25/07 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR CES Visit 2026.09

Session: 25/07/2026 06:00 to 11:00hrs

Present: IW, JL, RAD, CMD, IQ.

Weather: sunny clear, calm, hot.

Nets: 192M net along the reed bed ride (net lengths 1A & 2A) + a 12M ride in scrub (site B) up from 06:30 to 10:30hrs.

Lures: (none)

Whitethroat Juvenile, probably on passage - once often encountered, now a bit scarce on and around the reed bed.

Notes: A disappointing capture for the time of year. The primary reed bed species Reed Warbler numbers are down. A check on the Reed Warbler total for CES Visit 09 shows the following (Starting 2005 the easiest years in the data to access back to).

 It shows that over the last 20+ years there is a steady drop in numbers. There are other single figure counts that appear to be one offs – hopefully 2026 is one of these. Also it seems there are fewer birds of any species venturing out on to the reed bed this year. It is noticable that fewer aphids are visable; these previous years encrusted the phagmitres tops; though I can’t remember the last time I saw this. Also I can’t remember the last time I was pestered by midges and the like, no longer is there the need to apply repelants, once an essential this time of year.

FG = age indeterminate

CES visit 2026.09 Recaptures: (05)

Blue Tit ringed: 24/06/2025.

Dunnock ringed: 06/04/2025, 21/06/2026.

Reed Warbler ringed: 18/05/2025

Sedge Warbler ringed: 12/07/2026.

Sightings: A quite large flock of Canada Geese flew west early. Still one or two Swifts about. Water

Rail chicks calling from the reed bed. Little Grebe appear to be nesting again. A Cattle Egret flew over

east and the Kestrel from the south is still visiting the tip mound but less frequently. The only phylos

warbler was a Chiffchaff that called briefly. Fewer Butterflies around this session.

24/07 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk 2026 wk30-Fri

Session: 24/07/2026 07:40 to 10:50hrs

Present: IW, JL.

Weather: overcast early, sunny later, hot, light breeze.

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

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

Willow Warbler: Today’s  juvenile only the second of this species ringed so far this season.

Notes: 17 birds on the first round after nets up. Lots of juvenile Blue Tits again today, otherwise much as expected.

Recaptures: (0)

Sightings: The Hobby flew west when we were putting the nets up. The female Sparrowhawk was soaring over the tree line to the west. Just one Dartford around for a while. Fewer Jackdaws flying out from the bunkers and the Mallards flew along the tree margins probably heading to Lower Farm GP. The Grey Wagtail over SW and is the first here for a while. Little insect activity as it was overcast for much of the session.

 

21/07 Greenham Common

 Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk 2026 wk30-Tue

Session: 21/07/2026 07:40 to 10:50hrs

Present: IW, JL, KMB.

Weather: clear sunny, hot light breeze.

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

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

Silver-washed Fritillary: we saw two of these here a couple of weeks ago.

This image taken at Boxford Common on the 16/07/2026.

Notes: an enjoyable morning that went very quickly, 35 birds is the best session total here so far this year, and included what probably constitutes a post breeding flock of Blue Tit these days. No Willow Warblers again, the average capture per session for week 30 is 6, so far this year we have ringed just 1; no Chiffchaff either, only one calling from the edge of the woodland to the north. The Dunnock was the only adult encountered and was in full wing moult. 5 of the 12 primary wing feathers were old the rest were in various stages of growing from pin to 75% long.

Recaptures: (01)

Dunnock ringed: 17/11/2023

Sightings: Not many species recorded, we were busy ringing sometimes so probably missed a species or two not that there was much activity around us. Mistle Thrush are scare this summer, this individual is the first I’ve seen since late May. Usually there are family parties over and around at this time. Also unusual at this end of the common is Chaffinch. My perception is that they have not bred here for the last two or three years.

17/07 Greenham common

Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk 2026 wk29-Fri

Session: 17/07/2026 07:40 to 10:30hrs

Present: IW, JL.

Weather: clear sunny, hot, calm, light breeze later.

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

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

Firecrest: a juvenile – eye strip just becoming visible.

Notes: Another session that included a good variety of species. Reed Warblers are unusual here but not unknown and a definite sign that migration is underway.

Recaptures: (0)

Sightings: Some of the Swallows were buzzing the female Sparrowhawk quite high up. Dartford Warbler quite active singing and calling for a while. Apart from Gatekeepers not much butterfly activity. The only dragonfly species seen was to fast through to ID, except that it was a medium size individual. 

14/07 Greenham Common

 Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk 2026 wk29-Tue

Session: 14/07/2026 07:40 to 10:30hrs

Present: IW, JL.

Weather: overcast, warm, blustery breeze.

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

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

Whinchat: a juvenile female, although the primary wing and tail feathers were very worn and battered when they should have been fresh. Aged on disseminated feather structure generally, the breast was devoid of feathers and the skin very fresh with no sign of a “healing” brood patch, also sparse feather growth to the underside of wing at the “elbow”

Notes: There was a blustery wind for much of the session and some birds bounced out of the nets including a Dartford Warbler. Think we would have ringed a few more birds otherwise. The Whinchat was the first ever for me and the fourth bird ringed by the group since its inception in 1967; one ringed in 2005 at Crookham Common(JPM) two ringed at Thatcham Marsh - one in the late 1960s and another there in 2007(IW).  Willow Warbler and to lesser extent Chiffchaff numbers are very low compared to previous years. Numbers of the former should be increasing and usually peak in couple of weeks’ time before tailing off to the last few stragglers mid-August. This year we have only ringed one Willow Warbler so far and have not detected any at this end of the common since week 25 when the only individuals was ringed.

Recaptures: (1)

Blue Tit ringed: 25/06/2024

Sightings: There seemed to be a movement of feeding Swifts over quite high, so we probably missed some, they were flying into the wind (North) which seems counterintuitive since they should be migrating south. The Cormorants were heading towards Lower Farm after feeding somewhere south of here. Also of note as I left the common were two Rooks on the grassland near the Control Tower – a scarce species in my perception in recent years; I know of only one Rookery near Newbury this year. About 150+ Starlings were also there.