Crowborough 21/10/2018 - 27/10/2018

27/10/2018
As usual, birding was at a minimum over the weekend, so nothing of great interest over Saturday, part from the normal garden birds.

My Garden:
Robin: 1 (singing)
Blackbird: 1 (male on the lawn)
Redwing: 1 (over at midday)
Blue Tit: (one calling)
Jackdaw: 3 (not present for the roosting count)

26/10/2018
Again, only more garden birding today, as I was out in the evening. Not really anything of great note, apart from several migratory Goldfinches flying high over heading South.

My Garden
Goldfinch: 20 (migrating South)
Pied Wagtail: 1 (flying over)
Siskin: 3 (in a flock low over)
Blackbird: 3 (a male and two first winters)
Robin: 1 (singing)
Woodpigeon: 5 (in the trees)
Coal Tit: 2 (calling from the conifers)
Blue Tit: 4 (largest numbers for a while, probably a family group)
Starling: 60 (roost count, numbers growing ready for the huge winter flock we get round here)
Jackdaw: 20 (roost count, again growing numbers)

25/10/2018
Today was only marked by a slight improvement in numbers of Starlings, and also a group of 40 Fieldfare at Pennybridge Lake.

Pennybridge Lake
Greylag Goose: 3
Buzzard: 1
Woodpigeon: 10
Magpie: 3
Jay: 2
Jackdaw: 20
Carrion Crow: 2
Blue Tit: 1
Nuthatch: 4
Fieldfare: 40
Robin: 1
Grey Wagtail: 1

My Garden
Robin: 1 (singing)
Wren: 1 (calling early morning)
Magpie: 2 (in the line of trees)
Goldfinch: 3 (all migrants headed South)
Goldcrest: 2 (singing in the conifers)
Chaffinch: 2 (flying around calling)
Jackdaw: 3 (the usual three)
Carrion Crow: 6 (really large numbers, caused I think by an invisible Sparrowhawk)
Pied Wagtail: 1 (one flying over)
Woodpigeon: 4 (in the trees as usual)
Herring Gull: 1 (only one flying over today, more up town)
Starling: 10 (largest number seen for a while)
Great Tit: 1 (male singing)
Collared Dove: 1 (one flying over, not so common in my garden now for some reason)
Blue Tit: 1 (one flew in at midday)


24/10/2018
Similar to yesterday, but I walked down to the woodland bordering Green Lane, where the highlights were three Redwing high over. In my garden, there was some variety for once, with Linnet and Meadow Pipit recorded.

Green Lane
Nuthatch: 1 (calling)
Redwing: 3 (flying over South)
Buzzard: 1 (one over calling)
Goldcrest: 1 (singing)
Blue Tit: 1 (feeding in the treetops)
Blackbird: 1 (male amongst the leaves)

My Garden
Jackdaw: 1 (early morning, not sure what happened to the others)
House Sparrow: 2 (one of the usual pairs)
Wren: 1 (calling early morning)
Woodpigeon: 1 (singing)
Goldcrest: 1 (male singing in the conifers)
Carrion Crow: 2 (usual pair)
Goldfinch: 1 (flying over high South)
Robin: 1 (dominant male singing I think)
Blackbird: 1 (male on the lawn)
Linnet: 1 (high over South calling)
Blue Tit: 2 (calling from the conifers)
Chaffinch: 1 (calling as it flew over)
Siskin: 2 (flying over low)
Coal Tit: 2 (calling from the conifers)
Herring Gull: 1 (flying high over)
Meadow Pipit: 1 (flying South high, but calling)
Nuthatch: 1 (calling from the woodland)

23/10/2018
Only more garden birding again, as I spent a large part of the day at Broadwater Warren RSPB, and nothing spectacular apart from a male Sparrowhawk that raced through glowing in the evening sunlight for the second day running.

My Garden
Robin: 1 (singing)
Wren: 2 (calling at each other)
Sparrowhawk: 1 (possibly the same as yesterday)
Blackbird: 1 (male on the lawn as usual)
Siskin: 1 (flying high over South)
Jackdaw: 30 (pre-roost flock)
Carrion Crow: 2 (usual pair)
Goldfinch: 3 (flying low over)
House Sparrow: 2 (in the lilac)

Highlights from Broadwater Warren RSPB included numerous Stonechats and a Meadow Pipit, plus all the usual suspects for this time of year.

22/10/2018
Very quiet again, although I was out birding for longer today than the previous two days, although I was unable to go anywhere other than my garden.

My Garden
Carrion Crow: 3 (upset by Sparrowhawk)
Robin: 1 (singing as usual)
House Sparrow: 2 (low numbers in the lilac)
Sparrowhawk: 1 (did not take anything as far as I am aware)
Woodpigeon: 3 (others were probably concealed in the woodland)
Siskin: 3 (probably migrants on this occasion, as they were headed South)
Jackdaw: 2 (poor pre-roost count today)
Starling: 5 (low numbers)
Goldfinch: 1 (probable migrant: high over headed South)
Pied Wagtail: 1 (flying over)
Chaffinch: 1 (male singing)

21/10/2018
Only a few observations made out of the window today, so nothing of note.

My Garden
Blackbird: 1 (male on the lawn)
Robin: 1 (singing)
House Sparrow: 5 (two pairs and a juvenile)