31/03 Greenham Common

 Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Session: 31-03-2021, 07:30 to 10:45hrs

Notes: Thought we would try a spring session at the Western Enclosure. We had low expectations as not using any audio lures and there has been little activity in the enclosure recently; just the odd Robin. It was not helped by the lady the other day I found sat on the style with her dog running loose inside. She said it runs away if let off the lead, so the enclosure is ideal! Seven birds of 6 species is not bad really including our first Blackcap of the year and an unexpected Meadow Pipit, a species we associate with autumn ringing here. Think the Greenfinches, a pair, were collecting nest material. A number of these were rasping away for most of the morning around the heath; they like the mature Gorse bushes as nest sites.

Todays Male Blackcap

Todays Meadow Pipit a male form the wing length

Present: JL,IW

Weather: Sunny, Calm, Warm

Nets: 48metres in 3 rides of 18m, 18m, 12m, up from 08:00 to 10:30hrs

Lure (None):

Recaptures:(None)

Sightings 33 species: Two Lesser Redpoll dropped into the enclosure while we were present; one a nice breeding plumage male. Only the second sighting of this species for me this winter period. Five years or so ago we were ringing two or three hundred at the Greenham feeder into April, in earlier times they bred here, now they are scarce around Newbury. Ian had a Willow Warbler singing by the Pyle Hill gate and the only Blackcap was the one we ringed. The Sparrowhawks flew across the heath south at the same time. I spotted the female flying high and Ian the male low over the heath. The was a lone Wheatear a nice male out on the grassland to the east. I saw another male as I drove passed the control tower on the way off the common.