25th June 2009

Cycled to Earlswood during the early morning, and left sometime after midday. My first sighting was a Kestrel along Norton Lane at c. 7:10 am. At the lakes, 2 Mute Swans and a singing Reed Warbler were still at Engine Pool, and I was also able to confirm that there is a Coot brood of 5 at Windmill Pool. I then pedalled along some of the roads to the south and east, observing 13+ Collared Doves, 3+ Coal Tits, a Grey Wagtail and a Goldcrest as I did; best sightings though were along Spring Brook Lane where I had 2 Linnets (my first at this part of Earlswood). Lastly, had a look at the Sewage Treatment Works and saw 2 more Grey Wagtails, 3 Pied Wagtails and a Buzzard over, with 2 Stock Doves nearby, but also saw a man in his company van driving away who no doubt had been to check the works and so I might've missed anything more unusual than what I saw.
On my travels in the area, saw what I believe was an adult Hobby; though it was a quite distant and very brief sighting, I thought I saw the characteristic reddish vent.
M.P. Griffiths