21/09 Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Session: 21-Sep-2018 07:40 to 10:10hrs

Headlines: A disappointing week. Week 38 is one of the better weeks for Blackcap and Chiffchaff passage, but this week’s weather has been awful for ringing with strong winds every day. On Tuesday I went to the site intending to put nets up but it was just too windy. Wednesday and Thursday with the rain as well it was impossible and why although conditions were not very good (15+mph winds) I decided to put persevere and put some nets up today. For the most exposed ride I used a cut down, (3 shelf) net; for the other two rides I kept them as low I could. The first round accounted for five of the capture, after just the odd bird was captured. The first Reed Bunting of the Autumn was the best capture. Conditions look better tomorrow morning so might try again then.
Postscript to Sundays(16^th) session at Thatcham Marsh, one of the Blackcaps had been ringed 13 days previously on the 03-Sep-2018 at Drove Orchard, Norfolk 214km away.

Weather: Sunny, bright, cool, windy.

Present: JL, IW

Nets: 48Metres in three rides of 18m, 18m(3shelf), 12m up from 08:00 to 10:00hrs

Lure (audio): Playlists: Warblers, Miscellaneous Migrants(part), Autumn(part), Redstart.

Capture (New/Recapture) 09(09/00)	Matching Visit: 20-Sep-2017 24(23/01)
Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 3 3 CHIFF 5 5 REEBU 1 1	Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 8 8 BLUTI 1 1 CHIFF 12 1 13 GOLDC 2 1

Recaptures: none

Sightings 26 Species: best bird, a Yellow Wagtail, only spotted because it was buzzed by a Woodlark as it flew west. Still a few hirundine about, the first Reed Buntings of Autumn and three Mistle Thrush notable, otherwise nothing unexpected.

16/09 THatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR

Session: 16-Sep-2018 07:30 to 11:15hrs

Headlines: Another audio powered session today, produced a reasonable capture of Blackcaps, bolstered by a tit flock, a few Chiffchaff and three late-ish Reed Warblers. But, the bird of the day was a sprite of the forest, an immaculate male Firecrest. 

Weather: sunny with cloud, calm early, breezy later, cool

Present: JL, IW, JHW, VG, RGS, RDW

Nets: 216metres in two rides of 198m (reed bed), 18m (scrub) up from 08:00 to 10:45hrs

Lure (A): Playlists: Warblers, Miscellaneous Migrants, Reed Bunting, shuffled intermittently.

Capture (New/Recapture) 62(51/11)	Matching Visit: none
Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 17 1 18 BLUTI 8 3 8 3 CETWA 2 2 CHIFF 5 5 FIREC 1 1 GOLDC 2 2 GRSWO 1 1 GRETI 2 1 2 1 LOTTI 5 2 full grown REEBU 2 2 3 1 REEWA 3 3 ROBIN 1 1 TREEC 1 1 WREN 2 1 3	Species New Rtp Juv Adult

Recaptures: (11)  all recent except:
Blue Tit ringed 05-Oct-2014
Long-tailed Tit ringed 04-Sep-2014, 08-Oct-2017

1st Summer Male Firecrest

Sightings 31 Species: Ian’s list, nothing notable, a trickle of hirundine through south, mostly House Martins with a few Swallows 

13/09 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Session: 13-Sep-2018 07:10 to 10:50hrs

Headlines: A very clear sunny start today so I was sure that I would get a full session in. The clear sky, through the night, meant that there was less prospect of a heavy passage though. The capture consisted of a steady flow of Blackcap and Chiffchaff with a couple of unexpecteds and a latish Willow Warbler. We called down at least one Tree Pipit. The first sighting of a pipit, about 20metres away in the top of a birch tree, required a closer look and proved to be a Meadow Pipit. The next sighting of another pipit in a nearby tree, a few minutes later, was quickly confirmed as a Tree Pipit; much heavier bill and lighter, less grey colouring. As the morning progressed it was clear that there was an influx of Meadow Pipit; a species conspicuous by its absence since the breeding season. A walk around in the scrub looking for anything produced little. On returning towards the enclosure, we noticed that one of the net poles was bending at an unusual angle and the net had a distinct sag caused by a largish bird in the middle shelf. This proved to be a Green Woodpecker, a juvenile with the adult plumage beginning to show. About half way through the session, I switch to the Autumn playlist with mainly winter finches and warblers on it, but also Meadow Pipit, and on the last round one flew into one of the nets while we were present; giving a nice end to a pleasant steady session.

Weather: Bright, sunny, cool early, light breeze, warm later.

Present: JL, IW

Nets: 48metres in three rides of 18m, 18m, 12m up from 07:30 to 10:30hrs

Lure (audio): Playlists: Warblers, Miscellaneous Migrants (Part), Autumn (Part), Redstart., shuffled intermittently.

Capture (New/Recapture) 29(27/02)	Matching Visit: none
Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 9 9 BLUTI 4 1 5 CHIFF 8 8 DUNNO 1 1 GOLDC 1 1 GRETI 2 2 GREWO 1 1 MEAPI 1 1 WILWA 1 1	Species New Rtp Juv Adult

Recaptures: (2) both recent
Sightings 31 Species: Ian’s list, apart from the Tree Pipit and the Meadow Pipit influx, not much of note.