16/10 Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Session: 16-Oct-2018 07:45 to 11:30hrs

Headlines: One of the rare excellent ringing days that started with a Reed Bunting as I put the nets up. The first round we walked up the fence and Ian said you have a phylos in the first net. As I went to extract it I shouted did you see the species. But, Ian was distracted by a large thrush that had dropped from high up into a bush to the south of the enclosure. As I walked by to the next net I said we have a Yellow-browed Warbler. He said the thrush in the bush is a Ring Ouzel. I quickly checked it out on my way to another phylos in the next net, which was another a Yellow-browed. We ringed one each. On returning to the nets we found Firecrest in the net; it doesn't get much better. It went quiet for a while until we captured a tit flock and a few Chiffchaff, one ringed elsewhere (not one of the groups rings). A very satisfying morning.

Weather: misty fog early, mostly overcast, calm, warm

Present: JL, IW
Nets: 48metres in three rides of 18m, 18m, 12m, up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs
Lure (audio): Meadow Pipit, playlists: BCCCFCCG, Autumn

Capture (New/Recapture) 24(22/02)	Matching Visit: none
Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLUTI 2 2 CHIFF 3 1 4 FIREC 1 1 GOLDC 2 2 LOTTI 11 Full grown REEBU 1 1 YEBWA 2 2	Species New Rtp Juv Adult

Recaptures: (2)
Chiffchaff ringed 10-Sep-2018, location yet to be advised
Long-tailed Tit 03-Oct-2018

The two Yellow-browed Warblers ringed today, both thought to be 1st Winter birds based on criteria described in Demongin and both having pointy tail feathers.

The Firecrest also a 1st winter and a female; not ringed many females of this species.

Sightings 32 Species: a lot of activity today with groups of Redwing, flying through, also, several silent and against the light, unidentified finch flocks, mostly flying south east. A flock, well five, Bullfinch flew over quite high up and singleton Redpolls flew about, the first here this Autumn for me. The Ring Ouzel was unexpected and  a real bonus.