Please report your sightings to Neil Randon at neil.randon@googlemail.com.
______________________________________________________________ Sun, May 31 2015: no reported sightings
Sat, May 30 2015: pm: 2 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), c30 SWIFT (WC, Moors and M.Lake), c20 SAND MARTIN, 4 SWALLOW, c15 HOUSE MARTIN (all WC). Neil Randon
Fri, May 29 2015: am: 1 CUCKOO (flew from Nutfield Ridge N towards Chilmead Lane area), 2 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), 2 EGYPTIAN GOOSE (Spynes), 2 KESTREL (WC and Nutfield Marsh), 6 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (over), RING-NECKED PARAKEET (in occupied nest), c25 SWIFT (mainly WC and M.West), 4 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER (in occupied nest), c10 ROOK (incl. fledged young Nutfield Ridge), c22 JACKDAW (inc. occupied nest), 1 COAL TIT (Nutfield Ridge), c30 SAND MARTIN (WC and M.West), 3 SWALLOW, c15 HOUSE MARTIN, 23 BLACKCAP, 3 GARDEN WARBLER (Nutfield Ridge, church and Spynes), 2 LESSER WHITETHROAT (Spynes), 15 WHITETHROAT, 5 REED WARBLER (WC), 4 GREY WAGTAIL (Moors – appeared to be a family group), 2 LINNET (M.Farm), 1 YELLOWHAMMER (M.Farm), 5 REED BUNTING (mainly Spynes). Ray Baker
Thurs, May 28 2015: no reported sightings
Wed, May 27 2015:am: 2 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (1 WC Island, and 1 Moors pools), 2 EGYPTIAN GOOSE (Spynes), 2 RED KITE (circling low over Nutfield Ridge before drifting slowly W), 1 KESTREL (Nutfield Marsh), c10 SWIFT, c40 ROOK (Nutfield Ridge by the dew pond), c12 SAND MARTIN (inc. 1 gathering nesting material), 2 SWALLOW, c15 HOUSE MARTIN (with several new nests being noted), 28 BLACKCAP (inc. newly fledged young), 2 GARDEN WARBLER (Chilmead Lane and Nutfield Ridge), 2 LESSER WHITETHROAT (Spynes), 20 WHITETHROAT, 3 REED WARBLER (WC), 8 NUTHATCH (inc. newly fledged young), 2 GREY WAGTAIL (Moors pools), 2 LINNET (WC), 2 YELLOWHAMMER (M.Farm).
Also: Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly, and a Common Blue butterfly on the path between the WC lagoons. Ray Baker
Tues, May 26 2015: no reported sightings
Mon, May 25 2015: am: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), 3 REED WARBLER (showing well on fence next to reeds on S edge of WC1). Neil Randon
Sat, May 23 2015: am: 2 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island). Neil Randon
Fri, May 22 2015: am: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), 1 LAPWING, GREYLAG GOOSE (3rd brood with 3 young), 1 MISTLE THRUSH (fledged young M.Farm), 140+ STARLING, 40 SAND MARTIN, 25 HOUSE MARTIN, c50 SWIFT, 1 LITTLE OWL (Spynes), 3 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 2 GARDEN WARBLER, 10 REED WARBLER. Gordon Hay
Thurs, May 21, 2015: pm: 1 RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island). Brian Dougherty
1 RINGED PLOVER, 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (both WC2 island), 2 GREY WAGTAIL (pair, Moors). Gordon Hay
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| RINGED PLOVER on WC2 island (Gordon Hay) |
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| REED BUNTING singing on WC1 (Gordon Hay) |
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| REED WARBLER with nesting material on WC1 (Gordon Hay) |
Tues, May 19 2015: pm: 2 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), GREAT CRESTED GREBE (1 young on WC1), c200 SAND MARTIN (evening after hailstorm), 600+ Large gulls on landfill, predominantly HERRING GULL. Gordon Hay
10:00hrs-13:30hrs: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (1 WC2 island), 3 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 5 LITTLE GREBE, 2 CORMORANT, 2 GREY HERON, c.8 TUFTED DUCK, 1 KESTREL (1m Middle Pit), 1 GREEN WOODPECKER, 1 SKYLARK, 11+ SWIFT, 30+ SAND MARTIN, 5 HOUSE MARTIN, 1 GREY WAGTAIL (1 WC2), 3 REED WARBLER (3 WC1 Reeds), 1 GARDEN WARBLER, 8 BLACKCAP, 2 COMMON WHITETHROAT, c.6 CHIFFCHAFF, 1 BULLFINCH, c.10 GOLDFINCH, 1 YELLOWHAMMER (1m Sheep Paddocks), 2 REED BUNTING. Richard Perry
Sun, May 17 2015: 05.40hrs-08.25hrs: 1
CUCKOO (M.Farm - flew from hedge to N of horse paddocks into oak
near style nr Aquasports), 1 RED KITE (flew low over M.Park heading
W), 2 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), c8 CANADA GEESE (incl pair with 1 gosling Spynes), c8 GREYLAG GEESE
(incl pair with 3 goslings M.West), 2
EGYPTIAN GEESE (pair WC2 island), 12 GREAT CRESTED GREBE (7 M.Lake, 2 Spynes, 2 M.
