27/10 Thathchan Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR

Session: 27 Oct-2019 07:00 to 111:15hrs

Notes:  An end of season session rewarded us with a reasonable capture for the time of year. Two Blackcaps and two Chiffchaffs with 10 Goldcrest made for a worthwhile visit. It was nice to ring a few Reed Buntings for a change; they were once in good numbers on the marsh but not now. Ringing good numbers of Wrens reminded me of earlier times when winter ringing for them here was a requirement of the then group secretary Ike Hawthorn; for us trainees handling them could sometimes be a fraught experience especially when a beginner.

Weather: overcast warm, calm, it began to spot with rain about 10:00hrs as forecast.

Present: JL, IW, DL

Nets: 126metres in three rides of 18m, 36m in ride 1A, 18m, 18m in 2a and 18m 18m in B site up from 07:30 to 10:30hrs

Lure (audio): autumn, BBCCGCFC, Yellow-browed Warbler, Reed Bunting intermittently 

Capture (New/Recapture) 55(46/09) 12 Species	Matching Visit:  no visit
Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 2 2 BLUTI 8 3 9 2 CETWA 3 indeterminate CHIFF 2 2 DUNNO 4 3 1 GOLDC 10 10 GRETI 1 1 LOTTI 2 indeterminate REEBU 6 5 1 SONTH 1 1 WREN 7 4 9 2	Species New Rtp Juv Adult

Recaptures: 9 recent except BLUTI ringed 24/09/2017t

Sightings 38 Species:  Expected more Redwings about, water rail squealing, a Green Sandpiper over late morning. Was hoping for some winter finches but none detected.

Blackbird (7)                                              Blackcap (2)                                              Black-headed Gull (15)                           Blue Tit (11)                                              Buzzard (3)                                               Carrion Crow (3)                                      Cetti's Warbler (5)                                    Chaffinch (2)                                             Chiffchaff (3)                                             Cormorant (3)                                           Dunnock (5)                                              Goldcrest (15)                                           Goldfinch (2)                                             Great Spotted Woodpecker (2)             Great Tit (4)                                              Green Sandpiper (1)                               Green Woodpecker (2)                           Grey Heron (1)                                         Grey Wagtail (1)

Jackdaw (14)                                            Jay (3)                                                        Little Grebe (2)                                         Long-tailed Tit (7)                                     Magpie (2)                                                 Mallard (1)                                                 Mistle Thrush (1)                                      Moorhen (2)                                              Nuthatch (2)                                              Pochard (1)                                               Red Kite (2)                                               Redwing (12)                                            Reed Bunting (7)                                      Robin (12)                                                 Starling (4)                                                Tufted Duck (2)                                        Water Rail (1)                                           Woodpigeon (10)                                     Wren (12)