17/11 Snelsmore Common

Location: Snelsmore Common Feeder CES2024/25.02

Session: 17/11/2024 07:45 to 11:30hrs

Notes: A good session included pulli ringed May 2023 at Mount Hill Bagnor and Winterbourne Holt along the west margin of Snelsmore Common as well as boxes in the woodland around the car park and feeder. A three year old Coal Tit is also a good record as is a Blue Tit ringed at the Bagnor Feeder down in the valley in the 2024 1st winter period. Compared to the 2023/24.02 session there are many more retraps and fewer new birds ringed indicating a good survival of both juveniles and 2nd winter+ individuals.

Present: JL,IW,JHW.

Weather: overcast, sunny periods later, clam cold.

Nets: 2x6M nets, 1  each side of feeder up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs

Lures (Feeder): Fat Balls, Sunflower Hearts, Peanuts.

Recaptures:(43)

Blue  Tit              ringed: 05/03/2023, 26/01/2024 (BagFDR), 11/02/2024, 03/11/2023x11.

                            pulli ringed: 23/05/2023 box B08 Bag, 24/05/2023 box WH01, 27/05/2023 box WH21, 14/05/2024x2 box CP18, 14/05/2024 box CP24, 21/05/2024 box CP28.

Coal Tit               ringed: 06/11/2022, 02/02/2023, 11/02/2024, 03/11/2024x7.

Great Tit             ringed: 05/02/2023, 05/03/2023, 05/11/2023, 10/12/2023.

                            pulli ringed: 20/05/2023 box WH26, 20/05/2024 box WH07.

Sighting: Ian’s list – probably missed some species as we were quite busy for most of the session,

also we are surrounded by mature trees, so the vista is limited. Ravens not been detected for a

week or two which is unusual as they are quite vocal at other sites and usually are here this time of

year..

15/11 Greenham Common

 Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk46

Session: 15/11/2024 07:45 to 10:50hrsRedwing - a 1st Winter, note the shape of the white tip of some feathers turns up, on 2nd winter birds the white tip is much thinner less obvious and turns down.

Notes: Fewer birds about, some winter thrushes buzzed the enclosure as usual and just one Redwing stayed in the net. Tried running a finches lure and it called in the two Goldfinch, also a Linnet, we flushed the latter as we checked the nets unfortunately.

Present: JL,IW.

Weather: overcast, light breeze, cold.

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

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

Recaptures: (01)

Blue Tit          pulli ringed: 09/05/2021 box PK23

Goldcrest      ringed: 12/10/2024

Sightings: Not much activity today, the three Mallard flew north, significantly fewer Woodpigeons – just the locals?, a high flying Cormorant flew south and Fieldfare outnumbered Redwing for the first time this season though there were less numbers of both species.

12/11 Greenham Common

 Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk46

Session: 12/11/2024 07:45 to 10:50hrs

Notes: A late Chiffchaff on the 1st net round and a Goldcrest plus more of the same – Blue Tits.

The Chiffchaff is not the latest we have ringed here by two weeks. The next round more Blue Tits plus a Great Tit. All the time Redwings and Fieldfare groups were landing in and around enclosure with none caught. Around 09:45hrs a group of Fieldfare with some Redwing went into the enclosure very low, so we immediately did another round. On approaching we could see two Redwings in one net and a Fieldfare in another. Fortunately, they all remain in the nets, and we were able to ring the Redwings and Fieldfare, the latter only the second ringed at this site over the 15 years we have operate it. At nets down on entering the enclosure we could see four redwings in one of the nets. As we got closer three of the Redwing manage to get out of the net, fortunately one remained for us to ring. The nets we use have mesh that’s a bit fine for thrushes and is why the often escape. We could use larger (thrush) nets but then we would reduce the chance of netting smaller birds like Chiffchaff and Goldcrest, also the tit family etc.

Present: JL,IW.

Weather: overcast, light breeze, cold.

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

Lures audio: (BC-CC-FC-GC), (FF-RE), (YB), (GL-MP-PW) intermittently.

Recaptures: (01)

Blue Tit          pulli ringed: 15/05/2024 box PK08

Sightings: Our fist Golden Plover of the 2nd winter period, a flock of 17 flew high northeast; we usually see our first late September, but they are getting scarce in West Berkshire with numbers much reduced compared to flocks of up to 5000 wintering a few years ago. The better light conditions made the ID ofsmall brown jobs flying over easier. Robins were quiet with just two individuals calling/singing.

10/11 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common 616 Feeder

Session: 10/11/2024 07:45 to 11:30hrs

Notes:. This feeder usually provides a better variety of species than our two other feeders, and so it was today. Also, Blue Tit numbers at the feeder were up nearer the level expected (40%+) as a proportion of the overall capture compared to the last visit here (29/10/2024) when we ringed just 4 of a total of 15 (26%). The Goldcrest responded to the audio playing near the scrub nets.

Present: JL,IW,IQ,CMD,DL.

Weather: overcast, cool, calm.

Nets: 2x 10M scrub nets, 2x6M nets, 1  each side of feeder up from 08:00 to 10:00hrs

Lures (Feeder): Sunflower Hearts, Peanuts.

           (audio): BC-CC-FC-GC

Recaptures:(12)

Blackbird            ringed: 13/10/2024

Blue  Tit              ringed: 24/02/2024, 13/10/2024x2, 27/10/2024

Coal Tit               ringed: 26/02/2023, 27/10/2024

Great Tit             ringed: 29/10/2023x2, 13/10/2024, 27/10/2024x2

Sighting: Mostly from Ian’s list. The pair of Sparrowhawks were quite active. The male did an

unsuccessful  hunting run through the car park scrub and out to the common. Later the female flew

into the Bury’s Bank Road treeline carrying prey that looked to be a finch size passerine. Ravens

were quite active for a while, flying about mostly.

08/11 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk45

Session: 08/11/2024 07:45 to 10:50hrs

Notes: Lots of thrush activity for most of the morning, groups of Redwing, sometimes Fieldfare dropped into the scrub in and around the enclosure unfortunately none were netted. It’s getting towards the end of the season (weeks no. 24 to 45) and this year we tried to do two visits each week (usually Tue or Fri unless weather or holidays intervened). Ringing here becomes much less productive now as winter thrush movement through drops away and summer migrants are long gone. Will probably do a few more visits just to see what if anything is about.

Present: JL,IW.

Weather: overcast, light breeze, cold.

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

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

Recaptures: (00)

Sightings: Apart from winter thrushes and what looked to be disturbance over by the bunkers putting up the Jackdaw flock there was little activity. The Sparrowhawk was being pursued by about 10 finches that we thought might be Siskin, but they were quite high up and in the dull low light it was difficult to get plumage detail, and they didn’t call. Think it’s the first time I’ve been out this winter and felt the cold.