A FIRECREST was present today along the wooded footpath at Banstead Downs Golf Course, between posts 3 and 1 but on the golf course side of the vegetation on the left hand side, as you walk south, if you know what I mean. Access via Burdon Lane, Belmont.
I met up with Lee (the maintenance manager at the golf course), Ralph Hobbs from Natural England and John Peacock from the Banstead Commons Conservators after school this afternoon to discuss the Firecrests and management of the site in consideration of them.
Today seemed to be near-perfect timing as the weather was much better than the previous few afternoons and the first singing bird of the year was performing for all to hear (though seeing it was a bit more of a problem! - it was a lot more elusive than usual).
In the end, everyone was pretty happy to agree to cut back some of the holly at the edge which was starting to protude into the golf course in early October or late September. If the birds do breed then this will be a time of minimal disturbance, and if they don't and they leave for the summer (more likely) then they will probably not be back by then.
Obviously, seeing as they have started to sing it seems appropriate to start to withhold news of their presence soon (and my policy is to stop releasing news in March, anyway) and it would be great if anyone who does visit could not release news past, say, next week.
Between Sutton Lane and the golf course 3 SONG THRUSHES were present as well as a GREEN WOODPECKER.
In Sutton a PEREGRINE was on the Reed Building this morning and it, or another, was seen later in the day on the glass building north of it.
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