18 June 2026: Canons Farm - Paul Goodman

 

One of five Painted Ladies

Dark Green Fritillary. Only the second record at Canons Farm

Mistle Thrush with caterpillar food

An uncommon Golden Bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle

Small Tortoiseshell. Sadly now quite scarce in SE England

Swift 50
Herring Gull 4
Common Buzzard 2
Skylark 10+
Chiffchaff 3
Blackcap 3
Whitethroat 6
Nuthatch 2
Starling 100+ feeding around Canons Farmhouse. Many juveniles
Mistle Thrush 1 At Perrots, carrying food which it carried into Banstead Woods
Chaffinch 1
Yellowhammer 2
Essex Skipper 1
Small/Essex Skipper 2
Marbled White 9
Small White 10
Large White 2
Comma 4
Painted Lady 5
Small Tortoiseshell 2 Along path by Broadfield
Dark Green Fritillary 3 Ruffet Meadow
Meadow Brown 60+
Golden Bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetl 1

 

16 June 2026: Banstead Woods - Ian Ward

 

General comments Vicinity; Park Downs 
3 Dark-green Fritillaries
2 Emperors
1 Hummingbird Moth
1 Marsh Tit
Small Tortoiseshell

CFBW sector:

1 Small Tortoiseshell in the perimeter of the Scouts Car Park

50-60+ Marbled Whites
1 Ringlet 

15 June 2026: Canons Farm - Justin Bendig

 

General comments Dusk visit.
Barn Owl 1 (21:15)
Little Owl 1 (21:45)
Yellowhammer 2

15 June 2026: Banstead Woods - Ian Ward

 

White Admiral

Red Admiral

Silver Washed Fritillary

Common Buzzard 2
Treecreeper 4; 1 near post 8, 3 together (adults feeding a juvenile on a beech at back of Alan Collis bench)
Brimstone 3
Small White 4
Comma 4
Red Admiral 1
Silver-washed Fritillary 1
Speckled Wood 2
White Admiral 1 near post 16 (Narnia wardrobe footpath

 

14 June 2026: Banstead Woods - Paul Goodman

 

Male Common Whitethroat

Moorhen 1
Coal Tit 1
Blackcap 2
Whitethroat 2 Pair near carpark
Comma 1
Azure Damselfly 1

Large Red Damselfly

Small Blue Butterfly 

1

 1

13 June 2026: Canons Farm - Jay Alexander

 

Pheasant 1 Heard Only
Woodpigeon 6
Swift 2
Cormorant 1 seen from owl meadow
Barn Owl 1 Caught a rodent in owl meadow, later seen in Horse Pasture where it caught another rodent. Later seen carrying prey high over Banstead Woods from near Perrots by-wood
Tawny Owl 2 calling near Perrotts farm
Rose-ringed Parakeet 2
Carrion Crow 3
Skylark 2
Blackbird 2
Yellowhammer 2
Roe Deer 2
Fox 1

10 June 2026: Canons Farm - Paul Goodman

 

Chiffchaff at L&G

Clay moth

Swift 50 - 100+. Two flocks of 50+, one feeding around Green Barn then an hour later another (or same) 50+ near Perrots plus 2 at L&G
Green Woodpecker 1
Skylark 10+
Chiffchaff 5
Blackcap 3
Whitethroat 3
Nuthatch 1
Song Thrush 3
Blackbird 6+ Female carrying food at L&G
Robin 4+ Several juveniles at Holly Wood
Red Admiral 1
Speckled Wood 1
Meadow Brown 50+
Small Heath 1

 Insects include: 8 Volucella Inanis, 1 Clay moth, 2+ Noon Flies, 1 Garden Chafer and 1 chrysotoxum festivium (hoverfly)

10 June 2026: Banstead Woods - Ian Ward

Small Skipper

 

General comments Sightings reported in mainly Hillwood field
Swift 30+ over; presumably adults & juveniles
Common Buzzard 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker Juveniles heard within a tree hole near post 17
Green Woodpecker 2
Coal Tit 1 singing
Skylark 1 singing Hither
Nuthatch 1 singing in Harholt
Mistle Thrush 1 from Scouts Car Park into the woods
Small Skipper 1
Large Skipper 8
Brimstone 1
Marbled White 2
Painted Lady 1
Red Admiral 1
Silver-washed Fritillary 1 possible near Harholt
Speckled Wood 1
Meadow Brown c50*
Small Heath 3
Holly Blue 1
Emperor 4; 2m 1fem Hillwood field, 1m over the scouts car park

