31st December 2008

2 Goosanders, 4 Pochards, a Tufted Duck, a Kingfisher, a Fieldfare and a small flock of Siskins were present at the lakes during the afternoon (P. Walkden, BirdForum/blog).

29th December 2008

During the early afternoon, I checked the field in which I'd seen Golden Plovers and Lapwings on previous occasions, but there were just 2 Stock Doves present on the ground there. For anyone who's interested in checking out this field, its location can be found here. I've been scanning it from the entrance to the Hungry Horse along Norton Lane.
I saw 30+ Siskins in trees along Valley Road (viewed from the northern edges of Engine Pool and Windmill Pool). At the lakes, the Greylag Goose was still present, along with 3+ Tufted Ducks. There were 4 Pochards (seemed to be the same birds seen on the 23rd) at Windmill Pool, with 1 Treecreeper seen and 1 Nuthatch heard around the edges; whilst 1 Kingfisher was seen at Engine Pool. Yet again it was quite dark by the time I reached Terry's Pool - I really should visit Earlswood earlier during these short winter days.
I don't expect to visit Earlswood again this year. I hope anyone who's been following this blog has had a good birding year, and I wish you all a good birding year in 2009. May I also take this opportunity to repeat my request for past and present records of all birds, common or rare, seen at Earlswood; please send any records with your name to matt_avesmaster@hotmail.com
M.P. Griffiths

25th December 2008

Visited New Fallings Coppice and the lakes during the afternoon, but there was little of note around. I did see 3 Cormorants at Terry's Pool; as well as a Tufted Duck and a Greylag Goose at Engine Pool. There was no sign of any Pochards.
M.P. Griffiths

23rd December 2008

During the afternoon, I saw 120 Lapwings, 40 Starlings, 1 Kestrel, 3 Stock Doves and 2 Feral Pigeons in fields in the area. Although many birders would've ignored the Feral Pigeons, I thought it was interesting seeing them foraging in a field as I'd always wondered if other people's records of this species at Earlswood were of free-flying domestic birds, solely dependent on their owner(s) for providing food and shelter. Perhaps the pair that I saw were domestic pigeons; but, unless their owner hadn't fed them, why else would they be searching for food in a field, in the open? I have therefore decided to add Feral Pigeon to the systematic list of birds recorded at Earlswood, for the moment at least, thus bringing the list's total to 190+ now. Once again, I didn't reach the lakes 'til the late afternoon, but did see 4 Pochards, 1 Tufted Duck and 1 Kingfisher at Windmill Pool; and a second Tufted Duck and 3 Cormorants at Engine Pool. I didn't see the Mute Swan or any Golden Plover.
M.P. Griffiths

17th December 2008

Although I was at Earlswood from the late morning to the evening today, I spent much of my time looking in fields in the area and was rewarded with sightings of 117 Lapwings, 28 Golden Plovers, 6 Stock Doves, 19 Fieldfares, 40+ Redwings, 2 Song Thrushes, 1 Mistle Thrush and 9+ Starlings. This shows that some good birds can be seen at other parts of Earlswood besides the lakes and SSSI. It was quite late in the day when I reached the lakes, and it was too dark to see birds by the time I'd got to Terry's Pool. However, I did see a young Mute Swan, a Greylag Goose, a male Teal, 2 Tufted Ducks, a Cormorant and 1+ Kingfisher at the other two pools.
M.P. Griffiths

9th December 2008

There was little of note at the lakes during the late afternoon, with even the common waterbird species being rather low in numbers. My best sighting was a Kingfisher along the canal feeder (north of Engine Pool), which at one point I saw dive into the water.
Although just outside Earlswood, I saw a flock of 12 Stock Doves feeding in a field next to Little Dickens Wood.
M.P. Griffiths

6th December 2008

Goosander(s) reported at the lakes today (BirdGuides BirdMap).

2nd December 2008

Once again, the best birds seen during the afternoon/evening were at Terry's Pool, with 3 male Goosanders, 5 Teals and 5+ Cormorants present; with a few Redwings, 13+ Siskins and 2+ Goldfinches seen around the edges.
M.P. Griffiths