Reed BuntingI associate migrant arrivals with poor weather and drizzle but lately at Canons they seem to be turning up on only the most pleasant of days (for those of you who's ears don't burn above ten degrees C, that is). Today I got another year tick; a Reed Bunting stopped off briefly, this is quite a patch rarity (there were three records last year and this is the first of this year) and a gorious male Stonechat showed very well at Reads Bottom (only the second of the year).
StonechatI also heard a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Banstead Woods. It was probably about two hundred metres off and quite deep in, with a big tit flock, so I stood little chance of locating it, but I gave it a go anyway. Three Common Buzzards were floating very low over Fames Rough/Sheep Brow and were probably after a dead sheep/deer/rabbit or something. I was hoping their activity and the warm weather would attract the attention of a Red Kite, but no luck on that front. I've gotta get one of these soon, surely?
Canons Farm & Banstead Woods 2011 Year List: 65 (five ahead of this point last year)
