Loitering around the Harholt Plantation at Banstead Woods yesterday morning proved fruitful, with a
Spotted Flycatcher, two
Hobbies, a
Red Kite, a flock of four
Grey Herons and two
Lesser Whitethroats providing ample interest. A quick run around Canons Farm in the afternoon added a couple of
House Martins. In the evening, I teamed up with Paul S for a recce ahead of the Mole Valley Bird Race on Saturday, calling in at a few sites and producing highlights of
Peregrine,
Garden Warbler and
Lapwing.
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| Spotted Flycatcher at Banstead Woods |
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| One of two Hobbies snatching bugs out of the air over Banstead Woods' Harholt Plantation |
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| Any flock of Grey Herons over CFBW is a rare sight and indicative of something more significant than short commutes by local birds |
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| 2cy Red Kite over Banstead Woods |
With rain pouring first thing this morning seemingly confirming the all-day washout forecast, I opted to head to Beddington and was frustrated that the showers soon petered out entirely, meaning I could have stuck to my routine of visiting CFBW in the morning and making it less likely that something would be forced low over Beddington. Finding nothing of any real novelty at the main lake other than a somewhat random and unsettled
Great Crested Grebe, where the 2cy
Iceland Gull made an in-flight appearance, I trekked around Hundred Acre but little was on offer there either, save for presumably the same GCG looking rather leery!
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| Great Crested Grebe lurking on Jim's Pit |
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| Lapwing on Hundred Acre |
I was due to be away for the next couple of days but things have suddenly changed so there will be more chances for local birding tomorrow and Friday.
