Broadwater GP - 24th September 2021

 A productive session totalling 71 birds! That was a bit of a surprise but was managed by playing for Blue Tit, since the warbler calls didn't seem to be very successful. The Blue Tits responded, bringing other birds with them. It was a tussle between Blue Tit and Chiffchaff for leading species, and eventually it was Chiffchaff that won out.

Age 3 Chiffchaff showing 4 OGCs

3M Goldcrest

The evidence of outside interest and rumours concerning the site continues. Some trees close to the lake and marked with crosses are apparently due to be removed and a bird watching screen put in, meanwhile the boxes and tiles, presumably for monitoring wildlife are still on site, and this morning we also spotted a bat detector for recording calls.

There are also rumours that HS2 has bought the entire lake. We've also noticed that surrounding footpaths have been closed for access with security guards posted on many of them.

Not one but two pile drivers operating today. The first of these started just after 8am. The people that live near here must be so fed up with the disturbance.

Totals:  65 (6)

Robin - 1
Blackbird - 1
Blackcap - 10
Chiffchaff - 27 (1)
Goldcrest - 2 (2)
Long-tailed Tit - 1
Blue Tit - 22 (2)
Great Tit - 1 (1)

Stanwell GP - 22nd September 2021

We departed from the usual arrangement of nets to use, instead, a V formation in the field for Meadow Pipits. We didn't cover the cut through between the hedgerow that tracks across the site and just kept a single on the bank, and two doubles down between the river and lake. There was limited success with the Meadow Pipits and as at our other locations, Chiffchaff numbers were peaking. There were also singles of Reed Warbler and Cetti's Warbler.

The pre-ringed Chiffchaff NRC627 was almost a lost record as the number was checked twice before the R was correctly recognised since it was originally taken as a P. We look forward to finding out where it's from although it probably hasn't travelled far. Not yet in DEMON, but the ring string has been input up to 20 or so before at the end of August. 

Totals: 40 (1)

Meadow Pipit - 8
Dunnock - 1
Cetti's Warbler - 1
Reed Warbler - 1
Blackcap - 3
Chiffchaff - 18 (1)
Long-tailed Tit - 4
Blue Tit - 1

Broadwater GP - 19th September 2021

We spent the morning at Broadwater with five nets up and rain due late morning. The audio-lures for Blackcap and Chiffchaff were not very successful so Chris took the bold step to play Blue Tit. A flock was attracted and some phylloscs came in with the tits.

There were singles of Blackcap and Willow Warbler.

We were all packed up before the rain, but had car trouble on the way home, meaning that the next couple of days when we intended to ring would be spent with the car at the garage.

Willow Warbler - only one captured today, 

so possibly the last of the year.

Total: 26 (6)

Dunnock - 0 (1)

Blackcap - 1
Chiffchaff - 13 (2)
Willow Warbler - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 1 
Blue Tit - 6 (3)
Great Tit - 4

Wraysbury GP - 17th September 2021

We went along to Wraysbury without any great expectation as we knew that Whitethroats, Garden Warbler and Blackcap would be dropping in numbers or gone all together. There were no Whitethroats or Garden Warbler and only 6 Blackcaps in total. Other than increased numbers of Chiffchaffs being on site, the only birds caught were a couple of Goldcrest, a Magpie and the usual residents species.

Our last Chiff-chaff

Flights are increasing as travelling is possible to more locations

 (although testing and entry to the country are still onerous)

Totals: 40 (6)

Robin - 1 (1)
Dunnock - 2 (2)
Song Thrush - 1
Blackcap - 5 (1)
Chiffchaff - 15 (1)
Goldcrest - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 6
Blue Tit - 6
Great Tit - 1 (1)

Stanwell GP - 16th September 2021

 There was a real sense of the site quietening down with fewer migrants, and no obvious groups of birds other than the Meadow Pipits and a few Swallows. The Blackcaps that were about seemed to disappear after about 08:30am and no Whitethroats were seen other than a single bird that responded to the audio-lure.

Juvenile Meadow Pipit

3F Reed Bunting

Total: 36 (2)

Meadow Pipit - 12
Robin - 0 (2)
Dunnock - 5
Whitethroat - 1
Blackcap - 8
Chiffchaff - 8
Blue Tit - 1
Reed Bunting - 1

Broadwater GP - 9th September 2021

 On the 9th of September we worked our least wind affected site and got a session in before the clouds opened. We saw that the Blackcap numbers seemed to be rallying a little, with Chiffchaff numbers on the wane and only three Willow Warblers.

