31/05 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Session: 31-May-2017 06:00 to 10:30hrs

Headlines: The first reasonable capture of the year today. It was a quiet start with just the Coal Tit early. At about 06:45 we heard the tit flock in the trees to the south of the enclosure. I think we captured most of the flock as some got captured when they returned looking for those already in the net.; 29 total (one got out when being removed from one of the bigger bags we had to use to hold all the birds) They were released into the woods to the north of the enclosure and could be heard for most of the morning calling there. A bit later I could hear another largish flock of Long-tailed Tit moving west through the trees to the south that did not cross the heath; it seem this species may have had a good year. After that it was back to normal with a couple more adult Chiffchaff captured, a Dunnock and two Linnets. Dartford Warblers flew into the enclosure late session and a Stonechat family of about four plus managed to fly parallel to the nets just before nets down. Jon arrived early; thanks for writing; would have been a ring and fling without you and Ian arrived just after he left.

Weather: overcast, black cloud at times and some patched of blue early, warm, calm

Present: JL, RJC(part), IW(part)

Nets: 48metres in 3rides of 18M.18M, 12M up from 06:30 to 10:00hrs
Lure (none):
Capture (New/Recapture)

35(33/2)
Species New Retrap Juvs Adults CHIFF 2 1 1 2 COATI 1 1 DUNNO 1 1 LINNE 2 2 LOTTI 27 1 25 3

Recaptures: (2) Chiffchaff 304d ringed here 31-Jun-2016, recaptured at Thatcham Marsh LNR 04-Sep-2016
                            Long-tailed Tit 5y 50d

A smart bright male Linnet. I thought it to be a 1st winter bird, brown feathers in grey head and un-moulted alula feathers but apparently 1st winter birds cannot be separated from older birds in spring

Sightings 42 Species: Didn’t do a full count just noted all species heard or seen. Hobby was a new species for the year for me; Adrian Hickman saw it about the same time over the central heath. Otherwise having walked the area several time in the last few days no surprises.