Location:
Greenham Common Estovers Feeder
Session: 26/10/2025 07:30 to 11:45.hrs
Present: JL,JHW,IW,KMB.
Weather: bright sunny early - clouding over late
in session, light breeze - stronger later, cold.
Nets: 18+18M feeder nets,18+18+18M scrub nets
up from 08:00 to 11:00hrs.
Lures (audio): (BC-CC-FC-GC),(FF-RE),(SK-LR) intermittently.
(Feeder): niger feeder, sunflower hearts, peanuts.
Notes: We started operations of our winter feeders today. Until
this winter we have operated three winter feeders, at Bagnor Cress Beds, Snelsmore
Common-Carpark and Greenham Common-Estovers. We recently made the very
difficult decision to stop the Bagnor Feeder after 40 years of continuous operation
(Started Winter 1985/86). It’s all part of the involuntary slowing down that
comes with advancing years.
We
were very busy today at the Estovers Feeder and spent the whole 4+ hour period
extracting and processing the birds without a pause. At the end of the session,
we had a welcome interlude – a quick coffee courtesy of Jon’s coffee machine.
It
is interesting to compare this visit with last year’s matching visit in that
the difference appears to be the number of Blue Tits 44 as against the 4 of
last winter’s matching visit. This perhaps indicates that Blue Tit survival
post fledging has been good this summer; 41 of the 44 were this years 1st
winter birds. Also, it seems that there are more Goldfinch coming to this
feeder and a few Greenfinch, and we are hopeful that we might get
more finches coming as in pre 2019/20 winters. It will be interesting to
see how we do at the Snelsmore feeder where lately the food uptake has noticeably
dropped and there are very few birds queuing to come in when the feeders are replenished.
Recaptures: (00)
Sightings: The first large-ish Woodpigeon
flock we have seen so far this winter flew west. Nice to
see the Kestrel is
still present here. Is the Blackcap a late summering bird or an incoming winter
migrant I wonder! Good to see good numbers of finches at and around the feeder.
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