Least expected was a Lesser Whitethroat that appeared in the net just before we closed ahead of the rain. Thanks to MRB & Margaret for a very pleasant morning followed by a lovely lunch.

Lesser Whitethroat

Goldcrest

Total: 46 (5)

Wren - 1 
Dunnock - 0 (1)

Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Blackcap - 20
Chiffchaff - 14 (1)
Willow Warbler - 3
Goldcrest - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 0 (1)
Blue Tit - 5 (2)

Wraysbury GP - 7th September 2021

 We arrived before 6am and noted that this was the first morning in a long while that we still had car headlights on at this time of the morning. The days are definitely shortening now, even if we have just entered a last minute heatwave as the summer draws to a close.

We got 6 nets up and hoped that the numbers would not be dipping too much now that the Garden Warblers and Whitethroats are all but gone. We took a decent first round, then captures dried to a trickle. Blackcaps were still the leading species with some recaptures of interest, and Goldfinch placing second with just 9 birds.

4M AHE4788, one of two retraps was ringed 21/07/2019 as a 3J. 

The asymmetrical occurrence of white feathers in the primary coverts

was particularly interesting.

3M Goldcrest

3M Blackcap Z763511 caused some consternation as we were using Z rings about 4 years ago but this bird most definitely presented as a first year bird. On checking DeMon all was well as the bird was not our own and ringed in June earlier this year, apparently by someone finishing up old ring strings.

Totals: 36 (5)

Robin - 2 (1)
Dunnock - 1
Song Thrush - 2
Whitethroat - 0 (1)
Blackcap - 24 (2)
Chiffchaff - 4
Goldcrest - 1
Blue Tit - 3
Great Tit - 1
Goldfinch -8 (1)

Stanwell Moor GP - 6th September 2021

 Set up with two singles, a double and a run of three. There was an early hit as birds came out of roost, then after that, catching slowed to a trickle. There was a good number of Blackcaps and Chiffchaff, with a smattering of other species. The best was probably our first Meadow Pipit of the season that appeared in a net where we were attempting to lure Chiffs. There were only two Whitethroat, one being a retrap of a bird ringed on 20th August. We attracted some 40 hirundine in a mixed flock but all evaded the net.

Meadow pipit adult completing main moult 5555555441

Totals: 60 (3)

Meadow Pipit - 1
Wren - 2
Robin - 2 (1)
Song Thrush - 1
Whitethroat - 1 (1)
Blackcap - 25
Chiffchaff - 21 (1)
Blue Tit - 5
Goldfinch - 1

Broadwater GP - 2nd September 2021

 At last, after months and months, we ran a normal session with CL, DKL, MRB and Margaret. As always, we worked outside, but with a shared base, nets, rings and birds. Despite the weather feeling more like October and the windy conditions we were able to erect 5 nets that brought us a catch of 75 birds.

We're noticing that many of the birds processed are retraps, including quite a few Chiffchaff.

Totals: 56 (19)

Robin - 1
Song Thrush - 2 

Cetti's Warbler - 1 (1)

Reed Warbler - 1
Blackcap - 11 (2)
Garden Warbler - 2
Chiffchaff - 11 (9)
Willow Warbler - 5
Long-tailed Tit - 6

Blue Tit - 11 (6)
Great Tit - 5 (1)

Treecreeper - 2

Broadwater GP - 31st August 2021

 A very breezy day with Broadwater the only site where ringing was possible, albeit some nets really were a bit on the blowy side. We limited the nets to the main run of a double plus single, and the bailey bridge.

There was a hit of a reasonably sized flock (encouraged by playing Blue Tit lures) so tits accompanied the phylloscopus warblers for which this site is especially good. 

Juvenile Willow Warbler

Totals: 74 (11)

Wren - 1 (1)
Robin - 3 
Blackbird - 2 (2)

Reed Warbler - 2
Blackcap - 16 
Garden Warbler - 2
Chiffchaff - 16 (3)
Willow Warbler - 10
Blue Tit - 15 (4)
Great Tit - 5 (1)

Treecreeper - 2