14/04 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Feeder

Session: 14/04/2024 07:45 to 11:25hrs

Notes: Few birds visiting feeder this morning, most probably staying on territory. Many are coming into breeding condition either having developing brood patches (usually females) or Cloacal protuberances (males). A 2023 hatched Blue Tit with a missing right claw seemed to be coping. We had hoped for a few migrants from the scrub nets but the only one was the last bird of the session our first Willow Warbler ringed this year.

Present: JL,JHW,IW,DL,RAD,IQ.

Weather: bright with sunny periods, cool calm.

Nets: 36M net, 2 6M nets one each side of feeder plus two 12m scrub nets up from 8:00 to 11:00hrs

Lures: Feeders – Fat Balls, Sunflower Heartsx2, Niger, Peanuts.

Recaptures:(03)

Blue Tit               ringed: 13/11/2022, 24/03/2024.

Dunnock             ringed: 14/01/2024.

Sighting: Highlight for most was the first Nightingale of the year )for us) singing in the scrub west of

the car park entrance. Just one Woodlark singing to the east of us this visit and some Swallows

high over heading east, otherwise relatively quiet.