25th November 2016

A decent day for finches in Banstead Woods was headlined by a female Brambling feeding busily with Chaffinches in an ash tree between Piddly Pond and The Scrub. Three Siskins had discovered a convenient tree hollow from which to drink by the larches near the Reads Rest Lane entrance and said larches drew in a Lesser Redpoll. Two Stonechats, a male and a female, looked at home in Hither Field and a pair of Mallards paraded around Piddly Pond. A Rook flew over the east side of the Woods and six Bullfinches were counted in the sector. Highlights at the farm were limited to a Meadow Pipit, five Rooks and six Common Gulls.

♂ Siskin, Banstead Woods

♂ Chaffinch, Reads Rest Cottages

Other sightings included two Common Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, 40 Skylarks, 12 Fieldfares, three Redwings, a Pied Wagtail, 150 Linnets and a Yellowhammer at the farm; additional sightings at Banstead Woods included a Pheasant, a Common Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, three Fieldfares, four Song Thrushes, three Redwings.

David Campbell (photos), Paul Goodman and Duncan Jennings

Please note there will be no updates from 30th November to 15th December, unless any group members are willing to take the reigns and post brief key updates for a couple of weeks..?