August 2014

Keep an eye on the Twitter feed on the right hand side and here for live bird news updates. All sightings are appreciated and will be useful in the writing of the annual bird reports, please email your sightings to canonsfarmbirds@hotmail.co.uk. When submitting sightings, please try to match the format of this page as much as possible to make transfer efficient. See Map for locations mentioned here (some are old local names, some we have made up). BOLD = rare for CFBW - BOLD & RED = first for CFBW.
* = bird flying past the recording area, viewed from it.

NEW RINGING DEMO DATE: Saturday 25th October, meet at 08:00 at Banstead Woods car park on Holly Lane, Chipstead, just west of junction with Outwood Lane.

Sunday 31st
  • Legal & General: 6+ SISKINS, 18 PIED WAGTAILS - IGM
  • Banstead Woods: 3 WHINCHATS (Hither Field), 8 SWALLOWS flew north, 3+ BULLFINCHES (2+ The Scrub, 1 Holly Lane Meadow), COMMON WHITETHROAT (Holly Lane Meadow), 4 CHIFFCHAFFS, 3 BLACKCAPS, 2 COMMON BUZZARDS (1 The Nuttery, 1 Fames Rough), ♀ SPARROWHAWK (over Piddly Pond), 3 GOLDFINCHES (incl' juv The Scrub), 4 STOCK DOVES, 4 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, 2 GREEN WOODPECKERS, 9 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS (Butterflies: 2♀ Brown Hairstreaks (1 The Nuttery, 1 egg-laying Hither Field), Small Copper (Holly Lane Meadow), Small Heath (Holly Lane Meadow), several Brown Argus, Red Admiral (Holly Lane Meadow), Small Tortoiseshell (Sheep Brow); also many Speckled Woods, Green-veined Whites, Large Whites, Meadow Browns, Common Blues and Brimstones) - IPW


Saturday 30th
  • Canons Farm: WHINCHAT at 12:20 (Circle Field), c20 SWALLOWS (mainly flying west), 2 COMMON BUZZARDS (1 Buzzard Field, 1 Skylark Field), 3 SPARROWHAWKS (pair Heathside Field, ♀ Ruffett Wood), ♀ KESTREL (Legal & General), 2 COMMON GULLS (1 over Broadfield, 1 Legal & General), 18 BLACK-HEADED GULLS (5 flew north, 13 Legal & General), 4 CHIFFCHAFFS (2 Harrier Field, 1 Pages Acre, 1 Circle Field), BLACKCAP (Harrier Field), COMMON WHITETHROAT (Horse Pasture), 10 LINNETS, COLLARED DOVE (Copt Hill Lane), 2 STOCK DOVES (1 Ruffett Wood, 1 Circle Field), 5 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, 6+ LONG-TAILED TITS (2 Tawny Wood, 2+ Pages Acre, 1 Chipstead Meadow, 1 Circle Field), 6 PIED WAGTAILS (Legal & General), 3 GOLDFINCHES (Legal & General), 6 NUTHATCHES (4 Tawny Wood, 1 Pages Acre, 1 Chipstead Meadow), 2 TREECREEPERS (1 Tawny Wood, 1 Chipstead Meadow), COAL TIT (Tawny Wood), 4+ GOLDCRESTS (incl' juvs) (Tawny Wood), 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 4 GREEN WOODPECKERS (Butterflies: Speckled Woods, Large Whites, Green-veined Whites, Meadow Browns, Red Admiral) - IPW 


Friday 29th
  • no reported sightings


Thursday 28th
  • Canons Farm: 2 CORMORANTS flew over 08:39, SPARROWHAWK, 36 BLACK-HEADED GULLS, STOCK DOVE, 2 COMMON SWIFTS, GREEN WOODPECKER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, KESTREL, 18 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, 2 CHIFFCHAFFS, COMMON WHITETHROAT, TREECREEPER, YELLOW WAGTAIL flew over 18:09, 3 PIED WAGTAILS (Legal & General), 2 BULLFINCHES (Slangs), GOLDFINCH - DKC/JB/PGo/LM 


Wednesday 27th
  • Canons Farm 07:50-11:40: SPARROWHAWK, juv COMMON BUZZARD, 20 BLACK-HEADED GULLS (Legal & General), LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (Legal & General), 7 STOCK DOVES, 2 COMMON SWIFTS flew south, 4 GREEN WOODPECKERS, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 2 KESTRELS (Lunch Banks/Stoney Nob), 10+ ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, GOLDCREST (Ruffett Wood), 2+ SAND MARTINS flew south at 09:55 (Stoney Nob), 11+ SWALLOWS flew through, 1+ HOUSE MARTIN flew through, 3 CHIFFCHAFFS, 2 WILLOW WARBLERS (1 Reads Bottom, 1 by Green Belt Field), BLACKCAP, COMMON WHITETHROAT (C.Farmyard), 2 NUTHATCHES (1 Death Pit, 1 Lunch Wood), TREECREEPER (by Green Belt Field), SONG THRUSH (Legal & General), NORTHERN WHEATEAR (cowshed at Reads Rest), 4 YELLOW WAGTAILS flew SE at 08:54, 8 PIED WAGTAILS (Legal & General), 2 BULLFINCHES (Legal & General), 3 LINNETS, 2 GOLDFINCHES, 2 YELLOWHAMMERS (Reads Bottom) - DKC 
  • Banstead Woods 15:00-17:50: SPARROWHAWK, COMMON BUZZARD, STOCK DOVE, 2 GREEN WOODPECKERS, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, CHIFFCHAFF, 2 NUTHATCHES - DKC/RD 


Tuesday 26th
  • Canons Farm 06:25-08:40: ♂ PHEASANT, 2 BLACK-HEADED GULLS, STOCK DOVE, LITTLE OWL, 2 GREEN WOODPECKERS, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, KESTREL, 5 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, GOLDCREST singing (Copt Hill Lane), 5+ SWALLOWS, 2+ HOUSE MARTINS, CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP, 3 COMMON WHITETHROATS, GREY WAGTAIL at 06:59 (flew from Legal & General), LINNET, GOLDFINCH, YELLOWHAMMER - DKC 


Monday 25th
  • no reported sightings


Sunday 24th
  • Banstead Woods: COMMON WHITETHROAT, WILLOW WARBLER singing (near Piddly Pond), KESTREL, 2 GOLDCRESTS, 6+ COAL TITS (4+ juvs), 11 LONG-TAILED TITS, 4 CHIFFCHAFFS (Butterflies: Clouded Yellow (Hither Field), Purple Hairstreak (The Scrub), Chalkhill Blue, Small Tortoiseshell) - PGo
  • Banstead Woods: 4 COMMON SWIFTS, 2+ BULLFINCHES (The Scrub), 8 CHIFFCHAFFS, 10 BLACKCAPS, 5+ LONG-TAILED TITS, 6 STOCK DOVES (5 singing), 3 GREENFINCHES (Holly Lane Meadow), 2+ GOLDCRESTS (incl' juv), 2+ COAL TITS (incl' juv), 3 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 6 GREEN WOODPECKERS, 9+ ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS (Butterflies: ♀ Brown Hairstreak (west side of Hither Field), Small Copper (Holly Lane Meadow), 4 Small Heaths (3 Hither Field, 1 The Scrub), Small Tortoiseshell (Hither Field), 3 Brimstones (2 Hither Field, 1 Woodpecker Meadow); also good numbers of Meadow Browns, Common Blues, Large Whites, Green-veined Whites and Speckled Woods) - IPW