West, 1 WC1 - no sign of any young), c20 MALLARD (incl female with 1
small ducking M.Lake, and female with 2 small ducklings Moors Pools by
railway line), c30 COOT (incl pair with 1 juv Spynes bullrush pool, and
pair with 3 juvs Moors Pools by railway line), 5 PHEASANT (2 males & 3 females M.Farm), 1 LITTLE OWL (Oaks S of Spynes), 1 KESTREL
(male Chilmead Farm), c30 SWIFT (M.West & WC),
c10 SAND MARTIN (Spynes & WC), c10 HOUSE
MARTIN (collecting mud from WC2 Island), c2 SWALLOW (incl 1 on tel wires
Chilmead Lane Cottages), c4 STOCK DOVE
(Nutfield Marsh), c10 STARLING (incl 1 juv
WC), 1 GARDEN WARBLER (M23 end Spynes), c5 REED WARBLER (incl c3 WC1), c3
LESSER WHITETHROAT (all Spynes/Middle Pit area), c5 WHITETHROAT, c10
BLACKCAP, c6 CHIFFCHAFF, c5 LONG-TAILED TIT (incl c3 juvs Spynes). Ian Kehl and Gordon Hay
Fri, May 15 2015: pm: CANADA GOOSE (1 young Spynes), GREYLAG GOOSE (brood of 3 M.West), MALLARD (8 & 7 young WC1 - 4th & 5th successful hatching), ROBIN (many young observed around M.Lake), 2 COMMON BUZZARD, 1 SPARROWHAWK, 1 KESTREL(back in last year's breeding tree). Gordon Hay
am: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), 1 EGYPTIAN GOOSE, 1 COMMON SANDPIPER (WC2 island), 4 LAPWING (calling and displaying over M.Farm), 3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, c250 HERRING GULL (mainly landfill), 20 SWIFT, 4 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, c2 ROOK (landfill), 7 GOLDCREST, c65 SWALLOW, c40 SAND MARTIN, c15 HOUSE MARTIN (gathering mud from WC 2 island), 20 BLACKCAP, 2 GARDEN WARBLER (1 Spynes, 1 Nutfield Ridge), 2 LESSER WHITETHROAT (Spynes), 18 WHITETHROAT, c8 REED WARBLER (7 WC, 1 Spynes),2 YELLOWHAMMER Spynes and M.Farm), 4 REED BUNTING (2 Spynes, 2 WC). Ray Baker
0515hrs-10.30hrs: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), 1 COMMON SANDPIPER (WC2 island), 1 HOBBY (through WC1 among vast numbers of hirundines), c 15 SWIFT (WC1 and 2), c80 SWALLOW, c30 HOUSE MARTIN, c50 SAND MARTIN (WC1 and 2), c5 REED WARBLER (WC1 reedbed by causeway), 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT (N end of WC2), 1 REED BUNTING. Neil Randon
Thurs, May 14 2015: 17.15hrs-19.00hrs: 1 RED-RUMPED SWALLOW (1st record for Holmethorpe. Over WC. Found in a large mixed Hirundine flock grounded by the persistent rain), c40 SWALLOW, c60 HOUSE MARTIN, c120 SAND MARTIN, 1 PEREGRINE (went through flock twice, which sent the flock E). Gordon Hay, joined by Ray Baker
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| Holmethorpe's first RED-RUMPED SWALLOW (Gordon Hay) |
.jpg) |
| LITTLE RINGED PLOVER on WC2 island (James Honey) |
11:30hrs-13:30hrs: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (1 WC2 island), 3 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 3 LITTLE GREBE (3 WC1), 1 GREY HERON, c.5 TUFTED DUCK, 7+ SWIFT, 3+ SWALLOW, 4 SAND MARTIN, 8 HOUSE MARTIN, 1 GREY WAGTAIL (1 Moors Pools), 3 REED WARBLER (3 WC1 Reeds), 4 BLACKCAP, 2 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 3 CHIFFCHAFF, c.5 GOLDFINCH, 1 GREENFINCH, 2 REED BUNTING (2 WC1).
