20/09 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure
Session: 20-Sep-2017 07:30 to 11;00hrs
Headlines: After yesterday had good expectations for today. On arrival there was less bird activity though. Chiffchaffs were on the move and dominated the capture. Didn’t feel so tired today so stayed longer and managed to get a few more birds than I would have done. It got quite breezy so many birds bounced out of the billowing nets later in the session. I will give it a rest tomorrow as it is forecast to be much windier.
Weather: A bit breezier than yesterday, and more overcast, less sunny breaks
Present: JL, IW,RJC
Nets: 48metres in three rides of 18M, 18M, 12M up from 07:45 to 11:00hrs
Lure (audio): Blackcap Chiffchaff Goldcrest Firecrest Yellow-browed Warbler Willow Warbler Redstart intermittently.
Capture (New/Recapture)

24(23/01)	No matching 2016 visit (I was in Spain).
Species New Rtp Juv Adult BLACA 8 8 BLUTI 1 1 CHIFF 12 1 13 GOLDC 2 2

Recaptures: 1 A Chiffchaff ringed 35 days ago (16-Aug) wonder where it has been until today?

Sightings 25 Species: Swallows on the move all through the morning and on a broad front. A scan east over the heath shown them to be skimming over the gorse and grassland heading in a southerly direction. Occasionally a group of House Martins drifted over at a more leisurely pace, heading in the same direction. A few more Greenfinch had joined the Goldfinch flock today and Meadow Pipit numbers are beginning to build. Surprisingly it was late morning before we detected any Magpie whereas Jays were having a noisy morning one or two flying high as they do this time of year. Some speculate that they are birds from the continent or further north in the move south for the winter. I think they are possibly youngsters that have been forced out by parents or more likely just moving about in search of the acorns. It would have been nice to capture the late Willow Warbler unfortunately it bounce out of the net before we could get to it. The Pied Wagtails were seen on the way off the common.