09/08 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure (wk32)
Session: 09/08/2023 07:45 to 11:00hrs

Willow Warbler: most were very yellow on their underside typical of juveniles, one had a white central area on the lower breast, indicating it to be adult birds, backed up by other criteria, almost certainly a male with a wing length of 70mm.

Notes: Rained off yesterday just as I was about to leave, how different today is more like it should be this time of year. We had a good session with 36 of eight species processed. Willow Warbler were moving through the heath, week 32 is when their numbers usually peak. Garden Warbler still going through their peak is week 30 and numbers usually tail off now towards the end of the month with one or two stragglers into early September.  

Present: JL,IW,RAD,IQ
Weather: bright sunny, warm, calm
Nets: 48metres 3 Rides, 18M, 18M and 12M up from 08:00 to 10:30hrs
Lures: (BC-CC-WW-GW-WH-LW-GC-FC), (W-WC-SF-RZ-TP), GH, RT intermittently.

Recaptures: (02)

Blue Tit                     ringed: 25/07/2023

Garden Warbler        ringed: 11/07/2023 

Sightings: A group of swifts flying about and drifting southwest early morning and later some Swallows went through and a group of House Martin fed over the trees for a while. Two high flying female (based on size) Sparrowhawks circled and sparred, one a little smaller than the other, maybe an adult and offspring but too high to be sure. The large flock of Jackdaw flew high over heading west-northwest. Several Brown Hawkers about in the warm sun, many were on the wing over the heathland as I came off the common. A notable lack of finches though.