Saturday 23rd
  • Canons Farm: HOBBY flew east at 12:33 (Quail Field), 3 COMMON SWIFTS, HOUSE MARTIN, 2 BULLFINCHES (1 Tawny Wood, 1 Railway Field), COMMON BUZZARD (Broadfield), ♀ SPARROWHAWK (Infront George Field), 2 KESTRELS (1 Harrier Field, 1 Stoney Nob), LITTLE OWL (Stoney Nob), 9 GOLDFINCHES, 22 LINNETS (17 Legal & General, 5 Quail Field), 60+ STARLINGS, 8 PIED WAGTAILS (Legal & General), 3 BLACK-HEADED GULLS (Legal & General), 4 CHIFFCHAFFS, 3+ GOLDCRESTS (incl' juvs) (Tawny Wood), 3+ COAL TITS (incl' juvs) (Tawny Wood), 2 TREECREEPERS (1 Tawny Wood, 1 Pages Acre), 2 NUTHATCHES (1 Tawny Wood, 1 Pages Acre), 2 STOCK DOVES singing (1 Tawny Wood, 1 Chipstead Meadow), 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS (1 Tawny Wood, 1 Circle Field), 4 GREEN WOODPECKERS (incl' juv Horse Pasture) (Moths: Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Tawny Wood). Butterflies: 2 Red Admirals (1 Tawny Wood, 1 Quail Field), Small Heath (Legao & General), Large White; also good numbers of Speckled Woods, Green-veined Whites and Meadow Browns) - IPW 
  • Canons Farm 06:15-09:00/13:50-14:35: 3+ COMMON BUZZARDS, 15+ BLACK-HEADED GULLS, 3 HERRING GULLS (Legal & General), 3 STOCK DOVES, LITTLE OWL, 2 GREEN WOODPECKERS, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, KESTREL, 13 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, GOLDCREST (Tawny Wood), 3 COAL TITS (Pages Acre), 2 SWALLOWS, flock of 17 HOUSE MARTINS flew west, 3+ LONG-TAILED TITS (Pages Acre), 8 CHIFFCHAFFS, 3 WILLOW WARBLERS (Pages Acre), 3 BLACKCAPS, 3 COMMON WHITETHROATS, TREECREEPER, c80 HOUSE SPARROWS, 2 YELLOW WAGTAILS flew over, PIED WAGTAIL, 2 BULLFINCHES (Slangs), 4 LINNETS, 2 GOLDFINCHES, YELLOWHAMMER - DKC/SG
  • Banstead Woods 09:00-12:40: COMMON BUZZARD, 3 STOCK DOVES, 10 COMMON SWIFTS, 3 GREEN WOODPECKERS, 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, KESTREL, 4 GOLDCRESTS, 3 COAL TITS, 4+ LONG-TAILED TITS, 5 CHIFFCHAFFS, 2+ WILLOW WARBLERS, 2 BLACKCAPS, 5 NUTHATCHES, 2 TREECREEPERS, GREY WAGTAIL at 09:12 (Piddly Pond), 3+ BULLFINCHES - SG/DKC
  • (Moths: Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Tawny Wood)) - IPW    


Friday 22nd
  • Canons Farm: 3 CHIFFCHAFFS, 2 COMMON WHITETHROATS, 2 COMMON BUZZARDS (Butterflies: 15 Brown Argus (Pipit Meadow), 2 Common Blues (Pipit Meadow), Red Admiral) - PGo
  • Banstead Woods: 4 CHIFFCHAFFS (Butterflies: 5+ Brown Argus (Fames Rough), many Common Blues (Fames Rough)) - PGo
  • Legal & General: c25 PIED WAGTAILS - IGM


Thursday 21st
  • Canons Farm: 3 BLACK-HEADED GULLS, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL flew over, STOCK DOVE, GREEN WOODPECKER, HOUSE MARTIN, 2 COMMON WHITETHROATS, 3 PIED WAGTAILS, GOLDFINCH - DKC/DW


Wednesday 20th
  • Canons Farm 15:00-18:15: 2 COMMON BUZZARDS, 3 BLACK-HEADED GULLS, 4 STOCK DOVES, 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, KESTREL, 2+ ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, 2 GOLDCRESTS, SWALLOW, 2 CHIFFCHAFFS, COMMON WHITETHROAT, 2 TREECREEPERS, MISTLE THRUSH, 5 PIED WAGTAILS, 4 GOLDFINCHES - DKC 
  • CF/BW: 40+ COMMON SWIFTS (mainly CF) - DKC


Tuesday 19th
  • no reported sightings
Monday 18th
  • Canons Farm 16:45-19:05: 5 BLACK-HEADED GULLS (Legal & General), STOCK DOVE, 13+ COMMON SWIFTS, 3 GREEN WOODPECKERS, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, KESTREL, SWALLOW, 2 CHIFFCHAFFS, 4 COMMON WHITETHROATS, juv STONECHAT (north side of Horse Pasture), 12 PIED WAGTAILS (Legal & General), 2+ GOLDFINCHES (Butterflies: Speckled Wood) - DKC   


    Sunday 17th
    • Banstead Woods: 7 BULLFINCHES (The Scrub), COLLARED DOVE (Outwood Lane), 8 CHIFFCHAFFS, 4 STOCK DOVES, 2 GOLDFINCHES, 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, 3 GREEN WOODPECKERS - IPW
       

