Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Birds

9th March 2017

A ♂ Grey Wagtail flew west and two ♂ Stonechats were mobile around the farm. Two Mallards flew over and Little Owls were showing at Legal & General and on the east side of Horse Pasture. 14 Yellowhammers were counted, including two singing ♂♂. Common Buzzards were enjoying the warmth, 11 birds possibly including some migrants. The Legal & General sports field held three adult Common Gulls and 23 Black-headed Gulls. Four Kestrels were noted across the farm and a Pied Wagtail was still in the Legal & General car park. 17 Linnets and six Meadow Pipits were logged but there were only singles of Fieldfare and Redwing.

The BW sector had a redpoll and two Siskins in Perrotts Larches, as well as two Treecreepers, three Bullfinches, a Pheasant, a Common Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk.

The spring-like conditions tempted a Small Tortoiseshell and a Brimstone out at the farm, while 11 further Brimstones were counted in BW, along with a Comma.

♂ Yellowhammer

♂ Starling

Small Tortoiseshell

David Campbell (photos), Duncan Jennings, Linda Mount and Ian Pratley

7th March 2017

Five Stonechats were on the edge of Horse Pasture and two Meadow Pipits were in Owl Meadow. A Pied Wagtail was feeding at Legal & General. A Kestrel was also at the farm. The BW sector had a Pheasant and a Common Buzzard.

Andy Downing and Duncan Jennings

6th March 2017

The flock of Lesser Redpolls near the north-west corner of the Harholt Plantation had grown to 25 birds. A migrant Linnet flew over Hillwood Field, as did a Lesser Black-backed Gull and two Common Gulls, while other sightings in the BW sector included a Pheasant, a ♀ Sparrowhawk, a Common Buzzard, two Kestrels, two Treecreepers, four Bullfinches and two Greenfinches.

The farm three ♂ Stonechats on Lunch Banks, along with four Common Buzzards, another Kestrel, a Common Gull, four Redwings.

Lesser Redpoll

♀ Sparrowhawk

David Campbell (photos), Ian Magness and Ian Pratley

4th March 2017

14 Lesser Redpolls were feeding in the birches between Piddly Pond and the Harholt Plantation. A ♀ Stonechat was at Slangs and a pair were in Hillwood Field, where seven Common Buzzards drifted northeast and two Meadow Pipits were seen. Another seven Common Buzzards were seen over the CF sector. A Pied Wagtail flew over Poultry Field and two Kestrels were seen mating at the caravan site. 70 Redwings were in Green Belt Field.

first-winter ♂ Lesser Redpoll

♀ Stonechat at Slangs

Piddly Pond was brought to life by much raunchy Common Frog activity.

Common Frog

Ian Magness (photo 2-3) and Ian Ward (photo 1)

3rd March 2017

Banstead Woods had a Peregrine, as well as a Pheasant, a Tawny Owl and seven Redwings.

Duncan Jennings and Ian Pratley

2nd March 2017

A Mallard flew over the farm and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was with five adult Common Gulls, 18 Herring Gulls and 23 Black-headed Gulls on the Legal & General sports field. 50 Fieldfares and 65 Redwings were feeding in the fields. A Pied Wagtail flew from Broadfield and five Meadow Pipits were seen. Also at CF was a Kestrel, 11 Skylarks, a Treecreeper and a Yellowhammer.

BW had two Stonechats in Hither Field, a Linnet overhead, a Mistle Thrush, two Common Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk of note.

Sparrowhawk

Geoff Barter and David Campbell (photo)

1st March 2017

Three Stonechats and two Meadow Pipits were near the Watchpoint and two Common Buzzards were over Lunch Wood. A male Bullfinch was in The Knoll, where the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was possibly heard drumming again.

♂ Stonechat

Robin

Ian Magness (photos) and Ian Pratley

28th February 2017

Three Stonechats were seen in Hillwood Field and other BW sightings included a Siskin in Perrotts Larches, six Lesser Redpolls and a Common Buzzard. Sightings at the farm included three Common Buzzards and 10 Redwings.

Geoff Barter and Ian Pratley

27th February 2017

The farm had two fly-over Mallards, a Pheasant, a Sparrowhawk, four Common Gulls, an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull at Legal & General, a Little Owl on the east side of Horse Pasture, a Kestrel, two Rooks, nine Skylarks, three Nuthatches, 150 Fieldfares, 275 Redwings, a ♀ Stonechat, three Meadow Pipits, four Greenfinches and five Yellowhammers.

adult Common Gull and adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on the Legal & General sports field

first-winter Common Gull on the Legal & General sports field (a scarce age this winter)

Rook in Broadfield

♀ Stonechat at Reads Bottom

David Campbell

26th February 2017

A Grey Wagtail heard overhead this morning was the first of the year. Pied Wagtail has been very scarce lately so it was great to see four feeding at Legal & General. Four Mallards flew over the farm. Three Lesser Redpolls were along Slangs and two Stonechats (♂ and ♀) were around Owl Meadow while four Mistle Thrushes were seen towards the northwest end of the farm. A flock of 140 Linnets was buzzing around Doric Field. Other sightings in the CF sector included a Collared Dove singing in Holly Wood, a Common Buzzard, a Common Gull, two Kestrels, two Rooks, four Nuthatches, two Treecreepers, 200 Fieldfares, 350 Redwings, seven Skylarks, a Bullfinch, a Greenfinch and eight Yellowhammers. A Sparrowhawk was over BW.

