30/09/2008

A quick after school trip for an hour produced to good quality Nonsuch birds, including a Nonsuch lifer for myself- Great Black-backed Gull.
1 Great Black-backed Gull (juv/1st winter type) over, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Gull (1st of the winter excluding the July bird), 2 Grey Wagtails (second for Nonsuch), 2 Nuthatches, c3 Goldcrests, c3 Coal Tits, 9 Stock Doves, c15 Jackdaws

Rarer birds of Nonsuch Park

Just for the interest of it I searched through my Nonsuch records on birdtrack and found some of the rarer Birds for Nonsuch, that take a bit more searching, with just a few recent records. Here they are:
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 1 record
Wheatear 1 record
Grey Wagtail 1 record
House Martin 1 record
Pied Wagtail 3 records
Hobby 2 records
Lesser Black-backed Gull 6 records
Common Gull 8 records

Nonsuch Park 23rd February 2008

I went with Phil to Nonsuch again today, and stayed for 2 hours 50 minutes in the afternoon. As with the other day, there were large numbers of Woodpigeons, Carrion Crows, Magpies, Ring-necked Parakeets, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Wrens, Robins and Blackbirds. Thrushes today included Mistle Thrush, Redwing (lots of these), Fieldfare (two on 2nd no dogs) and the previously mentioned Blackbirds. There was at least one Great-spotted Woodpecker around, Jackdaws were present and there were several Dunnocks. Starlings were seen flying overhead and Gulls seen overhead/on the short grass included Black-headed, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls though there were no Commons today. A few Stock Doves were seen at the North-east end. Two Green Woodpeckers were present today, one of which of heard only, the other only being seen breifly near the 'young' pond. At least one Nuthatch was seen, one Goldcrest was seen near the 2nd no dogs area. Two Moorhens were a pleasant surprise at the ponds, but the bird of the day was undoubtedly the Grey Wagtail seen at the ponds, it was a female and showed very well, being a Nonsuch lifer for me and Phil (and a year bird for both of us too!). It wasn't just a super day because of this sighting though, we almost managed to equal my personal record for Nonsuch in one trip, getting 30 species today (my record is 31!). I don't know if this record is related but in Sutton today there was a Grey Wagtail too! Quite out of place and away from any water.
Another great day at the park.