    Saturday 16th
    • Canons Farm: 2 NORTHERN WHEATEARS (Horse Pasture), 12 PIED WAGTAILS, 5 COMMON SWIFTS, 2 SWALLOWS, KESTREL, COMMON WHITETHROAT, CHIFFCHAFF, LINNET, juv GOLDCREST (Butterflies: Holly Blue, 6 Brown Argus, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Comma, Large Whites, Green-veined Whites. Mammals: Weasel) - PGo
    • Canons Farm 15:00-17:45: 2 NORTHERN WHEATEARS (Horse Pasture) (see 2014 Gallery), c25 PIED WAGTAILS, BULLFINCH (Slangs), 10+ COMMON SWIFTS, HOUSE MARTIN, 4 SWALLOWS flew south, COMMON GULL flew north, 5 BLACK-HEADED GULLS (Legal & General), KESTREL (Harrier Field), COMMON WHITETHROAT (Horse Pasture), CHIFFCHAFF, GREEN WOODPECKER, 3 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS (Butterflies: many Speckled Woods, Small White) - IPW


    Friday 15th
    • no reported sightings


    Thursday 14th
    • Legal & General: 2 SWALLOWS, 15+ GOLDFINCHES - IGM


    Wednesday 13th
    • Canons Farm: 11 BLACK-HEADED GULLS, KESTREL, YELLOWHAMMER - DKC
    • Canons Farm/Banstead Woods: 6 COMMON SWIFTS - DKC
    Tuesday 12th
    • The Scrub c07:00: ringtail (presumed) MONTAGU'S HARRIER flew SW - JMcC See 2014 Gallery for image and further details
    • Banstead Woods 06:30-12:00: SPARROWHAWK, 3 COMMON BUZZARDS, 2 GREEN WOODPECKERS, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 2 CHIFFCHAFFS, WILLOW WARBLER, 4 BLACKCAPS, GARDEN WARBLER retrapped (originally ringed late Apr), 2 COMMON WHITETHROATS, 2 NUTHATCHES, 2 PIED WAGTAILS flew over, 2 BULLFINCHES, 1+ GOLDFINCH - DKC/DR/BA/JMcC et al
    • Canons Farm 14:10-18:35: 15 BLACK-HEADED GULLS (Legal & General), LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL flew over, STOCK DOVE, 2 LITTLE OWLS, 3 COMMON SWIFTS, GREEN WOODPECKER, KESTREL, 4+ SWALLOWS, 2 COMMON WHITETHROATS, c20 PIED WAGTAILS (Legal & General), 3 LINNETS, 2+ YELLOWHAMMERS - DKC/IGM


    Monday 11th
    • no reported sightings


    Sunday 10th
    • no reported sightings


    Saturday 9th
    • Canons Farm: SAND MARTIN (Green Belt Field), 9 HOUSE MARTINS (Green Belt Field), 11 COMMON SWIFTS (Green Belt Field), 2 SWALLOWS flew west (Green Belt Field), COMMON BUZZARD (Green Belt Field), 2 KESTRELS (R.R.Lane), 5 GOLDFINCHES, LINNET, GREEN WOODPECKER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER - IPW
    • Banstead Woods: 4 MISTLE THRUSHES (Fames Rough) (Butterflies: 3 Silver-washed Fritillaries (1 estate area, 2 Sheep Brow/Fames Rough); also Small/Essex Skippers, Large Skipper, Small Coppers, Meadow Browns, Commas, Common Blues, Gatekeepers, Brimstones, Peacocks, Speckled Woods, Small Heaths, Small White) - IPW   
    • (Fames Rough) 3 SPA-RROWHAWKS (Butterflies: Meadow Brown, 2 fritillary sp.) - IGM


    Friday 8th
    • Canons Farm 18:25-19:40: SPARROWHAWK, 2 LITTLE OWLS, GREEN WOODPECKER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, KESTREL, CHIFFCHAFF, COMMON WHITETHROAT, ♂ YELLOWHAMMER (singing) (Butterflies: Speckled Wood) - DKC/JB


    Thursday 7th
    • no reported sightings


    Wednesday 6th
    • Over Death Pit: 3 COMMON BUZZARDS (2+ juvs), 12+ COMMON SWIFTS - IGM
    Tuesday 5th
    • Pipit Meadow: SAND MARTIN, 4 SWALLOWS, 10 COMMON SWIFTS, COMMON WHITETHROAT, CHIFFCHAFF - PGo
    • The Scrub 06:20-11:50: GREY HERON flew over, 2 COMMON BUZZARDS, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL flew over, 3 COMMON SWIFTS flew over, 2+ GREEN WOODPECKERS, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, CHIFFCHAFF, WILLOW WARBLER, BLACKCAP, GARDEN WARBLER, COMMON WHITETHROAT, 1+ NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, 1+ SONG THRUSH, 1+ BULLFINCH, GREENFINCH, LINNET, 2+ GOLDFINCHES - DKC/DR/CNR/LB/RR


