15/03 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Feeder

Session: 15-Mar-2020, 07:45 to 11:30hrs

Notes: Conditions very far from ideal for ringing today due to the strong gusting breeze. I wanted to be sure of getting a session in by the end of the month for various reasons, hence we persevered. Several times we came close to abandoning due to the blustery conditions and drizzle but in the end manage to sustain until 11:00hrs. Great Tits dominated the capture and there was not much species variety. Due to the conditions we expected to not complete the session and decided not to erect any scrub nets. This session’s 19 total compares well with last winters matching visit; even more so when just a Great Tit and Greenfinch of the total of seven came from feeder nets. The others came from scrub nets. Today’s session was the final schedule visit (10 of 10) for this winter at the Greenham Feeder; surprisingly given the wet and windy second winter period we manage to get all 10 done. The weather looks to be breaking, and the strong winds and incessant rain may be replaced by calmer sunny weather for a while, so I am expecting us septuagenarians will be confined.

Weather: Overcast, some bright periods, strong breeze gusting occasional, light drizzle later, cool

Present: JL,IW,RJC JA,JPM

Nets: 12metres in 2 net rides, one 6 metre net each side of feeders up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs

Lure (Feeder): Niger, Peanut, Black Sunflower,

Capture (New/Recapture) 19(13/06) 3 Species	Matching Visit: 18/03/2019 7(03/04) 5 Species
Species New Rtp 1stCY 2ndCY+ BLUTI 1 1 COATI 1 1 GRETI 11 6 13 4	Species New Rtp 1stCY 2ndCY+ GOLDC 1 1 1 1 GRETI 1 1 GREFI 1 1 LOTTI 2 indeterminate SONTH 1 1

Recaptures: (09), recent except
GRETI             15/10/2017, 24/01/2019x2
Sightings 26 Species: Chiffchaffs have been singing on the common since at least the 9th March. The Mute Swan was on the lake west of Estovers, still some Redwings about.

Mute Swan (1)         Stock Dove (5)         Woodpigeon (10)    Collared Dove (2)    Grey Heron (1)        Red Kite (1)  Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)    Magpie (4)    Jackdaw (8) Carrion Crow (4)     Coal Tit (2)   Blue Tit (10) Great Tit (20)

Chiffchaff (2)            Goldcrest (1)            Wren (2)       Blackbird (4) Redwing (9) Song Thrush (2)      Robin (4)      Dunnock (5) Pied Wagtail (2)       Chaffinch (2)            Bullfinch (2) Greenfinch (7)         Goldfinch (2)