18/09 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure 2026 wk38-Fri.

Session: 18/09/2026 07:40 to 10:55hrs.

Present: IW, JHW, JL.

Weather: cloudy with sunny periods light breeze sometimes stronger, cool.

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

Lures audio: (BC-CC-FC-GC-GW-WH-LW-WO),(W-WC-RT-SF-TP-YW),(GH),(YB),(RT), intermittently. 

Stonechat – juvenile - two white inner greater coverts indicates it to be a male (JHW).

Notes: Nice to ring a Stonechat, like Dartford Warblers they are often in and around the nets, but they only occasionally go in them and we don’t lure them as they rarely react to their calls etc. Both of the Robins ringed (unusually for the time of year adults) had what looked like fungal skin infections in addition one showed signs of feather degradation. Otherwise, a typical mid-September session here dominated by migrating Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.

Recaptures: (0)

Sightings: Just a few groups of Swallows through today also late in the session a small gathering of House Martin quite high up. Three high flying Jays descended into the woodland to the north, probably looking for acorns which I think are scarce this year due to hot dry summer. Quite a lot of Stonechat activity – chasing each other etc, think the adults might have been kicking the youngsters out. Yesterday there were quite few Autumn Lady’s-tresses at the Crookham end of the common, but we only noticed one plant around the enclosure today – all of those seen do not look as big or vigorous as in normal years.

15/09 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure 2026 wk38-Tue.

Session: 15/09/2026 07:40 to 10:25hrs.

Present: IW, JL, JHW.

Weather: Overcast, light breeze, cool, rained at 10:00hrs.

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

Lures audio: (BC-CC-FC-GC-GW-WH-LW-WO),(W-WC-RT-SF-TP-YW),(GH),(YB),(RT), intermittently. 

Today’s Lesser Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff (reluctant to leave)

Notes: First ringing session after week away. As expected for mid-Sep mostly Blackcap and Chiffchaff on the move today with a late-ish Lesser Whitethroat. Otherwise, a few Blue and Great Tits moving about the common also a Goldcrest and Goldfinch – the former’s numbers should begin to increase as birds from northern UK and Europe return to winter here. As forecast light rain began at around 10:00hrs so nets down early.

Recaptures: (2)

Great Tit: ringed: 14/06/2026. 21/08/2026.

Sightings: A big movement of Swallows mostly going south for much of the morning – probably missed a few when ringing etc also many still going through as I drove back to exit the common by the control tower. We don’t often detect Meadow Pipits this end of the common in recent years. Also Stonechats and Dartford Warblers spent much of the morning in the gorse scrub around the enclosure.

03/09 Greenham Common - Willow Warbler

 

This Willow Warbler re-trapped on Tuesday 1st Sep 2026 ( a first summer bird) at the Western Enclosure, Greenham Common, had been ringed at the Loch of Leys near Banchory, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on the 22nd Aug 2026, 10days between encounters, 638km direct distance, on it's way to wintering ground in West Africa.

01/09 Greenham Common

 Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure 2026 wk36-Tue.

Session: 01/09/2026 07:40 to 10:50hrs.

Present: IW, JHW, JL.

Weather: Overcast early clearing to sunny periods, calm early light breeze later, warm.

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

Lures audio: (BC-CC-FC-GC-GW-WH-LW-WO),(W-WC-RT-SF-TP-YW),(GH),(YB),(RT), intermittently.

One each of today’s Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs

Notes: A few more Willow Warblers about than expected, numbers usually drop steeply to the last stragglers week 39. It included a Willow Warbler ringed elsewhere – details of where are awaited. Blue Tit numbers continue to surprise, 77 so far here this year. Still no sign of a hoped for Redstart - there have been two or three reported passing through the common over the  last few days, I saw two yesterday at the Crookham end of the common.

Recaptures: (2)

Great Tit: ringed: 19/06/2026.

Willow Warbler ringed: 22/08/2026 (not by NRG).

Sightings: A lone Greylag Goose over early, two Swallows and a small flock of House Martin drifted over, otherwise much as expected. Rabbits and Grey Squirrels although still common here have become quite secretive probably due to the increasing frequency of encounters with humans and dogs.

30/08 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR CES Visit 2026.12

Session:   30/08/2026 06:00 to 11:00hrs

Present:   IW, JL, RAD, JHW, IQ.

Weather: Overcast early clearing to sunny, returning to low cloud at end of session.

Nets: 192M net along the reed bed ride (net lengths 1A & 2A) up from 06:30 to 10:30hrs.

Lures:   (none)

Grasshopper Warbler – fledge this year.

Notes: The Grasshopper Warbler was an unexpected find in the net. We last had one here in 2023 and before that 2017. Willow Warber here is also unusal this decade. We regularly ringed a few (latterly on passage only) each year in diminishing numbers until 2016, after their occurance on this site spring and autumn has become sparadic; the last ringed here before today being a single in 2022. Mostly the changing habitat from low and scattered scrub in the dryer areas to mature trees and woodland is a major factor. Comparison with 2025 matching visit 12 in the table below highlights the lack of juvenile Reed Warblers, an indication of a poor breeding outcome. As can be seen in the following chart it is not the  lowest juvenile total though 2007 was also a poor year. 

Note we started the Constant Effort Site regime in 1993 and except for the 2020 covid year we have carried out all 12 of the required visits and the chart below indicates reed warblers encountered on those visits only.

CES visit 2026.12 Recaptures: (04)

Cetti’s warbler ringed: 12/07/2025, 21/06/2026.

Wren ringed: 25/07/2026, 22/08/2026. 

Sightings: A passage Spotted Flycatcher was the highlight of the morning with the Grasshopper Warbler and Willow Warbler all on passage. Heard a Water Rail calling near the reed bed ride; we have not detected them on the last one or two visits.