15/10/2009 - another one that got away . . .

Late afternoon. No notebook so approximate counts

I spotted a probable CETTI'S WARBLER just NE of the southern bridge on the way back. All I got on it was: a rich brown warbler flying into a bush, I got a view of its head for >1 second and it showed rich brown tones and an obvious eyestripe which seemed to turn up a bit at the back. Frustratingly, after much waiting it refused to show again to be clinched.

I belatedly caught up with my first REDWINGS of the autumn for the site today with at least 10 present on land. There was also a handful of SONG THRUSHES around. Light overhead passage of Gulls with 1 COMMON C.5 BLACK-HEADED +C.10 HERRING. +11 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS NE. 1-2 PIED WAGTAILS c.north.

Little else was seen today. 1 KESTREL +1 SPARROWHAWK, 1 LINNET, 1 GOLDFINCH, C.5 CHAFFINCHES, >5 JAYS etc.

12/10/2009

The usual late afternoon visit with a hint of over-head passerine movement including the first SISKIN and the first SKYLARK of the autumn heard over head; these being the birds of most note.

Also today:
CARRION CROW
MAGPIE C.5
LONG-TAILED TIT C.20
JAY 1
GREAT TIT 5
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER 1
WOODPIGEON
GREEN WOODPECKER 1
DUNNOCK 3
BLACKBIRD 2
BLACKCAP 1 male
BLUE TIT C.6
LINNET 1
SONG THRUSH 1 singing +8+ overhead
JACKDAW 6
ROBIN 3
CHAFFINCH 5
SPARROWHAWK 1

flyovers:

ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET 4-6
HERRING GULL 8
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL 1
BLACK-HEADED GULL 21

08/10/2009

Golf course. Late afternoon in very poor weather

Best bird was a single GOLDCREST along the wooded footpath

also 2+ ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS over
2+ LONG-TAILED TITS
1 COAL TIT
2 ROBINS
1+ BLUE TIT
1 WREN
2 MAGPIES
1 JAY

1 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER heard just west of site

Other local news:

MEADOW PIPIT heard over Shanklin estate c.0800 + HERRING, COMMON and BLACK-HEADED GULLS at Overton Park/Overton Grange school.

GOLDFINCHES Belmont Heights.

Recently a GREEN WOODPECKER has been heard and seen around Belmont Heights/Overton Park- a scarce bird for that immediate local area.

Wintering PIED WAGTAILS have returned to Overton Park.

A quiet first few days of October it has to be said . . .

06/10/2009

Late afternoon

Highlights

200-300 JACKDAWS c.N / NW to roost
3 HOUSE MARTINS low south through Bikers'#
18-19 GOLDFINCHES (not common in any number at the Downs)

Full list

up to 26 MAGPIES
WOODPIGEON
6+ JAYS
CARRION CROW
1+ GREAT TIT
1 CHAFFINCH
4+ LONG-TAILED TITS
1+ GREEN WOODPECKER
1+ BLUE TIT
1 imm SPARROWHAWK
11 LINNETS
1 DUNNOCK
2 ROBINS
1 KESTREL


Flyovers

32+ HERRING GULLS
c.52 BLACK-HEADED GULLS (inc. tight flock of c.46 c.west)
2 ad/subad LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS

01/10/2009- how will October start? . . .

. . . not terribly well, as expected . . .

Highlights

1 male PHEASANT showing well at Bikers'
1 ad/subad GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL

Full list

2 DUNNOCKS
25 LONG-TAILED TITS
11+ BLUE TITS
WOODPIGEON
7 GREENFINCHES
13+ GREAT TITS
1 WILLOW WARBLER
6+ ROBINS (possibly up to 12+, my notes are a bit muddled)
3+ JAYS
6 MAGPIES
1 BULLFINCH
9+ CHAFFINCHES
1 BLACKCAP
1 GREEN WOODPECKER
2 WRENS
3+ JACKDAWS
1+ SONG THRUSH
1+ CHIFFCHAFF
1+ BLACKBIRD
1 imm SPARROWHAWK
1 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER
1 LINNET


Flyovers

3 HERRING GULLS
6 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS
6 FERAL PIGEONS

29/09/2009

Early a.m. (0630-0730):

