21st March

Weather: NW f2-3, mainly overcast, feeling milder, 6-8°C

There was more than a suggestion of Common Buzzards on the move, with 18 recorded across the site, some of which were displaying residents, but others high passing birds. Quail and Skylark fields continue to be the busiest areas on site, with the finch flock now boasting more Linnets than Chaffinches, and the winter thrushes still putting on a show.
Fieldfare, Skylark Field, 21/03/16 (Steve Gale)
Canons Farm: 1 GREY HERON , 9 CANADA GOOSE (6 SE at 8:35 & 3 SW at 9:05am), 3 GREYLAG GOOSE (with Canada then went SE at 9:05am), 6 COMMON BUZZARD, 1 KESTREL, 40+ BLACK-HEADED GULL, 120+ HERRING GULL, 2 GREEN WOODPECKER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Lunch Wood - drumming), 3 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET, 15 STOCK DOVE, 200+ WOOD PIGEON, 8+ SKYLARK, 3 MEADOW PIPIT (2 Harrier Field, 1 Perrotts by Wood), 225+ FIELDFARE (mainly Quail and Skylark Fields), 100+ REDWING (mostly Legal & General), 4 LONG-TAILED TIT, 8 JAY (inc 7 Canons Wood), 4 ROOK, 70+ CHAFFINCH (Quail Field), 100+ LINNET (Quail Field), 2 GREENFINCH, 4 GOLDFINCH, 5 YELLOWHAMMER (Slangs and Broadfield).

Greylag Geese, Broadfield, 21/03/16 (Duncan Jennings)

Canada Goose, Broadfield, 21/03/16 (Duncan Jennings)
Banstead Woods: 12 COMMON BUZZARD (4 over Hither Field, 8 over orchard), 1 SPARROWHAWK (over Orchard with Buzzards), 100+ HERRING GULL, 2 GREEN WOODPECKER, 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 2 STOCK DOVE, 6 ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET, 1 MISTLE THRUSH, 1 REDWING, 2 NUTHATCH, 2 GOLDCREST, 2 LONG-TAILED TIT, 3 JAY, 6 ROOK (Outwood Lane rookery), 1 BULLFINCH.

Other wildlife: Greater Stitchwort starting to flower along roadside verge near to Reeds Rest Cottages.
Greater Stitchwort, Reeds Rest Lane, 21/03/16 (Steve Gale)

Observers: Steve Gale, Duncan Jennings