05/08 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure 2026 wk32-Wed

Session: 05/08/2026 07:40 to 10:50hrs

Present: IW, JL.

Weather: cloudy, occasional sunny periods, strong breeze, warm early, hot later.

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

Lesser Whitethroat: a juvenile showing disseminated feathering. Disseminated (hair-like) feathers are a characteristic for ageing most species' juveniles in the hand.

Dartford Warbler: a juvenile on which the decemination of the feathers is much more evident.

Notes: Another wind affected session with a trickle of migrants through the heath - see the numbers of last years matching visit in comparison. Nice to ring the 5th Lesser Whitethroat of the year and the 2nd Dartford Warbler.

Recaptures: (0) 

Sightings: It was again quiet on and around the heath today. Small groups of Swallow were flying low south across the heath on migration occasionally for most of the session. House Martins fed high overhead for a while. There was little insect activity. A Grayling (butterfly) was seen on the south side of the enclosure before I arrived.

 

02/08 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR CES Visit 2026.10

Session:     02/08/2026 06:00 to 11:00hrs

Present:      IW, JL, RAD, AB, KMB.

Weather:    bright sunny, light breeze, hot later.

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

Lures:   (none)

Notes: A very quiet session. We had hoped to start picking up a few achrocephalus warblers on passage from further North since there are few local individuals about. Unfortunately so far there is little sign of this. 

CES visit 2026.10 Recaptures: (02)

Dunnock ringed: 05/10/2025.

Wren ringed: 21/06/2026.

Sightings: The highlight of the morning was the immature Marsh Harrier circling over the reed bed.

Just one Swift seen early in the session. Two Magpies spent a while harassing the male

Sparrowhawk. The biggest flock (20+) of Long-tailed Tit I’ve seen this year flew over us. 

Generally, both the scrub and reed bed were quiet.

31/07 Greenham Common

 Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure 2026 wk31-Fri

Session: 31/07/2026 07:40 to 10:50hrs

Present: IW, JL.

Weather: cool early, hot later, bright sunshine, 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.

Firecrest: A “mature” juvenile male - see the photo of the recently fledged individual in the report for the 17/07/2026 in comparison.

Notes: It was meant to be cooler today according to the weather forecast but it soon warmed up. As for many visit recently, there was little movement in, around and over the heath as reflected by only 10 birds being ringed, one more than last year’s matching visit though.

 Recaptures: (0)

Sightings: A probable Lesser Spotted Woodpecker flew south quite high over the heath, but only rear views were obtained, so the identification could not be confirmed. An Adder crossed the path in front of a father, who we heard warning his children; otherwise, we would probably have missed it. Insect activity was limited: there were few butterflies, and one or two dragonflies passed too quickly to identify.

28/07 Greenham Common

 Location: Greenham Common - Western Enclosure wk 2026 wk31-Tue

Session: 248/07/2026 07:40 to 10:50hrs

Present: IW, JL.

Weather: overcast most of session, 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.

Sedge Warbler: A juvenile we ring one or two here most years.

Notes: We expected that the early overcast weather might have brought a few birds down, but it was mostly as expected for the time of year. We have a matching visit for 2025 it being the first session of the season for that year. We finally ringed one of the Dartford Warblers that regularly frequent the area and the Sedge Warbler, out of its normal habitat ,shows that migrants are on the move. 

Recaptures: (0) 

Sightings: Apart from a flock of 42 Jackdaws out from the Bunkers, it was surprisingly quiet.

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.