07/11 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk 2025-45

Session: 07/11/2025 07:40 to 10:50hrs

Present: IWJL,KMB.

Weather: cloudy, few spots rain early clearing to sunny periods later, breezy, cool.

Nets: 48metres 3 Rides, up from 08:00 to 10:30 hrs

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

From 2010 to 2025 we have regularly ringed the Western Enclosure, Greenham Common from week no 24 (mid-June) to week no 45 (early November). Subject mostly to the weather we have usually as a minimum ringed twice a week to record the many migrants passing through the heath. Above is a chart showing the profile of captures of the main species encountered. Blackcap and Chiffchaff have two peaks that coincide, the first week 29 is thought to be locals post breeding beginning their journey south and the main peak week 37 is the main passage through of birds from the north of the GB and possible some continentals. The peak for Garden Warbler is week 30 after which numbers tail off, and all have gone after week 36. Willow Warbler show a noticeable increase week 29, similar to Blackcap and Chiffchaff but continue to increase to peak at week 32 followed by a steady decline to the last few birds week 39. Goldcrests have a very different movement profile to the other species as they are mostly birds from further north and the continent (ref a Norway ringed bird re-trapped here) coming to winter here and possibly moving on into Europe. Just few presumed local birds are ringed until week 36 when numbers begin to increase peaking weeks 40 to 44 followed by a slow decline well into November.

For context week29 is mid-July, week32 is early August, week37 is the 2nd week of September and week43 is late October; the exact dates vary year on year. Very few birds are subsequently encountered at the western enclosure indicating that they quickly moving through on their journey to winter in the warmer climes of southern Europe and Africa; we have a few subsequent encounters along the south coast and also the western coast of southern Europe (France/Spain/Portugal). Some are from north of the Pyrenees which maybe a barrier that forces a stopover to feed up before crossing over or round the mountains.

Today: A late Blackcap moving south or maybe a northern bird arriving to winter here and a few more Goldcrest. This year resident birds such as Blue Tit etc that are usually about throughout the season seem to have all but stopped moving across the heath, Also, Blackbirds are much scarcer than usual we thought due to the dry spring and summer this year. However, I understand that nationally many have and are succumbing to Usutu virus, a mosquito-borne disease first identified in South Africa in 1959 and first found here in 2020. Blackbirds are not the only species affected apparently. 

As mentioned in the last report they are filming over in the bunker compound (possibly the “Fast and Furious” film series I am told). Today there were suddenly several very loud burst of machine gunfire and gun shots which made us jump a bit, also screeching revving cars and lots of smoke.

Recaptures: (01)

Goldcrest       ringed: 21/10/2025

Sightings: Not much moving except for a few Redwing and Starling in small parties heading south as was the first flock of Fieldfare seen this winter so far with some Redwings mixed in. A few finch types over may have been Chaffinch but not quite sure apart from two.