24/06/2010

singing male COMMON WHITETHROAT still Banstead Downs by the Belmont bus station.

At the golf course and horse stables at the top of Fairlawn Road, Belmont:

9+ HOUSE MARTINS
JACKDAW
COMMON SWIFT
GOLDFINCH
PIED WAGTAIL
BLACKBIRD
BLACKCAP - 1 heard then male seen with food
ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET
2 CHIFFCHAFFS
3+ GREENFINCHES
2 STOCK DOVES
SONG THRUSH
DUNNOCK
GREEN WOODPECKER
JAY
COMMON WHITETHROAT
WREN

01/06/2010

A walk around Belmont today revealed a singing GOLDCREST at The Gallop. I wandered up the path that leads to Oaks Park at the top of Fairlawn Road and the biggest surprise was stumbling upon a male PHEASANT which called and I later flushed as I walked further up, this is the closest Pheasant I've ever seen to home. Also, it was nice to see that HOUSE MARTINS and BARN SWALLOWS are breeding close to home with about 5 or 6 of the former and a single of the latter. A GREY HERON flying west towards Banstead Downs was also nice to see. Also present was a singing male COMMON WHITETHROAT, a SONG THRUSH and a BLACKCAP.

I was impressed by the habitat up here with the golf course, horse fields and hedgerows. Pheasant, Grey Heron, House Martin and Swallow during a twenty minute walk in the drizzle at 8pm just up the road from home isn't bad for Belmont and I will make more visits including one tomorrow morning.