♂ Pied Wagtail at Legal & General

♂ Mallard

David Campbell (photos), Darragh Culley, Ian Magness, Tasha Preston and Ian Ward

25th February 2017

A Reed Bunting calling at Reads Bottom was the third bird of the year, a good early run. Three Stonechats were in the hedge at the north side of Horse Pasture. Nine Lesser Redpolls flew over the Harholt Plantation. Back at CF, further sightings there included a Pheasant, a Common Buzzard, 63 Black-headed Gulls on the Legal & General sports field, three Common Gulls, a Little Owl, a Kestrel, two Rooks, 70 Fieldfares, 160 Redwings, two Meadow Pipits, four Linnets and two Yellowhammers. Three Common Buzzards were over the BW sector.

David Campbell, Paul Goodman, Phil Jennings and Ian Ward

24th February 2017

The Stonechat passage continued, with seven counted across the site including four in Hither Field and three at Reads Bottom. Four Siskins and 10 redpolls were seen at BW. Six Meadow Pipits and a Linnet bouncing over Hillwood Field, where five Fieldfares dropped in and four Redwings were seen. 16 Bullfinches were counted in the BW sector and a Rook was at The Nuttery. Other BW sightings included a Pheasant, four Common Buzzards, 14 Goldcrests, 14 Nuthatches, five Treecreepers and a Greenfinch. A Common Gull was on the Legal & General sports field and a Fieldfare and 10 Redwings were also seen in the CF sector.

♂ Stonechat in Hither Field

David Campbell (photo), Paul Goodman and Ian Pratley

23rd February 2017

Sightings at the farm included 100 Fieldfares, 30 Redwings and 200 Starlings.

Ian Magness

22nd February 2017

A Common Buzzard was still at Legal & General, where 31 Black-headed Gulls were feeding on the sports field.

Ian Pratley

21st February 2017

Significant late news concerned a drumming Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at The Knoll on Saturday (Andy Keay). This species now stands in a very precarious position with regard to its status at CFBW, please report any further sightings within, or around, the recording area this winter/spring. Birds should remain vocal over the next month or so.

The day's sightings in the BW sector included a Sparrowhawk, a Common Buzzard and a Treecreeper.

Duncan Jennings

20th February 2017

Two ♂ Stonechats lingered along Reads Rest Lane and a juvenile Common Buzzard was nonchalantly parading around the grass by Legal & General. Three Common Buzzards and a Kestrel were in the Banstead Woods sector.

Ian Pratley

19th February 2017

A fall of at least five Stonechats at the farm added extra cheer to proceedings but was not the only sign of spring movement, with a count of nine Common Buzzards possibly including five migrant birds. Two Little Owls were calling in the evening, from Horse Pasture and Stoney Nob, and other sightings at the farm included two Pheasants, a Sparrowhawk, a Collared Dove, 20 Fieldfares, 40 Redwings, two Rooks, two Meadow Pipits and a Yellowhammer.

♂ Stonechat

David Campbell (photo), Paul Goodman, Ian Magness and Tasha Preston

18th February 2017

The female Stonechat continued its residence at Reads Bottom, two Little Owls around Stoney Nob, a Collared Dove was singing at Legal & General and a Meadow Pipit was in Horse Pasture. Other sightings in the CF sector included two Common Buzzards, a Common Gull, a Fieldfare, 40 Redwings, a Treecreeper, a Nuthatch, two Greenfinches, a Bullfinch and eight Yellowhammers.

Ian Magness, Tasha Preston and Ian Ward

17th February 2017

A fine spring(-like?) day saw a ♂ Reed Bunting pitch up briefly at Reads Bottom, where the ♀ Stonechat remained, and a Lapwing drop into Broadfield. A Tawny Owl was noted in Banstead Woods and three Little Owls were logged at the farm.

Otherwise, CF held a Pheasant, three Common Buzzards, a Kestrel, two Rooks, 10 Skylarks, 20 Fieldfares, 15 Redwings, six Meadow Pipits, three Bullfinches and three Yellowhammers. Also noted in the BW sector were four Bullfinches and two Treecreepers.

The sun tempted the first butterflies of the year out, with a Peacock by Canons Farmhouse and a Brimstone in the BW sector.

♀ Stonechat at Reads Bottom

Geoff Barter, Paul Goodman, Duncan Jennings and Ian Ward (photo)

16th February 2017

Two Red Kites drifted west over the farm in the afternoon and a female Stonechat was fresh-in, feeding in Owl Meadow before moving to the south side of Horse Pasture. A Little Owl was showing on the east side of Horse Pasture. Three Mallards over the farm included two that also crossed BW airspace. Counts of 50 Skylarks and 40 Linnets retained a wintery feel despite the warm weather and the first singing Yellowhammer of the year as part of a count of four. Five Meadow Pipits flew out of Owl Meadow and seven Rooks were feeding in Broadfield. Other sightings at the farm included a ♂ Pheasant, a Sparrowhawk, four Common Buzzards, three Common Gulls and a Kestrel.

The BW sector had three Lesser Redpolls, feeding in birches between Reads Rest Lane and Piddly Pond, as well as a Rook overhead.