23/08 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure (wk34)

Session: 23/08/2023 07:45 to 11:00hrs

1st year male Firecrest

Notes: My car was not available today so decided to walk in from home carrying only the necessary equipment. To avoid any interference with the equipment while we were in the enclosure, we setup just outside the fence. This may have impeded the capture a little as we were just beneath one of the trees that bird often go to before entering the enclosure scrub. The first bird in the nets was the first Firecrest of the season, a little later than usual. Fewer birds than yesterday and this week so far has shown the expected drop in Garden and Willow Warbler numbers (most will be well on their way to warmer climes) and a steady increase in Chiffchaffs and Blackcap numbers. One or two of the former looked a little different from the "normal" with brighter yellowish and olive plumage and more defined eye stripes; similar to one of the photos in last week no 33 (16/08) blog, and are probably from a different race of the species for elsewhere in GB or even further afield.

Present: JL,IW,KMB,IQ

Weather: mostly sunny with some cloud, calm, warm

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-RW-SW-RB-AW), (RT-DW) intermittently.

Recaptures: (01)

Chiffchaff                 ringed: 07/07/2023 

Sightings: No Red Kites seen, other notable absentees – Blackbird and Robin. A first here for a while, a female Chaffinch in the tree just above the ringing table; might have gone into the enclosure had we been ringing from the usual place. Another unusual species for here was a fairly high southwest flying Collared Dove. Two Dartford Warblers were also in the vicinity but not near enough to the enclosure to register, similarly more Stonechats and possibly more Woodlark. Many of the butterflies were warming up in the sun on some of the less disturbed gravel areas.