7 June 2026: Banstead Woods - Ian Ward

 A White-tailed Bumblebee was observed in Hillwood field/Harholt

Collared Dove 1 singing S of Hither field copse 12:28
Swift C25+
Herring Gull 8
Sparrowhawk 1 fem over Coneyboro
Common Buzzard 2
Jackdaw Up to 40 over Hither fields
Skylark 2 singing Hither fields
Chiffchaff 3
Blackcap 2
Whitethroat 2
Goldfinch 3 together in the Nuttery ( 1 singing)
Meadow Brown 1
Roe Deer

1 

 

 

7 June 2026: Banstead Woods - Paul Goodman

 

General comments Cloudy
Swift 30. Mostly over fields south of Outwood Lane, a few over the woods
Red Kite 1
Green Woodpecker 2
Coal Tit 1
Blue Tit 1+ With juveniles
Great Tit 10+ Families with juveniles
Skylark 1 Singing over Hither Field. Probably breeding, either in fields to south of Outwood Lane or possibly in Hither Field
Chiffchaff 15
Long-tailed Tit 6+ with juveniles
Blackcap 9
Whitethroat 3
Goldcrest 3+ family group with juveniles
Nuthatch 7
Song Thrush 3
Meadow Brown 1
Small Heath 5

6 June 2026: Banstead Woods - Ian Ward

 

Outwood Lane pond, 30th May

On 7th June after heavy rain

General comments Outwood Lane Lagoon Update:
Due to recent heavy downpour showers- the lagoon has once again restored to a high water level BUT so far ALL aquatic life (including Moorhens) now devoid.
*NB- Still a healthy population of Water Boatman’s in the Holly Lane Cow Trough adjacent to Holly Lane Overflow Pond.
Mallard 2 over
Swift 2
Common Buzzard 2 ( no sign of any juveniles yet)
Kestrel 1
Treecreeper Juveniles flew over Holly Lane from Park farm Orchard area into Park Downs

5 June 2026: Canons Farm - Paul Goodman and Jay Alexander

Barn Owl carrying prey (Jay Alexander)

Hunting Barn Owl (Jay Alexander)

 

 Dusk visit

Barn Owl                 1

Little Owl                1 

4 June 2026: Canons Farm - Paul Goodman

 

Swift 8
Herring Gull 1
Skylark 8
Chiffchaff 1
Blackcap 2
Whitethroat 2
Mistle Thrush 2
Song Thrush 2
Chaffinch 1
Linnet 2
Meadow Brown 3
Small Heath 2

4 June 2026: Canons Farm - Jay Alexander

 

Woodpigeon 2
Barn Owl 1
Little Owl 1
Blackbird 2
Yellowhammer 2
Roe Deer 2

3 June 2026: Banstead Woods - Ian Ward

 Scarlet Tiger moth in Scouts Car Park


2 June 2026: Canons Farm - Jay Alexander

 


Barn Owl

31 May 2026: Canons Farm - Jay Alexander

 

Barn Owl

Pheasant 1
Stock Dove 1
Barn Owl 1 Over Owl Meadow at 9:30
Little Owl 1
Kestrel 1 over Owl Meadow
Carrion Crow 2
Blackbird 2
Other wildlife 1 (type species) 2 Roe Deer

 

31 May 2026: Canons Farm - Justin Bendig

 

General comments Dusk watch. Warm, calm evening.
Pheasant 1 (Cock, Stoney Nob)
Barn Owl 1 (Hunting near Canons farmhouse)
Little Owl 1
Whitethroat 2 (Both Males)
Rabbit 1 (south edge of Broadfield, where it meets Lunch wood)
Roe Deer buck 1 
Fox 1
Bats 2 ner Canons Farmhouse

30 May 2026: Banstead Woods - Ian Ward

 

Yellow-barred Longhorn Moth (Nemophora degeerella )


General comments Outwood Lane Lagoon has now dried out
Moorhen No trace of any adult birds or chicks
Grey Heron 1 flew E 13:20
Common Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Long-tailed Tit Lots of juveniles in the woods
Large Skipper 1
Comma 1
Painted Lady 2
Speckled Wood 5
Meadow Brown 1
Small Blue 1
Holly Blue 2
Azure Damselfly 2m
Large Red Damselfly 1
Broad-bodied Chaser 1m

 Also, vicinity; Queen Tree Bumblebee over at Park Downs

29 May 2026: Canons Farm - Justin Bendig

 

General comments

Dusk watch up to 21:50. A slightly cooler evening after a week of record May temperatures. A near full moon providing some helpful light. My first sighting of a Barn Owl hunting this year.

