12/10 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR

Session: 12/10/2025 07:30 to 11:30.hrs

Present: JHW,IW,JL,RAD,AB,KMB,DL,NC.

Weather: overcast, calm, cool.

Nets: 36++18+36 metre along nets reed bed ride, 12M scrub net up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs.

Lures (audio): (BC-CC-FC-GC),(FF-RE),(YB),(SK-LR),(LT) intermittently.

Notes: Overcast and calm this week a change after last weekends “gales”. For the time of year at this site a good total; we ringed elsewhere this time last year so no matching visit. We had a good number of birds from the net in the scrub including a Nuthatch, a woodland species and perhaps an indication of the scrub maturing towards woodland, though we have ringed them here before. We are still ringing Blackcap and Chiffchaff when in recent years by this time migration has all but stopped and Goldcrest still moving through. It wasn’t noticed but the Cetti’s Warbler ring number BXF6457 is a control (ringed elsewhere). It was a female; these are known to disperse from their natal site this time of year; males also but not so much apparently. We should hear where it is from in the next day or so.

FG =age indeterminate

Recaptures: (03)

Cetti’s Warbler   ringed: 06/09/2025, 29/09/2025.

Dunnock             ringed: 06/10/2024, 05/10/2025

Treecreeper       ringed: 13/04/2025

Robin                  ringed: 04/08/2024

Wren                   ringed: 12/07/2025

Sightings: Possibly 3 or more Water Rail squealing from the reeds along the stream. At least two

Grey Wagtail over at nets down. Otherwise nothing unexpected and we probably missed a few species.