The highlight was a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which showed well and called in the Woods, a patch tick for me and Kevin. I do not have to worry about any elusive resident woodland birds now for my patch list, but Kevin still hasn't connected with Woodcock or Marsh Tit at the site. It was also a British year tick.
male Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerA Common Buzzard was seen several times soaring over the site. We thought this was the resident bird but she was still at the 'Big/Buzzard' Field so it was a 2nd bird.
We could hear but not see the resident Little Owl that is usually present in one of the trees just east of the derelict buildings/the middle farmhouse. To our surprise we heard another bird calling on the opposite side of the road.
Kevin thought he may have seen a Tree Sparrow amongst a flock of c.15 Yellowhammers. We were trying to see it, where it appeared to drop down, when a woman and her kids walked down and set up all the thrushes and finches and buntings, despite asking if she was going to disturb anything when we politely told her she would in fact be scattering stuff which may include Canon's first ever Tree Sparrow. She had a right to walk down there, but what was the point in asking if you're going to disturb something that is being watched if you are just going to walk down there anyway!
male Yellowhammer2 Rooks, a Lesser Redpoll, c.40 Linnets, c.11 Skylarks, 2 Treecreepers; 5 each of Nuthatch and Coal Tit; 4 Kestrels, a male Sparrowhawk, 23 Pied Wagtails feeding together, flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings, a pair of mating Rose-ringed Parakeets and other bits and bobs were also seen. See the Canon's Farm and Banstead Woods wiki for full sightings and information on the site.
Lesser Redpoll