    Monday 4th
    • Canons Farm 18:15-20:20: ♂ PHEASANT, juv COMMON BUZZARD (Gunman's Shaw), 5 STOCK DOVES (1 singing), LITTLE OWL, COMMON SWIFT, 7+ GREEN WOODPECKERS, 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, KESTREL, c36 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, GOLDCREST (Ruffett Wood), SWALLOW flew south, 1+ LONG-TAILED TIT (Ruffett Wood), CHIFFCHAFF, 3 COMMON WHITETHROATS, TREECREEPER (Ruffett Wood), 2 SONG THRUSHES (1 singing), GREENFINCH, 2 LINNETS, GOLDFINCHES, 3 YELLOWHAMMERS (1 singing) - DKC
    • Banstead Woods: c25 COMMON SWIFTS - DKC    


    Sunday 3rd
    • Canons Farm: 2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS flew south 09:54, c17 SWALLOWS (incl' c14 SW over Poultry Field c12:42, c5 HOUSE MARTINS, 4 COMMON SWIFTS, 2 PIED WAGTAILS (1x 1cy) (Legal & General), 8 BLACK-HEADED GULLS (Legal & General), 2 COMMON BUZZARDS (Broadfield), ♀ SPARROWHAWK (Green Belt Field), ♀ KESTREL (Broadfield), LITTLE OWL (Stoney Nob), 3 YELLOWHAMMERS (Harrier Field), BULLFINCH (Tawny Wood), 10 GOLDFINCHES, 2 LINNETS (Broadfield), TREECREEPER (Infront George Field), 2 BLACKCAPS, CHIFFCHAFF, 2 COMMON WHITETHROATS, 2+ GOLDCRESTS (Ruffett Wood), 6 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, 7 GREEN WOODPECERS, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECER (Butterflies: Ringlet (Legal & General; also Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Peacock, Speckled Woods, Small Tortoiseshells, Common Blues. Odonata: 4 Migrant Hawkers (Pipit Meadow)) - IPW
    • Banstead Woods: c32 COMMON SWIFTS flew south 11:15-11:30 (The Scrub), COMMON BUZZARD (Sheep Brow), KESTREL (Sheep Brow), 4 BULLFINCHES (3 The Scrub, 1 Sheep Brow) (Butterflies: 2 Purple Hairstreaks (The Scrub), 3 Silver-washed Fritillaries (1 Sheep Brow, 2 Fames Rough), Dark Green Fritillary (Fames Rough). Odonata: Common Darters (Fames Rough)) - IPW  
    • Fames Rough area: COMMON SWIFT, BLACKCAP family (Butterflies: 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries, Small Copper, Chalkhill Blues, Common Blues, Brown Argus) - PGo


    Saturday 2nd
    • CHAFFINCH family (Broadfield) (Butteflies: Small Copper (Legal & General), 3 Brown Argus (Legal & General), 4 Common Blues (Pipit Meadow), Essex Skipper (Pipit Meadow)) - PGo


    Friday 1st
    • Banstead Woods: 9 BULLFINCHES (2 Valley Meadows, 1 The Nuttery, 1 Sheep Brow, 2 The Scrub, 2 Piddly Pond, 1 elsewhere), 6 COMMON SWIFTS flew south, COMMON BUZZARD (Sheep Brow), 11+ LONG-TAILED TITS (c9 Sheep Brow, 2+ The Scrub), juv CHIFFCHAFFS (Sheep Brow), 2 GOLDFINCHES (1 juv) (Valley Meadows), 2 LINNETS (The Scrub), 2 GREENFINCHES (Valley Meadows), 6 GREEN WOODPECKERS (3 (1 juv) Hither Field, 2 The Scrub, 1 Valley Meadows), 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS (1 Valley Meadows, 1 Hither Field) (Butterflies: Clouded Yellow (Hither Field), Dark Green Fritillary (Sheep Brow), Silver-washed Fritillary (Sheep Brow), 3 Brown Argus (2 Valley Meadows, 1 Sheep Brow), 30+ Chalkhill Blues (Valley Meadows), 2 Marbled Whites (1 Hither Field,  Sheep Brow), Small Heath (Sheep Brow); also Peacocks, Common Blues, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods, Large Skipper, Essex Skippers, Small Skippers, Brimstones, Large Whites, Small Whites, Green-veined Whites) - IPW