NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

I’ve been avoiding Epsom Downs because most of the good people of north Surrey seem to empty themselves onto the open grassland there, accompanied by dogs, bikes, bubble buddies, non bubble buddies, Lycra, kites, balls, scooters, horses, rucksacks, thermos flasks and those odd walking poles. Today I decided to (sort of) join them with my binoculars. It is a large enough area to be able to get away from the throng, and I spent a pleasant enough couple of hours on the southern flank. Undoubted highlight was a group of c20 Golden Plovers that moved through northwards, surprising in as much as such a sighting here would normally go hand-in-glove with hard weather. Able back-up came in the guise of a Peregrine. Apart from these birds however it really is very quiet. This lockdown 3km is hard work, but it isn’t as though there is anywhere else for me to go.

You don't need to travel far to conjure up some interesting observations. Just by being around and about the garden throughout the day, and pausing now and again to glance up, I managed to record a second record for the garden (a Peregrine that circled high for a couple of minutes before being lost to view), my earliest ever Holly Blue and a steady dribble of Common Buzzards that headed south to south-westwards. I also paid my respects to a Peacock that alighted momentarily on a patch of earth (above) - I don't think that there is a butterfly that can beat it.

After a few of days of feeling 'under the weather' I needed to get out for some fresh air, so took the easy option of parking the car at Canons Farmhouse so that I could walk along the lane to Lunch Wood and back. When getting as far as the wood, I turned to walk back only to be faced with a solid wall of black cloud - there was no option but to huddle under a beech tree and wait for twenty minutes while it poured with rain. Compensation came in the form of a double rainbow as the weather headed east (above). Reeds Rest Cottages were the centre of the action, with a mobile flock of 130 Swallows that alternated between the overhead wires and Broad Field, all scattering when a patrolling Hobby cruised through. Two Wheatears were together on the recently trimmed hedgerow, close to the RRC barns (above), and a Peregrine was sat on one of the dead trees on Stoney Nob, looking quite cheesed off with life as the black clouds gathered (below). Warblers were thin on the ground, ...

This morning, when scanning the Priest Hill playing fields for a Wheatear, this came into my view - an enormous female Peregrine in the middle of a pigeon breakfast. I was far enough away not to bother it too much, although a nagging Carrion Crow moved it on, with the falcon still in possession of its prey. This is, in all likelihood, one half of the Sutton breeding pair. Also of note were a small arrival of Chiffchaff (5) and a singing Blackcap.

What a difference a day makes. After yesterday's gloomy, chilly weather I wasn't expecting an almost balmy spring day. It might only be the second week of February, and the weather is more than capable of rising up and biting us on the bum, but it felt as if we might have turned a corner in the progression of this particularly ordinary winter. I took myself off to the southward slope of Colley Hill, mainly because this site was my best bet for a local Red-legged Partridge. Settling down at the base of the hill, overlooking the favoured fields, I had a good view for miles towards the south and west. Sheltered from what little breeze there was, I was sitting in a perfect sun trap and a number of small insects were constantly on the wing, always a welcome sign in the winter months. Off came the hat, gloves and coat. Eyes shut, head back and feel those golden rays... My slumber was broken by the rhythmical calling of a Red-legged Partridge that was present on the weedy edge of ...

A brisk circular walk around the open slopes of Epsom Downs this afternoon was largely devoid of birds. Up to 100 Common Gulls were feeding over the grassland, this species being the commonest species of gull here throughout the winter months. No amount of scanning of the neighbouring fields could winkle out anything of note, and it was not until I was almost back at the car that any reward came my way - in the form of a male Peregrine, that flew in from the north and carried on southwards towards Walton-on-the-Hill - certainly not the barrel-chested female that had been spending the late autumn/early winter at Canons Farm. The 2015 local patch challenge now creeps up to 59 species.

It is no secret that Peregrines have used Quadrant House in Sutton, Surrey as a nest site for a number of years now. They did so again this year and successfully reared young. The team that monitor these birds venture onto the rooftop after the birds have fledged and collect the remains of the food cache, which is highly illuminating. Look at this lot: You can click on the image to get a better view of the prey items - and you're in for a surprise! Bear in mind that Sutton is on the outskirts of London, so the Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Woodcocks and Lapwings are exotic food compared to the Feral Pigeons, Starlings and Ring-necked Parakeets that might be expected. It is likely that the main source of the waders will be Beddington Sewage Farm (some 2 miles away), although Woodcocks are but a very scarce hard weather visitor there - so maybe the falcons head off to the Surrey heaths (roding birds are still a good seven miles away). It also begs the question as to whether the W...

Firstly a rant. I was watching something or other on ITV (featuring people I had to keep asking my daughter as to who they were), when the programme went to an advertisement break. I then heard the following voice over: "Morrisons - proud sponsors of Christmas on ITV" Just take that in a moment. Morrisons the supermarket, believe that they have ownership of the religious festival known as Christmas. Apparently it is their's to embrace in a tacky yuletide cuddle. Whatever next, 'Fresh Air - exclusively yours through the kindness of Nike" or "All the worlds sea water by kind permission of Starbuck's!" It makes me mad... I did see some birds today by the way - one of the Banstead Downs Firecrests couldn't play hide-and-seek terribly well and one of the Sutton peregrines showed up at Quadrant House in the late afternoon gloom. A deep breath - hold it - and now exhale - OHMMMMMMM

I spent a pleasant morning at Pulborough Brooks RSPB reserve, spending some time wandering over the heathland restoration project, an area of the reserve that most visitors do not visit. In time, this small part of the greensand ridge will become a valuable habitat for many species. I came away with a series of moss and invertabrate images to try and identify at a later date. Back on the flood plain I was pleased to bump into Jon Winder, a visitor to this blog who has been kind enough to leave comments from time to time. After a good natter (and armed with some local knowledge for later in the year), I continued to do what I enjoy most - scope an open panorama and count what was before me. Most numerous were Lapwing (1400), Wigeon (850) and Teal (350), with lesser numbers of Shoveler, Pintail and Golden Plover. Six Little Egrets added a splash of exotica to the scene, and I was able to digiscope this Peregrine, sitting in a willow before it dashed across the brooks towards some ...

The building that I work in, based in Sutton, Surrey, is also the nest site of a pair of Peregrines. This year they raised four young, of which three definitely made it. A team of London Peregrine champions visited the site, including Tony Duckett from Regents Park, who back in August collected the remains of prey items and posted the photographic evidence. For an inland site the menu is rather surprising. You can see the species that were eaten here: http://regentsparkbirds.blogspot.com/2010/08/10th-august.html