Also: 3 SPECKLED WOOD, 2 PEACOCK, 1 BRIMSTONE Butterfly. Richard Perry
am: 1 LITTLE EGRET (Spynes island), 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), 2 EGYPTIAN GOOSE (WC2 island),6 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (over), 4 PHEASANT, 1 KINGFISHER (WC), c20 SWIFT (mainly WC area), 4 SWALLOW, c7 SAND MARTIN (WC), c7 HOUSE MARTIN (building at at least 3 different nests), 2 TREECREEPER, 2 GARDEN WARBLER (1 Nutfield Ridge, 1 Spynes), 6 REED WARBLER (5 WC, 1 Spynes), 19 CHIFFCHAFF, 28 BLACKCAP, 15 WHITETHROAT, 2 LESSER WHITETHROAT (Spynes), 1 COAL TIT (churchyard). Ray Baker
Mon, May 11 2015: am: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), 1 HOBBY (hawking for insects over middle Pit/Spynes), 2 EGYPTIAN GOOSE (Spynes), c6 SAND MARTIN, 7 HOUSE MARTIN (collecting mud for nests), 2 LESSER WHITETHROAT (Spynes), 6 REED WARBLER (4 WC, 2 Spynes).
Butterflies:
Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Orange-tip, Brimstone,
Holly Blue, Large White plus quite a few unidentified Whites, which were
probably Small and Green-veined Whites.
Also Common Blue damselfly. Ray Baker
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| Common Blue damselfly (Ray Baker) |
Sun, May 10, 2015: 05.50hrs-08.55hrs: 1
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (male WC2 Island), 2 EGYPTIAN GOOSE
(pair WC2 and then prob. same pair later at Spynes), c20 MALLARD
(incl female with 2 small ducklings Moors Pools by wooden bridge), 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (over Moors), 1 PHEASANT (male M.Farm), 1 SPARROWHAWK (Over M
Park), 8 STOCK DOVE
(Horse Paddocks M.Farm), c30 SWIFT (WC), c2 SAND MARTIN
(WC), c8 HOUSE MARTIN (collecting mud from WC2 Island), c6 SWALLOW (incl
pair on wires Chilmead Lane Cottages), c2 GARDEN
WARBLER (Spynes), c6 REED WARBLER (incl c4 WC1), c3 LESSER WHITETHROAT
(all Spynes/Mid-Pit area), c6 WHITETHROAT, c10 BLACKCAP, c10 LONG-TAILED TIT (incl 2 adults with 5 juvs WC mound), c3 YELLOWHAMMER (1 singing male S of Spynes, c2 males M.
Farm). Ian Kehl and Gordon Hay
Fri, May 8 2015: pm: 1 DUNLIN (WC Island - still present at 15.10hrs), 1 LAPWING (Spynes), 1 COMMON SANDPIPER (M.West), 2 SHELDUCK (Spynes), 1 HOBBY (over WC). Gordon Hay
am: 1 DUNLIN (WC2 island - still present at 12.15hrs), 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), 2 SHELDUCK (Spynes), 2 EGYPTIAN GOOSE (WC2 island), 1 SPARROWHAWK (Nutfield Marsh), 1 KESTREL (Spynes), c20 SWIFT (WC), 1 KINGFISHER (WC), 5 SWALLOW (Chilmead Lane/Nutfield Ridge area), 2 HOUSE MARTIN, 6 SAND MARTIN (WC), 1 COAL TIT (churchyard), 23 CHIFFCHAFF, 23 BLACKCAP, 3 GARDEN WARBLER (2 Spynes, 1 Nutfield ridge), 23 WHITETHROAT, 5 REED WARBLER (4 WC, 1 Spynes), 2 LINNET, 8 REED BUNTING (mainly Spynes). Ray Baker
Thurs, May 7 2015: no reported sightings
Wed, May 6 2015: 2 LITTLE EGRET (Moors), 8 GREY HERON, 5 LESSER WHITETHROAT (incl. one in orchard off Cormongers Lane), 2 SEDGE WARBLER (WC1 reeds), c300 SWIFT/SAND MARTIN/HOUSE MARTIN/SWALLOW (feeding over WC). Gordon Hay
Tues, May 5 2015: 10:30hrs-13:45hrs: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (1 WC2 island), 5 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 3 LITTLE GREBE (3 WC1), 1 CORMORANT (1 WC1), 1 GREY HERON, 2 CANADA GEESE, c22 TUFTED DUCK, 1 GREEN WOODPECKER, 10+ SWIFT, 12+ SWALLOW, 50+ SAND MARTIN, 2 HOUSE MARTIN, 1 GREY WAGTAIL (1 Moors Pools), 3 REED WARBLER (3 WC1 reeds), 2 GARDEN WARBLER (1 Moors Pools, 1 M.Lake), 3 BLACKCAP, 3 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 3 CHIFFCHAFF, 1 GOLDCREST, 5 GOLDFINCH, 2 REED BUNTING (2 WC1). Richard Perry
am: 1 WHIMBREL (over W), 1 REDSHANK (WC2 island. seen at 05.45hrs but gone by 11.30hrs), 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), c5 LITTLE EGRET (Moors/WC, 3 seen together, plus 2 singles), c130 SAND MARTIN (WC/M.Lake), c 15 SWALLOW, 14 SWIFT (mainly WC), 1 KESTREL (landfill, caught rodent then flew along Chilmead Lane), 1 ROOK (landfill), 2 TREECREEPER (Moors cyclepath), 5 REED WARBLER (3 WC area, 2 Spynes), 3 SEDGE WARBLER (2 WC mound area, 1 Spynes), 16 WHITETHROAT, 15 CHIFFCHAFF, 19 BLACKCAP. Ray Baker
am: 1 REDSHANK (WC2 island), 1 COMMON SANDPIPER, c200 SAND MARTIN (c14.00hrs), 1 SEDGE WARBLER. Gordon Hay
Mon, May 4 2015: 05.55hrs-09.30hrs: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (female WC2 Island),1 RED KITE (over Moors then landfill, then headed E towards Redhill), c10 GREYLAG GOOSE (incl pair with c4 small goslings Spynes), 2 EGYPTIAN GOOSE (pair Spynes), 2 PHEASANT (pair M.Farm), c40 SWIFT (incl c35 together over WC), c6 SAND MARTIN (Moors, WC), 4 HOUSE MARTIN (collecting mud from WC2 Island), c6 SWALLOW (incl pair on tel wires Chilmead Lane Cottages), 1 LITTLE OWL (oaks to S of Spynes), c3 COMMON BUZZARD, 1 ROOK (flew into landfill), c2 GARDEN WARBLER (Spynes), c6 REED WARBLER (Incl c4 WC1), c4 LESSER WHITETHROAT (All Spynes/Middle Pit area), c10 WHITETHROAT, c10 BLACKCAP, 1 STOCK DOVE (Nutfield Marsh), 4 LINNET (horse paddocks M.Farm). Ian Kehl and Gordon Hay
Sun, May 3 2015: 06.00hrs-09.10hrs: 1
COMMON SANDPIPER (WC2), 2 KESTREL (male S of Spynes, prob. female Chilmead
Farm), c50 SAND MARTIN (WC), 1 HOUSE MARTIN (WC),
c12 SWALLOW (WC), 1 SWIFT (WC), c3 GARDEN WARBLER (Spynes), c3
REED WARBLER, c4 LESSER WHITETHROAT (1 M.Park, c3 Spynes/Middle Pit), c6
WHITETHROAT, c10 BLACKCAP, 1 SKYLARK (singing male M.Farm), 1 MISTLE THRUSH (M.
Farm Cottages), 1 PHEASANT (M.Farm). Ian Kehl and Gordon Hay
Sat, May 2 2015: 4 SWIFT (WC) 3 GREY WAGTAIL (Moors),4 LESSER WHITETHROAT (Spynes), 4 YELLOWHAMMER (M.Farm). Ray Baker
Fri, May 1 2015: am: 1 NIGHTINGALE (Chilmead Lane, midway between cottages and cricket pavillion, approx 100m W of the pub from 7.30hrs. Was seen again at 10.00hrs then flew off N), 2 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island), 1 GADWALL, 3 COMMON SANDPIPER (Spynes), 7 SWIFT (WC), c150 SAND MARTIN, 3 HOUSE MARTIN (WC), c10 SWALLOW, 3 GREY WAGTAIL (2 Moors, 1 WC), 1 TREECREEPER (moors cycle path), 3 GARDEN WARBLER (Chilmead Lane, Nutfield Ridge and Spynes), 6 REED WARBLER (3 Spynes, 3 WC1), 1 SEDGE WARBLER (Spynes SE corner), 3 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 15 WHITETHROAT, 17 BLACKCAP. Ray Baker
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| GARDEN WARBLER (Ray Baker) |
pm: 2 COMMON SANDPIPER (M.West), 2 HOBBY (over WC/Moors), 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT (Spynes cycle path), 1 GARDEN WARBLER (Spynes cycle path). Gordon Hay
