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