30th November-17th December 2016

Thank you for all the records over the last couple of weeks or so, they have all been safely stowed in the database. Here is a quick roundup of the most significant sightings; business as usual will hereafter be resumed:

A Red Kite flew east over the farm on 16th and the adult female Peregrine returned to Stoney Nob on 5th and it, or another, flew over Hither Field on 10th. The three wintering Stonechats in the Banstead Woods sector remained, with the pair in Hither Field being seen on 10th and the female in Holly Lane Meadow noted on 13th. A Woodcock was flushed from Banstead Woods on 3rd and seven Meadow Pipits gathered in Hither Field on 10th. A redpoll flew over the farm on 30th, as did a Lesser Black-backed Gull on 16th. Further records from worth mentioning from Canons Farm included peaks of 75 Fieldfares on 3rd, 40 Skylarks on 5th and 17th, three Mistle Thrushes on 10th, 60 Linnets on 16th and six Yellowhammers on 17th, as well as a lone Rook on 10th. 130 Redwings in the Harholt Plantation on 1st was the highest count  received for the species.

Red Kite, Canons Farm, 16th December
Common Buzzard, Reads Rest
Song Thrush, Canons Farm

Geoff Barter, Paul Goodman, Duncan Jennings (photo 1), Ian Magness (photos 2-3) and Ian Ward