24/09/2021

First visit in a while this evening. The birds generally seemed a little agitated tonight but I couldn't identify a cause. There was quite a bit of gull movement overhead too.

A quiet evening for birds of prey, although I did (accidentally) disturb either a Sparrowhawk or a Kestrel on the way out. I wasn't able to ID which one it was because the light was fading and it went by quite quickly. No sign of the Hobby tonight.

Highlights:

1 x Greenfinch
5 x Goldfinch
1 x GSW
4 x Mistle Thrush
1 x Green Woodpecker

I did also run through the Park last Sunday (19th) and was able to spot 3(!) Grey Heron all together. One of them looked like it was a juvenile. I wasn't able to see much else because I leave my glasses at home when I run, but three herons are pretty unmistakable 😅. It's a patch record for me (and is quite notable when viewed against historic records).

18/09/2021

Another quick visit, but quite a productive one. I spent a little bit more time in the gardens, and was admittedly trying to find a Goldcrest. I was sure I could hear one, but couldn't see one, and with other background noise, didn't want to tick it. I was also definitely getting some weird looks for gazing up a tree 😂. There were 1-2 birds that got away in the gardens, as they were flushed back into undergrowth by passing members of the public.

I also managed to hit a new daily species record, finishing the day on 24.

Still very quiet from a bird of prey perspective, but that might be expected in the evening. I did hear the Hobby again which was reassuring. At first, it was so distant, I was doubting the ID against the symphony of Parakeets. A few minutes later, it was much closer and unmistakable. 

I also thought I heard a Little Owl on the border of ND1. I have heard it there before, but again I couldn't be 100% sure.

Highlights:

1 x GSW
1 x Green Woodpecker
1 x Moorhen
2 x Grey Heron
4 x Gull (fly-over, so unable to ID)
1 x Hobby
3 x Jay
46 x Carrion Crow (actually counted them)
1 x Chiffchaff
8 x LTT
10 x Mistle Thrush (went up in a flock with Starlings and Goldfinch, but also spotted in the gardens)
10 x Goldfinch
2 x Starling

Another good sunset over the Ewell area and Park.

Also spotted: a replica 2014 FIFA World Cup ball! (ND1 area if you are missing it):

17/09/2021

A brief visit tonight (late finishing work and the nights are drawing in quicker than I had realised). Notable observations were that the Green Woodpecker was very quiet again (heard only once), Mistle Thrush were back this evening, and there was no sign of any bird of prey, in particular, the Hobby (for the first time since I've been regularly watching the patch)

Plenty of Jackdaw on site - I estimate around 50 went over at one point.

Lots of vocal Robins on site tonight, and the Jays are continuing to increase in numbers too.

A very nice sunset again over the Ewell area too this evening.

16/09/2021

 Only time for a quick visit tonight. Some sure signs of the Autumn in the Park at the moment - long shadows, burnt-orange light, and falling conkers/leaves!

Interesting evening because the Green Woodpecker was unusually quiet tonight - only heard once just as I was leaving. I also had 3+ Dunnock near ND1, which was unusual. There was also a flock of around 40 Goldfinch in the top of the tree along the Avenue.

Other highlights:

1 x GSW
1 x Hobby
1 x Sparrowhawk (flying off into the distance)

The sunset was particularly nice this evening:

10/09/2021

 A quiet evening at the park with some rain creeping in.

Lots of the usual suspects tonight, with increasing numbers of Jays. The Jackdaws and Parakeets seemed to be quite agitated this evening, and I was only able to spot a Sparrowhawk in amongst them once. They kept erupting and scattering from the tree tops several times this evening, never really settling.

Species to note:

2 x GSW
2 x Green Woodpecker
1 x Hobby
1 x Kestrel hunting over Z1

05/09/2021

Today was an awesome day at Nonsuch! The weather was perfectly sunny here today and really very hot for September. There were lots of people in the park, and coupled with the bright blue skies (making it difficult to see raptors), I genuinely just expected to have a nice walk in the park.

The walk started off quite well and soon I found myself on 13 species. I set myself the goal of improving on my site record of 21 species. When I got to 17, it was getting tough, but that was when the fun began...

Plenty of the usual suspects (Stock Dove, Woodpigeon etc.)

2 x GSW

2 x Green Woodpecker

1 x Grey Heron

1 x Sparrowhawk

4 x Buzzard

2 x Kestrel

1 x Hobby (mobbing one Buzzard)

6 x Jay (increasing numbers, which is nice to see)

1 x Blackcap (female)

3 x Nuthatch (heard only, across the site)

Some absolutely beautiful BoP displays in Z1 - first I heard a Kestrel, and looked up to see Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Hobby all in the same sky - phenomenal.

I then ran off to the nearby Priest Hill to try and catch a Wryneck (unsuccessfully) :(

Ending the day on 23 species.

Highlights in photos below:

03/09/2021

 A quiet evening at the Park for birds! Lots of people out with dogs and children - probably being a Friday evening that happened to be quite sunny and warm. 

Highlights:

2 x Hobby
2 x GSW
1 x Green Woodpecker
3 x Jay

Healthy numbers of the usual suspects (Magpie, etc.)

01/09/2021

A very September-y day in the Park today. A little busier than last night with people and dogs, in particular one man who stopped by to say he'd heard the Hobby, and also to tell me about a Little Owl in the local Auriol Park!

Key highlights:

3 x Hobby (very vocal, and very predatory!)

1 x Mistle Thrush

1 x gull sp flying over

1 x Grey heron

1 x GSW

1 x Green Woodpecker

3 x Jay

3 x Nuthatch (one sighted)

Healthy numbers of Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Parakeets, Chiffchaff

Finished the day on 17 species.