31/08 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure (wk35)
Session: 31/08/2022 07:30 to 11:000hrs
Notes: Back from a family holiday in Skiathos Greece. Most Willow Warblers and Garden Warblers have left (might get the odd straggler though) and passage through has switched to Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. The 9th Lesser Whitethroat of the season and getting near to the 2019 best total of 11 here. Most migrant numbers so far are much lower than normal.
Present: JL,IW
Weather: overcast occasional sunny periods, calm breezy later, warm.
Nets: 48metres 3 Rides, 18M, 18M and 12M up from 08:00 to 10:30 hrs
Lures: Warblers, Misc Migrants, Grasshopper Warbler, Redstart, intermittently.

A Preying Mantise about 80mm long, not sure the exact species.

We don't usually get these in the UK. This one caused a bit of consternation when it suddenly appeared from the underside of a table in Skiathos. Once one of the boys sitting at the table had recovered he found a dead hornet and fed it. It was still munching away when we left for the airport. 

Recaptures: (none)

Sightings: Linnets seem to have finished nesting and left the site, at least at the western end. Not much activity on the surrounding heath scrub. A fly over Grey Heron probably the best bird. A few Autumn Lady’s Tresses in flower but the ones I saw had very stunted growth and there are nowhere near as many as in 2021 so far.