22/10 Greenham Common

Location: Greenham Common-616 Feeder.
Session: 22/10/2023  07:30 to 11:30hrs
Notes: The first winter feeder session required some gardening, before we set the nets, including trimming re-growing ground cover that had been cleared a few weeks ago. We also cut back the foliage closing in the three rides out in the scrub. The feeder has been up since the 5th Oct, a bit later than usual. This feeder seems to be attracting a few birds unlike the Snelsmore Feeder that is pulling in very few birds. This latter feeder has been up since July and was very busy until early September when the birds stopped coming; possibly a feeder in someone’s nearby garden has a better offer! Today we ringed mostly Blue Tits. It will be interesting to see what develops over the winter, but it seems to me that Great Tits and maybe Coal Tits had a relatively poor breeding outcome this year.
Present: IW,JHW,JL,IQ.
Weather: Bright, sunny, clear, calm, cool.
Nets: 12M of net, 6M each side of the feeders up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs
Lures: Feeders with Black Sunflower, Niger, Peanuts

Recaptures:(02)
Great Tit               ringed: 12/02/2023x2

Sighting: We were limited to a species count for this visit as we were busy cutting rides for some of the session. A rare sighting (for me this year) of a female Pheasant at the feeder, some Redwing flying about, two or three Skylark heading west, Pied Wagtail, Bullfinch, a single calling Chaffinch, calling overflying Siskin with late flying Red Admirals and a single Large White are notable.