florall colin
A bad birdwatcher and loving it
46 species is it, now? Good job I haven't admitted mistaking that immature gull for a wood-pig. Oops, I just did.
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Gatwick Airport (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter florall
- Start date
Hello Simon, and welcome to Birdforum. We live in Horley - it's nice to have another much more local birder on here.
Lesser whitethroat would be a lifer for me, I've been genning up on my videos etc. so will keep an eye open. We've recently been working the farmland around Charlwood, and I've thought that owls would be a good bet. Thanks for the info.
Lesser whitethroat would be a lifer for me, I've been genning up on my videos etc. so will keep an eye open. We've recently been working the farmland around Charlwood, and I've thought that owls would be a good bet. Thanks for the info.
We've bought a telescope, so at last have been able to identify those little brown blobs that flit up and down to the airport perimeter fence and they are what I thought they might be - meadow pipit (species no. 47).
Otherwise, not very much has been happening here for the last month. Oh no, I forgot, a couple of kestrels which are regularly around - perhaps they're young ones, they seem to hunt together.
Otherwise, not very much has been happening here for the last month. Oh no, I forgot, a couple of kestrels which are regularly around - perhaps they're young ones, they seem to hunt together.
nick.m said:
Hello Nick, and welcome to Birdforum. I had heard that there were spotted flycatchers breeding here, but I've never been lucky enough to see one. Wheatear and pied flycatcher are two of my favourite migrants, always eagerly looked forward to see them every year, so I would be very pleased to see those on my local patch (and presumably your local patch too, if you go there regularly?). Whereabouts did you see the sandpiper?
I saw the sandpiper at the edge of the river mole grid refrence TQ263413 which is the western end of the site. the wheatears where also in this area, 7 of them sitting on the perimeter fence, and the flycatchers were in the trees and bushes by the path. a friend who works at the airport has also seen green sandpiper.I try to get there a couple of times a month at my lunch break and have never seen any other birders there just dog walkers!
Thanks Nick. I'll keep my eye out, at appropriate times of year. That grid ref. is close to where we usually go, so hopefully we'll eventually see them. yes, I'd heard of a green sandpiper in the spring this year, but even further west and I don't often have the energy to get up as far as the runway. Only ever done it once.
I haven't been very much recently because I was in France for most of September, so I probably missed the chance for exciting autumn migration birds. Never mind, the winter finches and thrushes should be in soon.
I haven't been very much recently because I was in France for most of September, so I probably missed the chance for exciting autumn migration birds. Never mind, the winter finches and thrushes should be in soon.
florall colin
A bad birdwatcher and loving it
Despite this site appearing in a Birding magazine as a good place to visit, I am still surprised at how few people seem to go here. Maybe there are a lot of secretive birders, just as bad as me but not willing to admit it 
Two more species that I've added since August, Pied Wagtail and Mistle Thrush. So that takes me to No. 49. Wonder what will be species No. 50? Probably something just as common as the two above, but still, I find I get great pleasure from seeing a common bird on my local patch for the first time.
The last few times I've been, the river levels have been very high, rather surprisingly. I don't think there's any chance of seeing any waders. There's no mud to interest them.
There's been some correspondence in our local paper. Someone who has walked there for the last five years complained about the vegetation not having been cut, and wasn't it awful? Within a week of his letter, vegetation round paths had been cut, which made walking easier, but I've been pleased to see that all the rest has been left. In their reply to the paper, a spokesman for, presumably, BAA, said that they were hoping it would become a good nature reserve. I think it already is.
The last few times I've been, the river levels have been very high, rather surprisingly. I don't think there's any chance of seeing any waders. There's no mud to interest them.
There's been some correspondence in our local paper. Someone who has walked there for the last five years complained about the vegetation not having been cut, and wasn't it awful? Within a week of his letter, vegetation round paths had been cut, which made walking easier, but I've been pleased to see that all the rest has been left. In their reply to the paper, a spokesman for, presumably, BAA, said that they were hoping it would become a good nature reserve. I think it already is.
I've just discovered that I should have had 50 birds on this list ages ago, because on my original list I missed out house martin, so this morning when I saw some redwings, that brings the total to 51.
I've been a few times this late autumn and early winter, but haven't seen much about. When I've been and the weathers been dreary and dank, I'm lucky if I see six species, and that's usually exciting things like carrion crow and woodpigeon.
Anyway, today it was a sparkling frost, I was there for 40 minutes, and I thought I would put in a complete list of what I saw for a change.
magpie 5
blue tit 7
starling 4
carrion crow 2
great tit 5
woodpigeon 4
moorhen
wren 2
robin
redwing 6
mallard 2
green woodpecker.
I've been a few times this late autumn and early winter, but haven't seen much about. When I've been and the weathers been dreary and dank, I'm lucky if I see six species, and that's usually exciting things like carrion crow and woodpigeon.