No sign of possible BARRED WARBLER
2-4 MEADOW PIPITS
2 COLLARED DOVES over north enclosure
8+ LINNETS
2-4 STOCK DOVES
+c.30 FERAL PIGEONS over
1W COMMON GULL over
c.3 CHIFFCHAFFS
5-10 STARLINGS over
1 GREEN WOODPECKER
c.20 HERRING GULLS over
1 BLACK-HEADED GULL over

Late afternoon full species list:

6+ BLUE TITS
c.20 LONG-TAILED TITS
7+ GREAT TITS
6+ MAGPIES
WOODPIGEON
1+ GREEN WOODPECKER
c.7 JAYS
11-14 ROBINS
CARRION CROW
6+ LINNETS
1 KESTREL
2 BULLFINCHES
1 TREECREEPER
3 WRENS
1 CHIFFCHAFF
4 DUNNOCKS
1 BLACKCAP
1 CHAFFINCH
1 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER
1 BLACKBIRD
possible Nuthatch heard north wood.


FLYOVERS

1 ad/subad COMMON GULL
1 ad/subad LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS- 1 NE 4 low SW 3 E
6 JACKDAWS
2 STARLINGS
1 PIED WAGTAIL
2 HERRING GULLS
4 FERAL PIGEONS
1 large gull sp. (imm)

Other local news:

1 MEADOW PIPIT over Belmont Heights
1 SPARROWHAWK over Overton Park pursuing/mobbed by 2-3 GOLDFINCHES over Overton Park
1 CHIFFCHAFF Cudham Close Belmont singing

28/09/2009- the one that just about got away

After the usual walk around the Downs, on my way back I spotted a large and bulky, pale Warbler with faint barring across some of its body. I am fairly confident it may have been a BARRED WARBLER but it crept into the bush all to quickly for me to go over the features 'officially' in my head if you know what I mean. It was getting dark and cold and the bird wouldn't show again so I had to give up but I'm back at first light tomorrow and will let positive news out immediately.

Other birds included 2 PHEASANTS (male and female flushed at Bikers', the male had a short tail), 1 TREECREEPER, 2 BULLFINCHES, 1 GOLDCREST, 1 MEADOW PIPIT, 3 COAL TITS (one still at Bikers' and two at the Merlin Pasture), 3 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, 3 BLACKCAPS, 3+ CHIFFCHAFFS, 2 GREEN WOODPECKERS, 1 GOLDFINCH over, 1 SONG THRUSH.

Also seen:

2+ BLACKBIRDS, 10+ HERRING GULLS, 3 WREN, 6+ CHAFFINCHES, 1 DUNNOCK, 5 FERAL PIGEONS over, 7+ JACKDAWS, several WOODPIGEONS and CARRION CROWS, 7+ BLUE TITS, c.7 ROBINS, c.10 GREAT TITS, 5+ JAYS, c.20 LONG-TAILED TITS and 4 MAGPIES.

27/09/2009

A female REED BUNTING which showed well briefly mid morning in the Central Enclosure was definitely the highlight and a patch tick for me (71, and 67 for the year).

Other highlights included TREECREEPER (Bikers'), COAL TIT (North Wood/Merlin Pasture), 2 GREY HERONS (together, then one north and one north east over Central Enclosure), 1 PIED WAGTAIL flew over, 1 SWALLOW low south through Bikers', c.2 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, 1 SPARROWHAWK (immature, low over Bikers'), 1 singing CHIFFCHAFF + 2 or so others, 2 BLACKCAPS etc.

A CHIFFCHAFF and a COAL TIT were in my Gran's garden.

25/09/2009

A Small Copper butterfly was the star on this dull day bird-wise.

