29th October 2008

Nothing exceptional seen at Earlswood during the afternoon/evening, apart from 2 Kingfishers seen together on 2 occasions at Engine Pool. At Terry's Pool, saw 7 Tufted Ducks and 3 Cormorants, as well as 3 Goldcrests around the edges. At least 2 Treecreepers were seen in New Fallings Coppice.
M.P. Griffiths

24th October 2008

A good number of birds were seen during the afternoon. In New Fallings Coppice, saw a Jay, a Nuthatch, a Treecreeper, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker and, most notably, a Marsh/Willow Tit. At Terry's Pool, saw 4 male Wigeons, 1 male Shoveler, 4+ Tufted Ducks, 1 Cormorant, 2 Grey Herons and a Black-headed Gull with a grey/silver ring on each leg (unfortunately it flew off before I could get a better look at the rings with my scope, and couldn't be relocated), as well as a Grey Wagtail and 3+ Siskins around the edges. At Windmill Pool, saw a Kingfisher, and along the western side there were quite a few passerines present, including 4 Bullfinches.
M.P. Griffiths

16th October 2008

A number of birds were present at Terry's Pool during the afternoon, including 2 male Wigeons, 4 Tufted Ducks, 5 Cormorants, 3 Grey Herons and 2 Siskins, and I had an excellent view of a Kingfisher perched near the bridge above the weir. At Windmill Pool, saw possibly a second Kingfisher around the southern side, and there were a number of corvids around the edges including 8 Magpies, 4 Carrion Crows and 38+ Jackdaws. There was no sign of the Little Grebes.
During the late evening, heard at least 1 Tawny Owl in New Fallings Coppice / Clowes Wood.
M.P. Griffiths

8th October 2008

During afternoon, managed to relocate the 2 Little Grebes at Windmill Pool, with a female Common Pheasant and 2 Pied Wagtails seen around the edges. At Terry's Pool, saw the eclipse male Shoveler again and 4 Cormorants, and at least 5 Siskins (probably many more but difficult to count) along the southern sides. Single Tufted Ducks were seen on Terry's Pool and Engine Pool. There was no sign of the Greylag Goose. A Treecreeper was seen in New Fallings Coppice.
M.P. Griffiths

7th October 2008

At the lakes during the late afternoon / evening, saw 3 Tufted Ducks and the Greylag Goose at Terry's Pool, and a Kingfisher at Engine Pool. However, a number of interesting birds were at Windmill Pool, including at least one pipit (Meadow Pipit?), 2 Grey Wagtails, at least 4 Pied Wagtails and, although seen in dim light what must've been, 2 Little Grebes (1st for me).
It's worth noting that the sand/gravel island in Engine Pool (where this year's Turnstone was seen) has reappeared, as the lakes' water levels have been falling recently.
M.P. Griffiths

3rd October 2008

At the lakes during the afternoon, saw a Kingfisher flying over all 3 pools, with 2 seen at Windmill Pool again. The Greylag Goose was still present, and was seen on Terry's Pool and Windmill Pool. I spotted a male Shoveler in eclipse plumage at Terry's Pool, but had no definite sighting of yesterday's Little Grebe.
M.P. Griffiths

2nd October 2008

At the lakes during the afternoon, saw at least 5 Cormorants and noted that Great Crested Grebe numbers have increased slightly since my last visit. At Terry's Pool, saw 1 Greylag Goose amongst a large flock of Canada Geese, as well as 2 Tufted Ducks. At Windmill Pool, saw 2 Kingfishers together in a bush (fighting or roosting?) and counted 126 Black-headed Gulls resting on the water. Saw possibly a third Kingfisher at Engine Pool. Met a birdwatcher who said that he'd seen a Little Grebe at Terry's Pool today - a bird that I must've overlooked and a species that I've yet to see at Earlswood.
M.P. Griffiths