26/07 Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure

Session: 26-Jun-2016 06:15 to 10:30hrs

Headlines: I tried for Grasshopper Warbler early as I thought I heard one reeling briefly, no response though. The first bird captured another Reed Warbler, the third here this season. There was a distinct shortage of phylos warblers today; only three captured. Two Willow Warbler recaptures one ringed here in 2013 recaptured 2014 and today. One of the Garden Warblers in body moult (starting?) had moulted its tail before its primaries; the primaries feathers were in very poor condition. Two new Great Tits continues a run of two captures each of the last four sessions; how sad that this is noteworthy. The main capture consisted mostly of Goldfinch, one a long winged (85mm) juvenile; outside the normal range for this species. Fortunately we realised it at the time and re-measured to be sure. The most unexpected species of the morning was a Common Lizard briefly on a walk round during a quiet period.

Weather: Sunny periods, cooler than recent days relatively calm wind gusting later.

Present: JL, RJC, IW

Nets: 48Metres in three rides of 18M, 18M and 12M up from 06:45 to 10:00hrs

Lure (audio): Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Grasshopper Warbler, Redstart, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, , Reed Bunting, Linnet, intermittently.

Capture (New/Recapture) 31 (27/4) Blackcap 5/0, Chiffchaff 1/0, Garden Warbler 4/0, Goldcrest 2/0, Great Tit 2/0, Meadow Pipit 1/0, Reed Warbler 1/0, Robin 1/0, Whitethroat 4/1, Willow Warbler 0/2

Recaptures: 4 all recent except Willow Warbler 3y 38d

Age Range: all juveniles except adult: Blackcap 2, Garden Warbler 1, Whitethroat 2, Willow Warbler 1

Sightings 40 Species: Again not much overflying activity. Will this one be my last Swift of the year! A fly-in Reed Bunting is of note. Fewer Linnets around today but the flock of Goldfinch is still present. I checked out the Fire Plane Gravel Lapwings on the way out. The adult was on station chasing off first a Kestrel and then a Red Kite; think the chick(s) must be out of sight beyond the ridge in the gravel.

Blackbird 2+ Blackcap 8+ Blue Tit 3+ Bullfinch 1+ Buzzard 2+ Carrion Crow 3+ Chiffchaff 2+ Collared Dove 1 Dartford Warbler1+ Goldcrest 2+ Goldfinch 20+ Great Spotted Woodpecker 3+ Great Tit 2+ Green Woodpecker 2+ Greenfinch 3+ House Martin 15+ Jackdaw 15+ Jay 1+ Kestrel 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull 4

Linnet 10+ Long-tailed Tit 5+ Magpie 4+ Meadow Pipit 2+ Mistle Thrush 1+ Red Kite 1 Reed Bunting 1 Reed Warbler 1 Robin 3+ Song Thrush 1+ Stock Dove 3 Stonechat 2+ Swallow 2+ Swift 1 Treecreeper 1+ Whitethroat 8 Willow Warbler 2+ Woodlark 1 Woodpigeon 10+ Wren 3+