the year 'down the nutty' so far

This year hasn't been too bad as Banstead Downs goes. I cannot be bothered to go through all of my uninteresting records to give you a detailed monthly summary of the birdlife down the Downs but I will give a brief overview of movement through the site and the more significant sightings at the Downs.

FIRECRESTS peaked at up to 6 towards the beginning of the year then dropped down to 2 or 3 birds on the golf course and then they moved, or another pair set up residence in the south wood of the core site between the railway line and Sutton Lane.

One highlight of the year was a WOODCOCK seen in flight at the horse ring on 22/03/2009.

In late March/early April a BARN OWL and several TAWNY OWLS were reported in/around the woods near the prisons.

The highlight of the year was a WOOD WARBLER that was enjoyed by several observers in the main, eastern wood off Downs Road.

There was one record of NORTHERN WHEATEAR this spring in the western enclosure (31/03/2009). Even though the site is painstakingly watched nearly everyday I feel this represents a small proportion of the true numbers that passed through, and passerine migrants in general.

CANADA GEESE were seen flying over on two occasions earlier in the year and a CORMORANT was seen earlier in the year also, probably another under recorded species. A NORTHERN LAPWING that flew over early in the year is a local patch mega that I missed. LINNETS were seen in the spring and early autumn. STOCK DOVE records increased greatly on last year's numbers but COLLARED DOVE was much rarer in 2009 than 2008 and were always an exciting find! As far as I remember there has been only 2 records this year, from me at least. FERAL PIGEONS were fairly common fly overs.

GOLDCRESTS bred in the north wood as probably did SPARROWHAWKS.

COAL TITS, NUTHATCHES and TREECREEPERS are always uncommon at the Downs. The peak count of Coal Tit was 3 at the bikers' patch in late August where the top count of 2 TREECREEPERS was logged on the same day. There was a single record of a single Nuthatch this year (all me only by the way).

Raptor wise the year has not been so productive as previous years (e.g. Merlin in 2004; Osprey, Honey-buzzard and Hobby last year being the most notable) with 2 records of COMMON BUZZARD by me in 2009 so far. No Mallards this year... so far... but then again I did get Canada Goose.


In spring there was a small passage of BARN SWALLOWS whereas there was only one autumn record of this species and that was in July. HOUSE MARTINS as in previous years were the more obvious of the two in the autumn with at least 2 sightings of small migrating flocks. As with most years I didn't see any of the latter species in the spring.

GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS have been seen in good numbers this year.

FIELDFARE and REDWING were recorded early in the year, the latter being the much commoner of the two.

A good year for Warblers, other than the Wood Warbler there were decent numbers of LESSER and COMMON WHITETHROATS, GARDEN WARBLERS, WILLOW WARBLERS, BLACKCAPS and CHIFFCHAFFS.

HOUSE SPARROW is always rare for the Downs and it was a good year for them this year. On 27/04/2009 a male was present, calling at the eastern side of the western enclosure, closely followed by 5 in the scrub bordering the east and central enclosures 30/04/2009 . A female was seen on Merlin Pasture on 08/06/2009.

SISKINS and LESSER REDPOLLS were regularly seen early in the year and BULLFINCHES were regularly seen throughout the year.

At the time of writing my Banstead Downs year list stands on SIXTY SIX species.