GREEN WOODPECKER flew from Banstead Downs to Downs Road then to Pelton Avenue/The Belmont early morning, probably a juvenile. Also from my Belmont window: imm ROBIN, lots of JAYS.
In Sutton at least one PEREGRINE around the Reed building.
Showing posts with label Sutton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sutton. Show all posts
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Saturday, 24 July 2010
CROSSBILLS at Canons Farm
Yesterday 6 COMMON CROSSBILLS flew over, calling, at Ruffett Wood at Canons Farm near Banstead at 5.02pm. There was nothing else out of the ordinary present but the expected, and pleasant, supporting cast included a NUTHATCH, a TREECREEPER, 2 juv SWALLOWS and 5 YELLOWHAMMERS including 3 males. An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL flying overheard was also noteworthy. There was a large flock of STARLINGS moulting from juvenile to 1st winter plumage near the derelict barns.
Today a GREEN WOODPECKER flew from Banstead Downs to Downs Road then to Pelton Avenue; not the sort of bird that usually strays that far into Belmont. Also 1+ PEREGRINE was present on the Reed building near Sutton Station.
Today a GREEN WOODPECKER flew from Banstead Downs to Downs Road then to Pelton Avenue; not the sort of bird that usually strays that far into Belmont. Also 1+ PEREGRINE was present on the Reed building near Sutton Station.
Saturday, 19 June 2010
19/06/2010
The most excitement locally was in Sutton high street where a GREY WAGTAIL called and was seen near Morrison's, flying from rooftop to rooftop.
An even more exciting sight was that of 5 PEREGRINES (presumably 2 adults +3 freshly fledged juveniles) flying around the Reed building and the adjacent glass building near Sutton Station c.16.15. 2 birds were observed food passing; because it was the much larger of the two birds that passed the food to the other, I'm guessing that this was the adult female passing to a young male. Not everybody gets to enjoy this sort of sight while waiting for the bus home after some Father's Day shopping.
An even more exciting sight was that of 5 PEREGRINES (presumably 2 adults +3 freshly fledged juveniles) flying around the Reed building and the adjacent glass building near Sutton Station c.16.15. 2 birds were observed food passing; because it was the much larger of the two birds that passed the food to the other, I'm guessing that this was the adult female passing to a young male. Not everybody gets to enjoy this sort of sight while waiting for the bus home after some Father's Day shopping.
18/06/2010
PEREGRINE, probably fem, early evening on railing at top of glass building north of Reed building near Sutton Station.
12/06/2010
fem PEREGRINE on the glass building north of the Reed building near Sutton Station this still evening.
Friday, 11 June 2010
Peregrine still present 11/06/2010
One PEREGRINE today on top of the main part of the Reed building behind Sutton station late morning today. Also a male BLACKCAP singing near the Shanklin estate Belmont/Sutton.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
07/05/2010
On the way to school today I picked up a YELLOW WAGTAIL that flew roughly north/north east over Hulverstone Close. Also on the way to school a MISTLE THRUSH was at Belmont Park.
In my Belmont garden a BLACKCAP was singing and one of the resident COAL TITS was calling away as usual in the early morning.
On the way back from school, via Sutton, the male PEREGRINE was on the Reed Building.
In my Belmont garden a BLACKCAP was singing and one of the resident COAL TITS was calling away as usual in the early morning.
On the way back from school, via Sutton, the male PEREGRINE was on the Reed Building.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
24/02/2010
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.
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.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Peregrine still in Sutton
Yesterday one PEREGRINE was seen on the building just north of the Reed Building, in Sutton.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Sutton Peregrine still present yesterday
Yesterday (03/02/2010) I saw a PEREGRINE atop the Reed Building, just behind the train station, in Sutton. Good to see that they are still around.
Saturday, 30 January 2010
30/01/2010
While waiting for the S1 bus, by the Downs a MISTLE THRUSH showed well, providing me with my 30th bird for 2010 for the Downs.
In Sutton c.80-100 PIED WAGTAILS roosted near Waterstones but the count didn't go as planned so wasn't accurate. I took a photo of the settled birds and will do an accurate count from there, soon.
Canon's Farm and Banstead Woods was alright today, check out the Canon's Farm and Banstead Woods wiki for more.
In Sutton c.80-100 PIED WAGTAILS roosted near Waterstones but the count didn't go as planned so wasn't accurate. I took a photo of the settled birds and will do an accurate count from there, soon.
Canon's Farm and Banstead Woods was alright today, check out the Canon's Farm and Banstead Woods wiki for more.
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Sutton
Still no proper birding due to the conditions and my sinuses but got stunning views of both the male and the female PEREGRINES on the western face of the Reed Building this afternoon, easily viewed from the bus stops near the station. They were both side by side, allowing excellent size comparisons.
A single FIELDFARE flew south east by the building, roughly level with it and a PIED WAGTAIL was showing well near "All-Bar-One".
A single FIELDFARE flew south east by the building, roughly level with it and a PIED WAGTAIL was showing well near "All-Bar-One".
Friday, 8 January 2010
cold weather affects local birds
Today (08/01/2010) I noticed a couple of displaced birds in the Sutton area. First off a GREY WAGTAIL, a winter female/1st winter, was feeding along the grass verge and around the bottoms of trees and a bench near Gatton Close, seen from teh 280 bus.
In the Sutton CBD a solitary exhausted migrant REDWING showed extremely well as it sat in one of the few bare, small trees and occasionally dropped onto the pavement. This is the tamest and most ubran Redwing I've ever seen. Also 2 FIELDFARES moved north there.
No sign of any Peregrines on the Reed Building today, but I only checked the western and northern faces of the building and glanced at the glass building just north.
I've been affected by the cold weather too, staying warm inside with bad sinuses and, too my frustration, not being able to check the Downs or Canon's to grab a bit of the cold weather movement action, Golden Plover being my main target.
I'm about to have a skywatch from my window by the Downs and will let you know.
In the Sutton CBD a solitary exhausted migrant REDWING showed extremely well as it sat in one of the few bare, small trees and occasionally dropped onto the pavement. This is the tamest and most ubran Redwing I've ever seen. Also 2 FIELDFARES moved north there.
No sign of any Peregrines on the Reed Building today, but I only checked the western and northern faces of the building and glanced at the glass building just north.
I've been affected by the cold weather too, staying warm inside with bad sinuses and, too my frustration, not being able to check the Downs or Canon's to grab a bit of the cold weather movement action, Golden Plover being my main target.
I'm about to have a skywatch from my window by the Downs and will let you know.
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
In other news- 29/12/2009
In Sutton today a PEREGRINE was seen flying from the Reed Building to the glass building just north as I got off the 280 bus.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Sutton Pied Wagtail roost again
127 PIED WAGTAILS counted in the roost tree outside of Waterstones yesterday (14/12/2009) afternoon from c.15:58-c.16:20 making an average of 5.8 birds entering the roost per minute. Both the count and the average are down on last time, despite it probably being colder. I could have sworn that some birds that flew onto the rooves to wait to enter the roost didn't enter in the end (I count birds as they enter the tree only), so there were probably more roosting elsewhere?
Sunday, 13 December 2009
Sutton Pied Wagtail roost
Yesterday (12/12/2009) Kevin McManus and myself attempted a count of the Pied Wagtail roost at Sutton. Birds started coming in at c.16:05 and no new birds arrived after c.16:22. During this c.17 minute period, 160 PIED WAGTAILS (give or take a couple, maybe) flew in to roost in a single tree near Waterstones along Sutton High Street, giving an average of 9.4 birds arriving per minute. A great birding spectacle in the local area.
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