Wednesday 24 May 2017

24/05 Greenham Common

Location: 24/05 Greenham Common Western Enclosure
Session: 24-May-2017 06:45 to 10:20hrs
Headlines: Quick session although I nearly didn’t go as there was a bit of a blow in the treetops at home. It was misty when I arrived with an occasional swirling breeze. It soon cleared to a sunny day, hot late morning. Not much bird movement though until a flock of Long-tailed Tit crossed the heath; captured five all juveniles and probably missed an equal number. Was hoping to use up seven A rings left over from ringing pulli but the Blue Tit was a retrap so I only used two on the Bullfinch and a long winged Great Tit. It had an 82mm wing. This was queried by the database as 81 is the recorded extreme; glad I checked it. A nice juvenile lone Coal Tit also crossed, seemed a bit young to be unaccompanied.
The nest box breeding season was about two weeks earlier than most years, the third and last week of May is normally peak pulli ringing time. I have ringed all my boxes and so am able to do a few general ringing session at the end of May for a change.
Weather: Misty and breeze early, calm, sunny. hot and clear later
Present: JL, IW
Nets: 48M in three rides of 18M, 18, 12M up from 07:00 to 10:00hrs
Lure (none):
Capture (New/Recapture)
10(9/1)

Species
New
Retrap
BLABI
1

BLUTI

1
BULLF
1

COATI
1

GRETI
1

LOTTI
5

The Long-tailed Tits and the Coal Tit were juveniles the others were full grown
Recaptures: Blue Tit from the 11-Apr-2017
 Juvenile Coal Tit
The long winged Great Tit with an 82mm wing and a heavy bird at 20.3grms

Sightings 39 Species: Interestingly no Blackcap or Wren heard or seen during the session. Probably the best (unexpected) birds seen, two Rooks over. As mentioned above it was quiet with occasional singing by most other warbler species. It was nice to see a family party of Stonechats included some ringed juveniles. I had hopes of capturing a Starling or two as there are good numbers of juveniles over the common. When I arrived there was a family party in the enclosure but they flew off. Also, the House Martins were collecting mud in the nearby puddle and managing to avoid the nets as they made their approach. 

No comments: