Saturday 2 April 2011

Ouzeling satisfaction

more pics here

Well . . . today was rather good! It started off with a male Wheatear, a Cormorant and a Canada Goose at the farm then watching over the Chipstead Valley from Banstead Woods produced two Greylags and a Peregrine. It was at this point that Ian "Eagle" had to leave for a football match. I walked around the eastern edge of Banstead Woods then back to the farm, checking Legal & General for a second time. As I approached, I flushed two dark thrushes but thought little of it. Hang on . . . they had silvery wings! No, they couldn't have been. I kept on going and a male Ring Ouzel called and sat in a bush right in front of me, before flying towards the playing field!!! I texted out the news and, after an anxious five minute wait, the birds showed on the field. P-Go was first on the scene, closely followed by Badgeman, Phantom, Gripper, Pyro and Shaft. A steady stream of twitchers came and went (about twenty five in total) including a couple of unexpected faces like Dave Dak and Steve Spooner. Gripper picked up three Sand Martins going over, a patch year tick for me, and the odd Swallow dashed over, too.


I felt very sorry for Eagle when he rushed over about half an hour after the birds had flown a short(ish) distance and were lost to view. The dark quickly swept over the land and we couldn't find them again. I hope they're around for you tomorrow!

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Life List: 101
Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 72