Bird Feeding Station
to Commemorate David Malins
The photo above by Ruth Budd shows the completed Feeding Station on 31st July 2022
We were sad to learn of the death of David Malins in November 2021. He had been a stalwart of the committee from the start in 2007. He had designed and produced all our posters and the notice boards in the wood and also wrote many project plans and proposals for us to action – including the ‘muddy paths project’ and the ill-fated request to the council for a new pond or renovation of the pool in Linden Glade (including a reliable water supply). He was also our ‘seats and benches manager’ logging locations of all those in the wood and keeping track of the ones that needed repair or replacement. FSW will do our best to keep up his standards and continue with his work.
Above all, however, as well as his love of the pool at Linden Glade, he was a badger and bird lover. We have therefore decided, with his family’s approval, to use the initial donations made to FSW by his mourners to set up ‘David’s memorial feeding station’ beside the Jubilee Pond in the wood. We will replenish the feeders regularly and hope the birds will visit them (especially those who benefitted from all the feeders in his garden adjacent to the wood) and give pleasure to all who pass by. We hope to add an information board in due course, as funds allow, to help you identify what you see. Do please send us any photos you take via our FB page or email selsdonwood@gmail.com.
In early December 2021 we purchased a number of feeders, chosen for being squirrel-proof, and a set of poles for mounting. A large bin, containing a mixture of corn and seeds, was bequeathed from David's garden. Many more donations of nuts and seeds have been made since.
On the workday of January 2nd 2022 a team set up the feeders, stocked with fat balls, nuts and seeds, and cleared a few hazels that were blocking the view and shading the pool.
Steve Budd was out with his camera on January 3rd and filmed this two and a half minute video of one station already receiving busy traffic only a day after it went 'live'. There is lots of back and forth from Great Tits, Blue Tits and Coal Tits, which encouraged Chaffinches to come in and investigate. These shy birds will take a little longer to join the others and should be joined by many other species as the year unfolds.
Many thanks to Steve & Ruth Budd, Chris Green, Scott McCulloch and John Zareba who keep the feeders continuously replenished.
If you would like to contribute to the cost of bird food for the feeding station please send your donation either by direct payment to the FSW bank account Account No. 80883832, Sort Code 20-24-61 (with the reference "Bird Feeding Station") or by cheque or cash to
FSW Treasurer, Karen Hall, 5, Goldfinch Road, South Croydon, CR2 8SR.
Alternatively you could donate via our JustGiving page at
25 species have been photographed at the station to date - all photos are in galleries at the bottom of this page.
9 species of bird photographed on the feeders:
Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit, Robin (adult & juvenile), Nuthatch, Parakeet, Greater Spotted Woodpecker.
14 other bird species photographed or seen by the Feeding Station and pool:
Blackcap (m & f), Brambling, Chaffinch (m & f), Chiffchaff, Crow, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Jay, Magpie, Pheasant (seen but not photographed), Song Thrush, Treecreeper, Wren
One mammal species scavenging below the feeders: Squirrel
and another mammal flying around the area: Brown Long-eared Bat
Diary entries are below in reverse chronological order.
Developments in 2023
27/8/23 - Robin nest box donated by and fitted by the Budds on tree behind the feeding station.
On the picture to the right (taken 31/8/23) the box front has been made much less visible with non-toxic paint.
Also spotted on 6th March, this frogspawn amongst the weed in the Jubilee Pond. (photo right by Ruth Budd).
On Sunday 26th February 2023, during the course of a regular work session, the team put up 2 bird boxes in the feeding station close to the pool (photo left by Cathy Logan).
Only a week later, on 6th March, this Blue Tit was spotted checking out one of the boxes (photo above by Ruth Budd).
22/11/22 - Marsh Tit seen for the first time on the Feeding Station
photo from Ruth Budd
21/7/22 - Juvenile Song Thrush drinking from the Jubilee pool.
photo from Ruth Budd
12/6/22 - On this Sunday Work Session Neale, Karen and Jim installed the lectern bearing the David Malins Memorial Plaque by the Bird Feeing Station. photos from Jim Dunning & Heather Govier
9/6/22 - The four scenes of crime photos below are self explanatory. It's the dome on the left that is the problem, too high up the pole and covered in faecal droppings affording secure grip for the claws. With the tail used in prehensile fashion it's too easy for the squirrels. The fifth photo is much better behaviour, just slaking thirst. photos from Tony Flecchia
7/6/22 - Neale Fox and Jim Dunning set up a hose with sprinkler to top up the Jubilee Pond. The hose was left running throughout the day and turned off in the evening. See before and after photos below.
23/3/22 - Blue Tit Bath Time snapped by Tony Flecchia
7/3/22 - In the first week of March David Brown cleared out much of the duckweed from the pond and trimmed back the irises. It is looking much smarter now - see before and after photos below.
16/1/22 - The baffle to stop the squirrels on one of the poles was originally a transparent plastic which caught the light and could be seen from a distance. Steve Budd applied camo tape to the surface to reduce the reflectivity and make it less noticeable. This has worked well. Steve also added a few extra feeders.
2/1/22 - Setting up the Feeding Station (JZ)
23 species so far seen or photographed on or near the feeders in chronological order of sighting
January-March 2022
April - June 2022
8/4/22 - Brambling (RB)
After spotting this first female Brambling at the feeding station Steven and Ruth decided to go up the following morning and sit by the fence to see if they could see her again. They filled up the feeders then set up on seats by the fence. Within a few minutes a female appeared along with a couple more and then a male. In the two and a half hours spent watching the birds they saw the Brambling group 5 or 6 times. Each time the group seemed to get bigger - the last count was 11 (8 females and 3 males). The feeding station and the activity there from the other birds had obviously attracted them to that area of the woods. This is the first sighting of Bramblings in or near the woods, apart from 1985 when a flock was seen near the border. Hopefully they will be seen again before they head home to Scandinavia or west Siberia.
23/4/22 - See this video of a Brown Long-eared Bat by the feeding station by Lucinda Offer
10/5/22 - A male Pheasant was seen but not photographed by Sarah Gardner.