1 GREY WAGTAIL over, 1 MEADOW PIPIT and 2+ BULLFINCH were the highlights.

Species counts:

8 MAGPIE 11 ROBIN 16 GREAT TIT 3 WREN 4 CHAFFINCHc.5 JAY 2 LINNET 4 CHIFFCHAFFS 2 GREEN WOODPECKERS 2+ BLACKCAPS 20+ LONG-TAILED TITS many WOODPIGEONS and CARRION CROWS 1+ GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER 3 FERAL PIGEONS over 3 STARLINGS over 2 DUNNOCK 1-2 SPARROWHAWKS 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL over 1 STOCK DOVE sse 10+ BLUE TITS 2 BLACK-HEADED GULLS over 2 COAL TITS (1 at East Enclosure and 1 still at Bikers'), 2 JACKDAW 5 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS 4 SONG THRUSH 1 HERRING GULL over 1 WILLOW WARBLER

24/09/2009

2+ ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS over today + 7+ CHIFFCHAFFS, 6+ JAY, 3 BLACKCAPS, 1 COAL TIT still at Bikers', 1 LINNET, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL over, 1 GREEN WOODPECKER, 1+ GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 1 GREY HERON flew east north east over the east wood.

22/09/2009

Within the first few minutes of my visit I could tell it wasn't going to be as good as yesterday, but still, it wasn't bad with some alright counts and patch scarcities that keep you going down the Downs.

One of the highlights of the day was a decent movement of hirundines with c.48 SWALLOWS and c.45 HOUSE MARTINS counted during the c.2 hours I was on site.

The award of bird of the day goes to a female PHEASANT that flew up briefly at the area that I have dubbed 'South Dartford' which is near 'Chiffy Oaks' :-). This is my second record here and a Banstead Downs year tick (66). This species is quite a challenge to find here (though I don't know if they are easier in the East Wood or breed there or what as I hardly ever go there).

2 BULLFINCHES were noted today, after a period of low counts/absence in my logbook. JAYS are getting busy and angry for the autumn with at least 4 birds present, though probably 2 or so more; it's hard to estimate numbers. 1 or 2 COAL TITS are still present around Bikers' (I will try to explain the different parts of the site and the names I've given them in a later post) and 1 possible TREECREEPER was heard briefly there where 5 or so CHIFFCHAFFS were feeding. 5 LINNETS flew up from the south end of the central footpath.2 GREEN and 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS.

10+ CHAFFINCHES were logged, mainly around Bikers'. 10 ROBINS were heard. 23 HERRING GULLS, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and 16 BLACK-HEADED GULLS flew over. 1 BLACKCAP. 1 probable Willow Warbler. 4 STARLINGS and 2 FERAL PIGEONS over. 1 GREENFINCH. 30+ JACKDAWS. 20+ CARRION CROWS and a similar count of WOODPIGEONS, 9+ MAGPIES noted. 5+ GREAT TIS (2 singing). 9+ BLUE TITS. 2 DUNNOCKS.

21/09/2009- a good day

Yeah, at last a very enjoyable and rewarding day with much evidence of migration! . . .

As I was walking to the North Wood through the Merlin Pasture I picked up a large raptor heading low south and said to myself, 'here we go . . .', preparing myself for a Honey-buzzard but alas it turned out to be a COMMON BUZZARD. Still, an alright bird for the Downs, I haven't seen that many here before and a good sign of things to come. Next thing I knew 2 SWALLOWS flew SW right above me. I had a feeling it was going to be a good day.

Getting the dross over with first . . .

TIT numbers were good with 1 COAL, c.15 GREAT, c.20 LONG-TAILED and 7+ BLUE. 1 male GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER showed well in the north wood. 6+ JAYS were present. A decent site count of 12 STARLINGS passed over. c.10 HERRING and 2+ BLACK-HEADED GULLS flew over. c.25 JACKDAWS were noted. 4+ CHAFFINCHES noted. 1 and 2 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS flew over. 2 GREENFINCHES flew over. 8 FERAL PIGEONS over.

Onto the better stuff . . .

1 MEADOW PIPIT called at what I call the 'Mega Patch' where a presumably migrant MISTLE THRUSH showed well with a CHAFFINCH closely following it. WARBLERS today consisted of 4+ CHIFFCHAFFS, 1 WILLOW WARBLER and 2+ BLACKCAPS.

A further 4 SWALLOWS flew north and 7+ HOUSE MARTINS flew south. 2+ LINNETS were noted. 1 female SPARROWHAWK was observed by both myself and the angry Crows.

A single probable SONG THRUSH/possible REDWING flew ENE.

On the way back, at the north end of the central path I heard a BRAMBLING fly over, making its more Chaffinch-like call and then relocated it, making its short nasal call at the south end of the north enclosure, by the patch of heather/gorse there. This was a local patch tick for me and I believe it is the first of the winter for both Surrey and London, that's from the information available to me anyway. A nice way to end the day.

30 species recorded in 2 hours 49 minutes.

My Banstead Downs list is now on 70 and it is now on 65 for 2009.

At 07:47 this morning I saw and heard a YELLOW WAGTAIL fly ENE over Belmont Pastures, on my way to school. Very near to Banstead Downs and a would be patch tick, nice to see anyway.

At c.08.05 I recorded a single MEADOW PIPIT at Overton Park just before I entered school. This is an uncommon winter visitor/passage migrant there.

17/09/2009

Slightly better . . . 1 SONG THRUSH, 1 MEADOW PIPIT, 1+ ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET over, 1 LINNET north, 1 male BLACKCAP flycatching, 8+ CHIFFCHAFFS, 3+ JAYS, 2+ GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, 1 female SPARROWHAWK mobbed by a single C. Crow over the Divider Scrub. 3+ GREENFINCHES over and 3 CHAFFINCHES. 8+ JACKDAWS. c.5 HERRING GULLS over.

15/09/2009

A below average day because of terrible conditions, very wet. 3+ CHIFFCHAFFS, 1 STOCK DOVE SW, 2-3 SONG THRUSHES at Bikers', 1 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 1 GREEN WOODPECKER. A handful of JACKDAWS and a trickle of GULL passage.

11/09/2009

Little of note today. Highlights were 2 WILLOW WARBLERS, 1 male KESTREL showing well, 5+ GREEN WOODPECKERS, c.9 CHIFFCHAFFS, 1 BULLFINCH, 15 and 1+ ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS over. 2+ GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS. The usual GULL passage. 2 JAYS. 7+ CHAFFINCHES. etc etc

10/09/2009- finally . . .

I am pleased to report that the north easterly winds did me a bit of a favour today, bringing one (better than none . . . ) more interesting passerine migrant in the form of a TREE PIPIT that flew over, calling. A patch tick for me, bring me up to 68, and 63 for the year.

Also today, at least 7 SWALLOWS flew south west, there were probably many others, as it seemed I got onto some every time I scanned the sky for more than a few seconds, of course, I couldn't be bothered to constantly scan the sky and I still would have missed many.

Also a handful of PHYLLOSCOPUS WARBLERS, a single COMMON WHITETHROAT, at least 2 or 3 GREEN WOODPECKERS, a single GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, a west-orientated flock of nine ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS was followed by a group of 3 heading in the same direction and a single north west bound bird.

A single BULLFINCH and at least ten CHAFFINCHES were noted. Also at least two GREENFINCHES flew over. There were around 4 JAYS which were causing a commotion.

LONG-TAILED, BLUE and GREAT TITS were much in evidence. That about sums today up . . .

Other Belmont news, yesterday a pair of SPARROWHAWKS flew over Belmont Pastures where there was a pair of SONG THRUSHES and there were at least 14 GOLDFINCHES in my gran's garden this morning with 2 HOUSE SPARROWS. BLACK-HEADED and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS have, like I, come back to school for the winter (though they've been there on and off since late June/early July).

08/09/2009- slightly better . . .

Today was a slight improvement. I popped over to the golf course this afternoon following school where the highlight was a single HOBBY, a patch year tick, bringing me up to 62, I'm glad I got this back, I didn't think I'd get this species this year.

Otherwise, it was quiet, a couple of COMMON CHIFFCHAFFS called, 3 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS flew over and, well, that was about it really I guess. A Robin was chasing some chat-like bird which had a different jizz, we'll never know if it was something interesting.

10 or so BLACK-HEADED GULLS were hawking over the south end and some HERRING GULLS flew over.

A single juvenile GREEN WOODPECKER showed well, did they breed on the golf course too or has one of the core offspring moved here?

A bit of Belmont Pastures news; a GREY HERON flew over there yesterday and there was a female ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET in the big bare tree and 3 others flew over.