Also, an unusually late Spring record of Meadow Pipit 
Pheasant 1 (Cock Pheasant crowing)
Barn Owl 1 (21:38, hunting along east edge of Horse Pasture, continued due south over Reads Rest Lane towards Stoney Nob)
Little Owl 1 (Reads Rest Lane telegraph poles)
Jay 1
Skylark 2
Whitethroat 2
Dunnock 2
Meadow Pipit 2 (chasing each other, low over the ground, Infront George East)
Yellowhammer 2 (Male & female, Reads Rest Cottages)
Rabbit 1
Roe Deer doe 1
Fox 1

29 May 2026: Canons Farm - Paul Goodman

 

Common Buzzard 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 4
Green Woodpecker 1
Skylark 10+
Chiffchaff 2
Blackcap 5
Whitethroat 5
Nuthatch 1
Song Thrush 1
Linnet 4
Yellowhammer 4
Painted Lady 2
Speckled Wood 2
Meadow Brown 2
Small Heath 3

 Cinnabar Moth                           1

27 May 2026: Banstead Woods - Paul Goodman

 

Green Woodpecker 1
Chiffchaff 8
Long-tailed Tit 1
Blackcap 18
Whitethroat 1
Nuthatch 2
Song Thrush 2
Dingy Skipper 1
Grizzled Skipper 2
Large Skipper 2 (earlier than normal this year)
Brimstone 3
Painted Lady 1
Red Admiral 1
Speckled Wood 2
Small Heath 2
Small Blue 1
Common Blue 5
Holly Blue 2
Small Copper 1
Bees: Early, red tailed, buff tailed, white tailed and common carder bumblebees

 

26 May 2026: Banstead Woods - Ian Ward

 

Stock Dove 7 singing
Red Kite 1
Common Buzzard 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 3
Green Woodpecker 2
Coal Tit 2
Chiffchaff 10 singing
Long-tailed Tit 2
Blackcap 23 singing
Nuthatch 2
Treecreeper 1
Song Thrush 5 singing
Chaffinch 2 singing
Peacock 1
Speckled Wood 5
Holly Blue 3
Beautiful Demoiselle 1 m near post 2
Broad-bodied Chaser 1m in the woods

25 May 2026: Canons Farm - Ian Ward

 

Barn Owl

General comments Dusk visit; sunset 20:59
5 Bats
5 Roe Deer
1 Red Fox
Pheasant 2
Common Buzzard 1
Barn Owl 1 carrying prey over Horse Pasture 20:47
Little Owl 2 calling: 1,Infront George field East, 1 North Horse Pasture
Green Woodpecker 1
Rose-ringed Parakeet 1
Skylark 4 singing
Chiffchaff 1
Blackcap 1
Whitethroat 3 singing
Song Thrush 3 singing
House Sparrow 6
Chaffinch 1
Linnet 4
Yellowhammer 1 singing by Canons Farmhouse
Meadow Brown 1
Emperor 1 over Broadfield East

 

24 May 2026: Banstead Woods - Ian Ward

 

Painted Lady - more numerous than usual this year

General comments 1 SilverY in Fames Rough and Early Bumblebees on Common Comfrey in Scouts Car Park
Red Kite 1 swooped down to attack  Crows
Great Spotted Woodpecker Juveniles heard in a dead tree south of Fames Rough
Jay 1 drinking in Piddly Pond
Coal Tit 1 bathing in Piddly Pond
Blue Tit several drinking in Piddly Pond
Great Tit 1 drinking in Piddly Pond
Whitethroat 6 singing
Blackbird 4 males all chasing a female over Piddly Pond
Bullfinch 2 ; 1 singing south of Fames Rough
Goldfinch 1
Dingy Skipper 3
Grizzled Skipper 1
Brimstone 7
Large White 1
Painted Lady 2 on Hither field
Speckled Wood 3
Meadow Brown possible 1
Small Heath c20+
Common Blue c20+
Holly Blue 3
Small Copper 2
Brown Argus 2 south Fames Rough
Green Hairstreak 2
Beautiful Demoiselle 1 flew over Hillwood field into Harholt Plantation
Azure Damselfly 2 by Piddly Pond
Large Red Damselfly 5 by Piddly Pond ( some mating)
Broad-bodied Chaser 1 fem Piddly Pond

 

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