05/12 Snelsmore Common Feeder CES 3 of 8

Location: Snelsmore Common Feeder CES 3 of 8
Session: 05/12/2021, 07:45 to 11:30hrs
Notes: The third visit of the winter CES shows a concerning drop in capture numbers of Coal Tit and Great Tit when compared to the one and only equivalent visit made in winter 2020/21. A Blue Tit that travelled across Newbury from Greenham Common is interesting.
Present: JL,IW,JHW,IQ
Weather: Overcast , breezy, cold
Nets: 312metres 2 rides of 6M nets one each side of feeder up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs
Lures: Feeder:  Fat Balls, Niger, Black Sunflowers, Peanut

Recaptures:(34)
Blue Tit ringed: 25/11/2018, 10/11/2019, 08/12/2019, 02/02/2020, 06/12/2020x2,

                      13/10/2021 (Western Enclosure),  24/10/2021x8, 07/11/2021x3,   21/11/2021x3,                                     23/11/2021(Bagnor FDR)

             pulli ringed 22/05/2018 box WH28, 29/05/2021 box CP28,
                               02/06/2021 box B08 (Mount Hill)
Great Tit ringed 06/12/2020, 24/10/2021x2, 21/11/2021x3,
               Pulli ringed 05/05/2019 box CP28, 27/05/2021 box WH21, 29/05/2021 box CP21 

Sightings: Ian’s list, probably missed a few species but it was very quiet, “other” species-wise

28/11 Greenham Common Estovers Feeder

Location: Greenham Estovers Feeder

Session: 28/11/2021, 07:45 to 11:30hrs

Notes: It was cold when we started, warmer in the sun. Two new species for MEK: Nuthatch

and Magpie, the latter noisy and several hands needed to control it when it was ringed.

Captured more re-traps than expected here on a first session for over a year. No sign of any

finches at the feeder yet. The strong winds yesterday broke one of the “new” squirrel baffles.

Present: JL,IW,MEK,JHW

Weather: bright, sunny cold, calm, light breeze later

Nets: 36metres, 2 rides of 6M nets one each side of feeder and 2 rides of 12m nets in adjacent scrub, up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs

Lures: Feeder:  Niger, Black Sunflowers, Peanut

Recaptures:(08)

Blue Tit           ringed 12/01/2018 (Bowdown Feeder), 21/10/2018, 06/02/2020x2,

                                  21/07/2020, 05/11/2021 (last two ringed at Western Enclosure)

Great Tit         ringed 03/11/2019

Nuthatch        ringed 03/11/2019

Sightings: Ian’s list, there are a few finches about but none came  to the feeder while we

were there. Surprisingly no Redwings. The Great Black-backed Gull is a scarce sighting,

probably a cold weather wonderer.

24/11 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common Western Enclosure Week 47
Session:24/11/2021, 07:40 to 10:45hrs
Notes:  Doing random visits to the enclosure mostly when weather looks good for ringing, as it did this morning. We captured a Redwing when a small flock went into the enclosure, but it got out as I approached it. The Song Thrush was in the net on the same round, and we think was part of the Redwing flock; might have been of continental origin. Three Chiffchaffs are unexpected this time of year, we have ringed singles to week 48 though. One had a quite well marked supercilium, black legs etc but wasn’t grey enough to be abietinus or tristis; the other two were standard collybita type. The around 50 flock of small finches was over in the trees by Sandleford Heath again. Too far away to be sure of ID but we think the flock makeup is of Lesser Redpoll, Siskin and Goldfinch. Some broke away including seven redpoll, two of which dropped down into the enclosure and in the nets.

1st Winter Male Lesser Redpoll

Present: JL,IW
Weather: overcast, cool, calm early, colder and very light breeze late in the session
Nets: 48metres in 3 rides of 18M, 18M, 12M up from 08:00 to 10:30hrs
Lures Audio:  BC-CC-FC-GC, Yellow-browed Warbler, BR-LR-SK, FF-RE

Sightings: Very little Woodpigeon activity. Dartford Warblers quite vocal early. The 24 Gadwall came over high from the south.

23/11 Bagnor Feeder CES 2 of 8

Location: Bagnor Feeder Winter CES 2 of 8
Session: 23/11/2021, 07:45 to 11:30hrs
Notes: It was cold and dank for most of the session. We had two captures of 20 and 26 and unusually they were both towards the end of the session. A re-trap Goldfinch from Feb 2020, one of the last sessions done before the covid lockdown and a good number of Long-tailed Tits, all new ringing's. Looks like Blue Tits have had a good breeding season, can’t recall so many coming to the feeders, but Great Tit numbers down we think.
Present: JL,IW
Weather: bright early, overcast, and murky later, cold, calm.
Nets: 12metres in 2 rides of 6M nets one each side of feeder, up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs
Lures: Feeder:  Peanut, Black Sunflowers, Niger, Fat Balls

Recaptures:(22)
Blue Tit            ringed 21/01/2020, 09/11/2021x21
                         ringed Pulli 18/05/2021 box D11 (Mount Hill) x2, 02/06/2021 box A02 (Mount Hill)
                                               02/06/2021 box B02 (Mount Hill)
Great Tit          ringed 17/03/2020, 09/11/2021x3
Goldfinch        ringed 18/02/2020

Sightings: We were busy ringing so probably missed a few species. Looks like winter thrushes have started arriving in the Winterbourne valley, a bit later than usual.

21/11 Snelsmore Common Feeder

Location: Snelsmore Feeder Winter CES 2 of 8
Session: 21/11/2021, 07:30 to 11:30hrs
Notes: The first session this winter when it was uncomfortably cold. First three net rounds had captures in double figures, then the birds coming to the feeder slowed. Notable are five-year-old Coal and Great Tits and one of the Blue Tit pulli captured was from a mixed Blue and Great Tit brood.
Present: JL,IW,DL,JHW
Weather: sunny bright, cold, breezy.
Nets: 12metres in two 6M nets, one each side of feeder, up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs

Lures: Feeder: Fat Balls, Niger, Black Sunflowers, Peanuts

Recaptures:(33)
Blue Tit        ringed 09/12/2018, 08/12/2019, 02/02/2020, 24/10/2021x7, 07/11/2021
                    ringed Pulli 25/05/2021 box CP25, 31/05/2021 box CP03,
                                         31/05/2021 box CP04, 02/06/2021 box B02 (Mount Hill)
                                         04/06/2021 box CP15
Coal Tit        ringed 05/02/2017, 11/11/2018, 07/11/2021x2, 24/10/2021, 07/11/2021x3
Great Tit      ringed 24/12/2017,  08/03/2020, 06/12/2020
                    ringed pulli 17/05/2019 box CP17, 22/05/2021 box WH14 (Winterbourne Holt)
                                       27/05/2021 box WH22 (Winterbourne Holt)
Marsh Tit    ringed 07/11/2021x2

Sightings: Ian’s list. A Raven landed, in the conifer trees to the north. Redwings were feeding in the ivy near where we were processing the birds.