31/10/2021

After the worst of the stormy weather had passed earlier today, I went to Nonsuch to see if anything had weathered the storm, and who was playing out. I was pleased to get 15 species after ~24 hrs of gale-force winds and torrential rain.

Making my way around the Park following my usual route, I ended up at P1 (Round Pond), and heard the Little Owl calling. I was really excited about this, because I've only had it near there twice before. Annoyingly though, it was just teasing me, as I really wasn't able to locate it, and soon after it went quiet (so had possibly moved on).

Side note: if it weren't for dog activity, I am sure P1 would have regular Snipe numbers.

I had given up looking for the LO, and was disturbed by an eruption of Carrion Crows. I think I'd managed to pick out a Sparrowhawk in amongst them, but the trouble is that everything looks like a Bird of Prey in this weather.

Again there was a lot of gull movement, and, after some studious research this weekend, I was comfortable in ID-ing them as Herring Gulls (not sure what else I had expected them to be!)

I was also very pleased to see that the (usually) dried-up channel is in fact supposed to be a stream, and is now fully operational as a stream! Now the bridges make sense. You know the birdwatching is drying up when you get excited about a dried-up stream being...not dried-up.

I ended up in ND1 which is great for Corvidae. There was the usual Jackdaw and CC activity, of them flying into roost. I made it around 50 Jackdaw and at least 100 CC, and I also had at least 45 Parakeet.

Haven't had any Redwing yet, nor have I picked up any of the reported Siskins, and Teal from previous years on site. Hopefully I'll get a patch tick soon, otherwise there might be more dried-up content.

I had visited the Park on 27th because I had the afternoon off work. I was there for about 2 hours and the most interesting thing to report was a sighting of three Grey Heron all at once. I'd had the most exciting sighting on the way there (a Red Kite over Kingston Road). Entirely possible it had flown over Nonsuch, but I can't tick it unfortunately.

The patch watches might be even less regular now (if that's even possible) with losing the hour of light, but I'll see what I can do (and maybe even try a few early morning shifts 🤯 )

26/10/2021

Another brief visit before sundown.

The Green Woodpecker very vocal this evening and also seen quite a few times.

As I was leaving ND1 (just as I'd put everything away - typical), I heard the Little Owl. I've heard it there before, but haven't ever been able to pinpoint exactly where it is, but it must hold territory along some of the trees bordering ND1.

I was obviously seeing everything in 5s tonight - 5 Goldfinch, 5 Long-Tailed Tits, 5 Woodpigeons.

Lots and lots of gull movement - I counted over 50 and all were fly overs. A member of the public put something in the bin which attracted virtually all the crows in the area and two gulls. At one point I was certain they were going to land so I could finally get my first gull on the deck, get a picture, and hopefully ID it. It was about half a metre off the ground and then decided it would not bother.

There was also the usual late evening presence of thousands of Jackdaws returning to roost.

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.