Rtp Juv Adult

Recaptures: none

Sightings 26 Species: probably missed a few species, no Stonechat found and just the one Goldfinch seen. The high-flying Herring Gulls probably the best birds; never thought I would be highlighting seeing “seagulls” back last century! Three Swallows fed for a while then flew north. At least three  double figure flocks of Jackdaw flying south and my first Siskin of the year flew over.

07/10 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR

Session: 07-Oct-2018 07:30 to 11:00hrs

Headlines: Not many migrants about this morning and quiet generally. We captured a few Blue Tits and a Long-tailed Tit; last year’s equivalent visit had a good capture of tits and a few more summer migrants. The Bullfinch was still in primary moult, they normally moult into October so not unusual. A late Reed Warbler was an unexpected capture. We have captured 36 in October since 1974, the latest being one at Thatcham Marsh LNR on the 23-Oct-1994, six others were captured after the 09-Oct, most are in the first week of the month, all but seven were captured at Thatcham Marsh

Weather: sunny,  calm to light breeze, cold
Present: JL, DL, IW, SC, GB
Nets: 216 metres in two rides 198m reed bed ride, 18m scrub ride up from 08:00 to 10:30hrs
Lure (audio): Playlists: Autumn, BCCCFCGC, intermittently shuffled

Capture (New/Recapture) 23(18/05)	Matching Visit:08-Oct-2018 53(43/10)
Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 2 2 BLUTI 3 2 4 1 BULLF 1 1 CETWA 3 full grown CHIFF 2 2 LOTTI 1 full grown REEBU 2 2 REEWA 1 1 ROBIN 1 1 WREN 3 2 5	Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 1 1 BLUTI 4 1 4 1 CETWA 2 full grown CHIFF 7 7 DUNNO 3 3 GOLDC 9 1 9 1 GRETI 10 2 10 2 LOTTI 2 2 full grown REEBU 1 1 ROBIN 3 2 1 WREN 3 2 3 2

Recaptures: (5) all recent except Blue Tit ringed 20-Jun-2017

Sightings 35 Species: Ian’s list, might have missed one or two. A high flying Raven best bird and some Red Kite activity, otherwise much as expected, no sign of any winter migrants,