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: