27/10 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Session: 27-Oct-2017 07:45 to 11:00 hrs

Headlines: An enjoyable session with some good birds. First birds captured a Redwing, Wren ad Blue Tit. Just one each of Blue Tit and Goldcrest, for the next hour or so followed by a Stonechat and a Robin. The next round consisted of a Chiffchaff (is this one the last one of the year!), another Goldcrest, the first of many Lesser Redpoll we hope and another Redwing. Several Redwing flocks showed interest in the Latvian song throughout the morning, dropping into the net rides then flying off.  The individual captured with the redpoll was one of eight that dropped in. On captured it alarmed and the others flew away.  Around 10:00hrs activity levels dropped but we decided to keep the nets open until 10:30hrs. About 20 minutes later a Redwing flew over our heads from the woods and into a net. On arrival at the net we were surprised to see two captured and another two in one of the other nets that had dropped in unseen. On the next visit two more Goldcrest had been captured and we took the nets down. As can be seen by comparison with the 2016 matching visit, numbers of Redwing and Goldcrest are similar but today’s session had better variety.

Weather: Bright, sunny, cool, calm until the end of session when there was a slight breeze.
Present: JL, IW
Nets: 48metres in three rides of 18M, 18M,12M up from 08:15 to 10:30 hrs
Lure (audio): Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Redwing, Siskin, Redpoll, Yellow-browed Warbler (still living in hope)
Capture (New/Recapture)

17(17/00)	14(14/00) matching visit 27-Oct-2016
Species All New 1stCY 2ndCY+ BLUTI 2 2 CHIFF 1 1 GOLDC 4 4 LESRE 1 1 REDWI 6 5 1 ROBIN 1 1 STOCH 1 1 WREN 1 1	Species All New 1stCY 2ndCY+ BLUTI 1 1 DUNNO 1 1 GOLDC 6 6 REDWI 5 4 1 WREN 1 1

Recaptures: None

 Todays Lesser Redpoll a 1st CY bird not sure of sex, on the photo some suspicion of gingery pink on the flank near the head suggests a male.

The 1st CY male Stonechat

Sightings 41 Species: A swallow through south and an over-flying Snipe probably the best birds. One or two flocks of finches flew over unidentified against the bright sky. The Buzzards were active early in the session. Three high flying Bullfinch dropped down into the nearby woodland. Late morning high flying Skylarks mostly headed west.  It is surprising what goes by unnoticed unless you regularly scan the sky.