Today belonged to the humble Chaffinch. Recent days has seen the Quail Field flock stabilise at 100 birds, most welcome after the depressed numbers present this winter. Then this morning it had suddenly swollen to 400, no doubt augmented by passing migrants (an overhead passage was noted locally). By mid-morning this had increased to 700 and then peaked mid-afternoon at an impressive 1,100 - this is the highest local count since early 2008. The birds were not alone, as 3 Brambling (2♂ and a ♀) and 150 Linnets were also taking advantage of the foraging on offer in the Quail Field area. Some birds were peeling off and using Heathside Field and neighbouring gardens in Copt Hill Lane. It was just as well that this avian spectacle was on show, as it was slim pickings elsewhere.
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| Chaffinches, Quail Field, 14/03/16 (Duncan Jennings). All the birds were feeding in this spaced-out formation, meaning that the flock were scattered over a large area of the field. |
Canons Farm: 2 COMMON BUZZARD, 1 KESTREL (♂), 40 STOCK DOVE (Tart's Field), 6 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET, 2 GREEN WOODPECKER, 3 COMMON GULL, 4 BLACK-HEADED GULL, 12 SKYLARK (various fields), 2 MEADOW PIPIT (Stoney Knob), 2 MISTLE THRUSH, 30+ FIELDFARE, SONG THRUSH, 6 ROOK (infront George Field), 1 NUTHATCH, 1 PIED WAGTAIL (Quail Field), 1,100 CHAFFINCH, 3 BRAMBLING, 20 GOLDFINCH, 150+ LINNET, 9 YELLOWHAMMER (Infront George Field, Bog Field).
Banstead Woods: 1 RED KITE (low over Scrub going E at 12:40pm), 3 COMMON BUZZARD, 2 KESTREL (Hither Field), 2 STOCK DOVE, 4 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET, GREEN WOODPECKER, 3 GOLDCREST, LONG-TAILED TIT, 2 NUTHATCH, GOLDFINCH, 2+ BULLFINCH, 2 LINNET,
Other wildlife: Out of the wind, along the Holly Lane border of Green Belt Field were at least 4 Small Tortoiseshells. A number of Bluebells are already flowering, very early for such a showing.
Other wildlife: Out of the wind, along the Holly Lane border of Green Belt Field were at least 4 Small Tortoiseshells. A number of Bluebells are already flowering, very early for such a showing.
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| Small Tortoiseshell, Green Belt Field, 14/03/16 (Steve Gale) |
Observers: Geoff Barter, Steve Gale, Duncan Jennings, Jamie McKenzie, Linda Mount
