Friday 18 September 2020

2020 WEEK 38 Greenham Common

 Prelude: Most equivalent dates for 2019 are on days in 2020 when we don’t usually ring this site (Sat, Sun, Mon). To ameliorate this as much as possible I have decided to report on the week number,. It is all a bit to complicated though so probably back to visit by visit reporting next week.

Week No 2020.38
Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure -
Nets: 48M/3Rds 08:00 to 11:00hrs

Lure (Audio): Warblers, Misc Migrants, Redstart, Dartford Warbler, Hirundine, Autumn, Wryneck, WagPips . Intermittently.

Summary: A fairly quiet week compared to 2019 and we made five visits as opposed to three in 2019. The first Meadow Pipits and a Reed Bunting of the Autumn probably of note
Quick shot of the Reed Bunting, they won't keep still like some species

Session-38.1: 14-Sep-2020, 07:30 to 11:30hrs Present:  JL,IW
Weather: bright, sunny, calm, warm.
Capture: 19(15/04) 07 Species. Quiet today with a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs trickling through and another sign of autumn the first Reed Bunting and the first ringed by the group this year as our reed bed sites are out of action. A flock of 13 Long-tailed Tits flew over the heath just before nets down, we captured five including a 07/09/2016 re-trap. Notable sightings for the session, a Chaffinch the first recorded here since the spring and just three swallows through.

Session-38.2: 15-Sep-2020, 07:30 to 11:15hrs Present:  JL,IW
Weather: bright, sunny, light breeze, warm. Nets: 48M/3Rds 08:00 to 11:00hrs
Capture: 20(19/01) 09 Species.  Another session when a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs trickled through. Things looked up a bit when three Stonechat and perhaps the last Whitethroat of the year were in the same nets. A Wren ringed 25/10/2018 is notable and another Goldcrest a sign of birds to come we hope. On the sightings front mostly the usual suspects including a few more House Martins and Swallows that showed some interest in the lure but didn’t come low enough.

Session-38.3: 16-Sep-2020, 07:25 to 11:20hrs Present:  JL,IW,RJC
Weather: mostly overcast, warm, calm, cloud clearing later in session
Capture: 12(12/00) 03 Species. Really quiet with just a few Chiffchaffs and one Blackcap made up to 12 by two Dunnocks. Early there was some interest from Grey Wagtails and Meadow Pipits, several flew around the enclosure, some dropped in, unfortunate none went into the nets . Sightings-wise there is little to report except we saw a two of yesterday’s ringed Stonechats amongst a group of five.

Session-38.4: 17-Sep-2020, 07:35 to 11:30hrs Present:  JL
Weather: bright sunny, cooler, ENE blustery strong breeze
Capture: 08(08/00) 03 Species. A wind affected session that produced four Chiffchaffs and three Blackcaps and a Robin. As yesterday there was interest from Meadow Pipits including one perching on a mist nets pole, but the swirling wind and bright sunshine made the nets obvious. On a walk over to view the grassland the currently familiar call of Yellow Wagtail was heard coming from some hawthorn bushes and I was surprised to see not one but eleven rise and fly towards and out of view over the enclosure. Disappointingly when I returned to the enclosure, they had all disappeared. With few birds in the nets there was a lot of walking about. The other sightings of note are a Kestrel and the 30+ flock of Goldfinch is back after a few day’s absence.

Session-38.5: 18-Sep-2020, 07:35 to 11:30hrs Present:  JL,IW
Weather: bright sunny, clear, cool, calm building to blustery strong breeze after 10:00hrs
Capture: 12(11/01) 06 Species. Finally managed to capture two Meadow Pipits, Four Chiffchaffs, a Goldcrest, three Blackcaps and a re-trap Robin. Sighting included a Tree Pipit and fly over Little Egret and Rooks

One of the Meadow Pipits note the hind claw

Week 2020.38 Recaptures: (6)  
Long-tailed Tits ringed 15/10/2019, 15/07/2020x2 07/09/2016
Robin ringed 15/10/2019
Wren ringed 25/10/2018

2020.38 Sightings 49 Species: 




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