I'm still waiting to get a west country passerine anywhere locally though . . .

05/09/2009 - how much longer can this go on for!!!

Birding, and life in general is not going too well for me at the moment. After a less than fruitful summer holiday birding-wise, my mother is very ill and as well as this being very concerning it has brought around other burdons such as I can't really go birding much! I've missed untold lifers and year ticks because of this not least Alpine Swift and/or Glossy Ibis today (06/09/2009).

Because of me being pretty much grounded to the local area, I've done more patch watching than usual, both at the Downs and at Beddington, yet it has been TOTALLY fruitless.



Anyway, I'll go ahead and give you some of the ever so slightly interesting sightings I painfully scraped off the bottom of the bucket yesterday (05/09/2009):



A rather unexciting and overdue patch tick (67) came in the form of an adult/subadult GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL which flew NE at roughly 17:12. Even at the long range, the size and wing colour gave it away.

Three LINNETS were noted with two SE AT 18:31 and a singleton heard over ' Bikers' ' at 17:59.

Raptors were respresented by 1 female SPARROWHAWK flying low over the west enclosure and a male KESTREL over the 'North Dartford Scrub'.

GREEN WOODPECKERS were much in evidence with at least 5, of which at least 3 were juveniles. Two GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS were noted.

Warblers were represented just by 2 WILLOW WARBLERS and at least 4 COMMON CHIFFCHAFFS. A single STOCK DOVE circled the central enclosure for a short while before heading NNW and possibly landing by the A217 roundabout at Belmont. 1, 6 and 3 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS flew over.

A single BULLFINCH was heard and up to 9 CHAFFINCHES were seen.

Perhaps up to 50 WOODPIGEONS were noted and 2 FERAL PIGEONS flew north east.

2 possible, distant Common Gulls flew over as well as at least 2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, there were probably many more that I didn't pick up amongst the Herrings. Up to 70 HERRING GULLS passed over, in the time I had my eye on the sky, on their way to roost. 1, probably 2 or 3 SONG THRUSHES were flushed in the North Wood.

Fairly good numbers of LONG-TAILED, BLUE and GREAT TITS were noted but no Coals were picked out, or, needless to say, anything better. 10-20 CARRION CROWS, 7 MAGPIES and 3 JAYS were the only corvids recorded.

Summary: another failure to find anything good

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.

30/08/2009

A early morning jump today, I was out on the Downs just after first light, convinced that I was bound to get at least one decent passerine migrant! Did I heck . . .


A nice little crop of uncommon patch birds but nothing notable away from the Downs; I had a LINNET fly over the west enclosure, 2 TREECREEPERS and 3 COAL TITS at the bikers' patch where there was at least 5 COMMON CHIFFCHAFFS (in total there was 10 or so today)and at least one WILLOW WARBLER. GREEN WOODPECKERS were in evidence, I noted 5 birds and all of those that I got a good view of turned out to be juveniles. Also today I heard a singing GARDEN WARBLER and 5+ BLACKCAPS. 1 STARLING view over. There were at least 2 female BULLFINCHES present today. At least 9 RING-NECKED PARAKEETS flew over. BLUE, GREAT and LONG-TAILED TITS were much in evidence this morning and part from the Treecreepers and Coal Tits they didn't carry much with them, though for the nutty patch that isn't too bad so I shouldn't complain. 3 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS were present today. A decent count of c.23 FERAL PIGEONS passed over this morning following yesterdays reasonable pigeon passage consisting of a mainly northward movement of about 60 WOODPIGEONS, 1 STOCK DOVE and 4 FERAL PIGEONS.

Other than the pigeons, yesterday yielded little of interest other than the undoubted highlight of the day in the form of at least 8 HOUSE MARTINS flying west, calling. 1 KESTREL was hunting over 'nomansland', the bare area north of the east and central enclosures. Yesterday was much the same Warbler-wise with at least 6 COMMON CHIFFCHAFFS and at least 1 WILLOW WARBLER.

JAY numbers are good at the moment.



How long will it be until I get a Pied Flycatcher, Redstart Whinchat or Wood Warbler or even just a Spotted Flycatcher or EVEN just a Wheatear!?!?!? I'm not sure how much more I can take.