12/11/2009

An after-school trip to the golf course this afternoon produced a new total of 3 FIRECRESTS along the wooded footpath. Two birds were at post 678 with another very vocal individual near post 3. The birds didn't show terribly well today but it was not at all far off the end of the day, the conditions were overcast and it rained fairly lightly on and off.

TO VIEW

Park at the south end of Burdon Lane and enter the immediately obvious golf course. As you enter, you will see a noticeboard almost straight away, on your right; this is also the entrance to the wooded footpath. Walk down the footpath for roughly 300 metres, where the favoured area is found between telephone poles (posts for short) 678 and 3 although the birds have been seen throughout the entire length of the footpath and sometimes in other areas. Contact me at 07928764818 or suttonbirding@surfbirder.com if you have any problems or are short of time and need a hand in pinning down the birds; I rarely go without seeing one on any visit between late October and mid-March, even in poor weather.

ALSO SEEN TODAY

very little of note other than the Firecrests, which are always a treat to see.

6 GOLDFINCHES flew over
11+ WOODPIGEONS were present
5+ CARRION CROWS
1 MAGPIE

IN OTHER NEWS

At 1520, c.18 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS flew over Belmont Heights. At, or just after dusk, a call, or other sound entirely, that sounded just like a Reed Bunting was heard at Chiddingstone Close, Belmont Heights, this sound could have been anything and I highly doubt that it was actually a Reed Bunting.

At Overton Park today at least 1 COMMON GULL was present, though there are probably about 3. Good numbers of, perhaps around 70, BLACK-HEADED GULLS were, as usual, present. Unfortunately, not much else to report!