Cissbury Ring, Chorleywood and Sutton

First thing I walked the fields north of Cissbury Ring, noting two Ravens, Yellowhammer, two Bullfinches, eight Whitethroats, a few Skylarks, a Swallow and a Kestrel.

Non-birding wanderings produced Grey Wagtails at the Tropical Marine Centre in Chorleywood and in Sutton High Street.

Sutton

Stopping at my parents', I went into town for some Christmas shopping, the walk there and back featuring a Peregrine, a couple of Goldcrests in song, three Redwings and a Pied Wagtail.

Canons Farm, Banstead Woods, Banstead Downs and Sutton

A short walk around Canons late morning with Josh B featured Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Goldcrest feeding young, Nuthatch and a handful of Linnets. While in the Rambler's Rest garden (Banstead Woods sector) with Paul G and Linda M at lunchtime, two Coal Tits and a Goldcrest were calling in the pines. Stopping off at my parents', a Whitethroat was singing from adjacent Banstead Downs and while dropping friends off from a trip to the cinema in the evening, we stopped off in Sutton for a quick look at the resident Peregrine pair.

Beddington Farmlands and Sutton

This morning I escorted 17 birders to see the colour-ringed adult male Twite which has been around the landfill site at Beddington for nearly two months now. It was a bit of a tense morning - for me at least, feeling a little pressure - and a wet and cold one at that. Thankfully, almost everybody saw the bird at least reasonably well, with those sticking it out till midday enjoying excellent prolonged scope views. I also noted five Tree Sparrows, seven Reed Buntings, a male Stonechat, seven Skylarks, two Meadow Pipits, two Snipe, 34 Lapwings, two Egyptian Geese, four Shelducks, 32 Gadwall, 48 Teal, 17 Shovelers, 15 Tufted Ducks, a Cormorant, 11 Mute Swans, 10 Grey Herons, two Little Grebes, three Redwings, 10 Pied Wagtails and 70 Linnets.

I popped round to visit Phil in the afternoon, a Sparrowhawk dashing through his Sutton garden and two Coal Tits visiting the feeders.

colour-ringed adult male Twite - look at that rump!

13-19th June 2017

A busy last week or so, most birding ending up a little off-piste. It feels as though I've adopted two new patches, as I've been to both Frensham and Pagham twice more since my last post. The first time, on 16th, was another great success with further excellent views of the Elegant Tern and the Red-footed Falcon but a repeat on 19th resulted in a double-dip. Frensham also produced a flock of 13 Crossbills (on 16th) and 'other wildlife' lifers in the form of a Sand Lizard (on 19th) and Silver-studded Blues. Both visits to the Common produced nice views and sounds from Dartford Warblers, Woodlarks and Tree Pipits, while the same male Redstart showed again nicely on 19th. Pagham was great for the tern and gull colony (including good numbers of Meds), as well as a 2cy Little Gull and a Cuckoo on 19th, and the Whimbrel again on 16th.

A fabulous evening at Leith Hill on 13th was rewarded with four Nightjars, a couple of Woodlarks, singing Tree Pipits and several Woodcock passes, as well as a hooting Tawny Owl and a couple of Siskins. That day, a Kestrel was nice to see at home in Belmont. I've made a couple of visits to Sutton as a small contribution to keeping an eye on the Peregrines as they fledge, enjoying lovely views of the two juveniles as they become more mobile - there is clearly a pair of Grey Wagtails in the same area, with occasional fly-overs there. A trip to Oare Marshes for some easy birding made for a nice change on 14th and, though nothing unusual was seen, we enjoyed seeing Bearded Reedlings, a couple of Mediterranean Gulls and the usual gathering of Black-tailed Godwits.

The 2cy male Red-footed Falcon spinning some moves over Frensham Common on Friday

Seconds also for the Elegant Tern on Friday

a lucky encounter with a female Sand Lizard at Frensham on Monday

against migration: the Whimbrel at Pagham on Friday

one of my first Silver-studded Blues at Frensham on Friday

a challenge for the title in Sutton on Friday

Perry and Gwen's progeny in Sutton on Friday

A peaceful scene on the East Flood at Oare Marshes on Wednesday

Sedge Warbler at Pagham on Friday

2cy Little Gull at Pagham (PW)

27th February-1st March 2017

A quick walk around the farm on Monday before heading to pick up Ingrid, who was down for a visit, produced a female Stonechat. On Tuesday morning we headed up to London for the day, a Siskin flying over at home and a Peregrine seen in Sutton before we headed to the Barbican, had lunch in Finsbury Park, where we enjoyed feeding about 30 Pochards, and finished the day by seeing The Lion King. I got out to Beddington this afternoon, producing a yellow German-ringed first-winter Caspian Gull, which I didn’t manage to read for sure but I’m quite certain it was X319 again. Not quite a classic bird, it’s possible it may have impure heritage. A Water Pipit was also seen and one of the wintering Chiffchaffs was in song.

first-winter Caspian Gull at Beddington

Beddington Farmlands etc, 16th January 2017

The rain banished me to the hide at Beddington where, with the landfill working, I spent the morning alone, inevitably looking through the gulls. Thousands of other gulls would have been out of view on the other side of the landfill site so I must have only looked through a small portion of the birds on site but, despite the lack of white-wingers, I managed to pick out four Caspian Gulls, two each of first-winter and second-winter plumage.

One of the first-winters was bearing a yellow ring, 'X319'; this bird originates from a colony in Germany which is mainly cachinnans (per Rich Bonser) but I wouldn't be surprised if this bird had a touch of impurity to it, as perhaps was the case in one of the second-winters. The Black Swan was still trying to find a peaceful corner of the main lake and singles of Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail were vocal.

first-winter Caspian Gull

first-winter Caspian Gull (bearing yellow German ring 'X319')

second-winter Caspian Gull

second-winter Caspian Gull

A visit to Sutton later on provided a Peregrine and a Coal Tit was singing in the garden at home.

Canons Farm and Sutton, 28th November 2016

Another bright sunshiny day at the local patch. This time I was joined by Duncan J and Geoff B in the hope of finding that elusive hundredth species for the collective recording area year list but we had a fairly 'average' day with small groups of both Siskin and redpoll being the highlights. 'Buzz' the tame juvenile Common Buzzard was as obliging as ever... I made a trip into Sutton, where one of the Peregrines was showing on the western face of Quadrant House and then returned for a brief evening visit to the farm where Phil W and I enjoyed twilight views of both of the resident Barn Owls.

♂ Yellowhammer

juvenile Common Buzzard

Peregrine, Sutton

Sutton, Thursday 17th November 2016

A non-birding day, though while in Sutton I did catch sight of one of the local Peregrines on Quadrant House.