Anyway, today it was a sparkling frost, I was there for 40 minutes, and I thought I would put in a complete list of what I saw for a change.
magpie 5
blue tit 7
starling 4
carrion crow 2
great tit 5
woodpigeon 4
moorhen
wren 2
robin
redwing 6
mallard 2
green woodpecker.
Species No 52 took me by surprise this morning, because it was something I would never have anticipated - a beautiful powdery puff little grebe. I had a fairly good list (well, good list for this patch) for the 50 minutes I was there:
Woodpigeon 10
green woodpecker 3
mallard 2
magpie 6
robin 2
starling 7
wren 3
blue tit 11
great tit 3
carrion crow 7
collared dove 1
blackbird 1
kestrel 1
little grebe 1.
Woodpigeon 10
green woodpecker 3
mallard 2
magpie 6
robin 2
starling 7
wren 3
blue tit 11
great tit 3
carrion crow 7
collared dove 1
blackbird 1
kestrel 1
little grebe 1.
Mark43
Well-known member
Hi florall
I have just joined this site as i am trying to take a more active interest in birding and wildlife.
I have lived in Crawley since 66 and wasn't aware this area was even there.
It sounds great and i must come and take a look some time.
I assume parking is ok there.......with the new security that seems prevalent these days and the close proximity to the airport i take it you have not been hassled by the police.
Do you ever get down to Buchan Park at all?
Mark
I have just joined this site as i am trying to take a more active interest in birding and wildlife.
I have lived in Crawley since 66 and wasn't aware this area was even there.
It sounds great and i must come and take a look some time.
I assume parking is ok there.......with the new security that seems prevalent these days and the close proximity to the airport i take it you have not been hassled by the police.
Do you ever get down to Buchan Park at all?
Mark
Hello Mark, and welcome to Birdforum.
I'm ashamed to say that I've lived in the area for quite a few years more than you, and I didn't discover it until 18 months ago. Better late than never.
We've never had problems parking here - either park in Povey Cross Road or Charlwood Road and go through one of the gates. (I think there are about six gates over a mile and a half of road giving access to the site.) The only place you mustn't park is in a dead end to the south of where Charlwood Road and Povey Cross Road meet - there are plenty of "don't park" notices here and I have seen police take an interest in illegally parked cars there. I think there's a good chance your car would be towed away if you stopped here.
I have been to Buchan Park once, years ago, but not to bird watch. Is it any good?
I'm ashamed to say that I've lived in the area for quite a few years more than you, and I didn't discover it until 18 months ago. Better late than never.
We've never had problems parking here - either park in Povey Cross Road or Charlwood Road and go through one of the gates. (I think there are about six gates over a mile and a half of road giving access to the site.) The only place you mustn't park is in a dead end to the south of where Charlwood Road and Povey Cross Road meet - there are plenty of "don't park" notices here and I have seen police take an interest in illegally parked cars there. I think there's a good chance your car would be towed away if you stopped here.
I have been to Buchan Park once, years ago, but not to bird watch. Is it any good?
Mark43 said:
Mark43
Well-known member
florall said:
It's only these past few weeks that i have started taking more of an interest in birds so my identification of them is pretty poor at the moment.
But i have seen my only woodpeckers there,quite a few Sparrowhawks plus all the usual tits and finches etc.They have a pair of GC Grebes that nest every year also.
It's also very good for Adders,grass snakes and slowworms plus early evening for deer.
Was going to go up to Gatwick today but ended up in Pulborough Brooks instead.Saw my first Snipe though so wasn't to bad.
Keep up the list of what you see at Gatwick.........must make the effort once i have my scope to come and take a look.
lark o'dell
today the local patch tommrow the world
sounds great
I've been quite a few times over the late winter, and had some good bird lists (or maybe I'm getting better at identifying the birds I see, so my lists are longer). Nothing new though, until this morning. We had just packed up and were heading back to the car when I saw a bird of prey flying in low from the south over the runway. I automatically assumed it was a kestrel, because we've often seen them in this area, but I realised it was much more slimline and sleek than a kestrel. It flew very low over our heads, before heading off east - a fantastic hobby, species no 53.
We also heard a willow warbler, the first for the patch this year, but I've still not heard a chiffchaff anywhere. My first on the patch last year was on 18th March. Are they late this year? Other birds of note this morning were pairs of yellowhammers, reed buntings and bullfinches.
We also heard a willow warbler, the first for the patch this year, but I've still not heard a chiffchaff anywhere. My first on the patch last year was on 18th March. Are they late this year? Other birds of note this morning were pairs of yellowhammers, reed buntings and bullfinches.
Mark43 said:
Thanks Mark. I'm sure I'll hear one soon. I even heard a news report on the tv this morning live from the Sussex countryside and I could hear one chiff chaffing away in the background. But it does seem strange because normally I hear them all over the place by this time of year.
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