22/10 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure Week 42
Session: 22/10/2021, 07:40 to 11:10hrs

Notes: The breeze was almost as strong as yesterday and it looked like we were going to get another poor capture if any. It wasn’t until 09:30hrs that we found a Chiffchaff in the bottom shelf of the net. While IW extracted it, I saw a Blue Tit bounce out of the billowing net back into the scrub. As we were leaving the Blue Tit tried again but this time was entrapped in the top shelf, so what looked like a session without any ringing was avoided. I had to leave promptly as I was meeting my former PA for lunch and a catch-up. Expecting to find only one or two more if any we visited the nets 15 minutes to nets down expecting a blank only to find eleven Blue Tits and a Goldcrest in the nets. We extracted these which took until 10:25 and processing took another 15minutes. So, no prompt departure. On returning to the nets IW spotted something biggish in one of the nets that was a Jay, not the easiest bird to extract. I took down one of the other nets and then started taking the second net down when a Goldcrest appeared in the bottom shelf, wasn’t there when I started, nor did I see it go in. I had to partially re-erect the net to extract it. We finished taking the nets down and gathered up the audio equipment and returned to the car to ring the two birds. First the Goldcrest, no problem. By now we were well passed the 11:00hrs deadline for me to be back home and in my haste to ring the Jay I allowed my index finger within pecking distance of  the Jay’s bill, and it proceeded to painfully rip at the skin of my knuckle drawing blood in two places. I manage to make my 12:30 appointment and if you want a reasonably prices quality posh meal try the Palm Brasserie at Deane near Overton, excellent food, and service.

Present: JL,IW
Weather: Strong west south-westerly breeze, sunny, cold
Nets: 48metres in 3 rides of 18M, 18M, 12M up from 08:00 to 10:30hrs
Lures Audio:  BC-CC-FC-GC, Yellow-browed Warbler, BR-LR-SK, FF-RE

Recaptures:(05)

Blue Tit ringed 24/10/2019, 18/08/2020, 27/08/2020, 27/07/2021, 16/09/2021

Sightings: More passage Gulls this time going west, a darkish morph Buzzard, a flock of Chaffinches going west, also Skylarks and a few bars of song from a Woodlark; windy cloudy weather seems to make them want to sing even in the autumn.  Also, a flock of crows over southeast-ish.