Monday 1 January 2018

Beddington Farm - Wintering Twite!


2017 was a good year both for my Beddington Farm 7 new birds, (total 188 species) and Surrey Vice County 6 new birds, (total 234 species) lists. In addition I spent time in Bulgaria at Branta Birding Lodge Durankulak, a month in Spain and a couple of months with Cano Palma in Costa Rica. Surprisingly enough I did not miss any key species during my time away from my patch.

The New Year always brings with it an air of expectancy in the birding world. I always wonder what will be the next MEGA at Beddington Farm. It appears work has began creating the long overdue wet grassland. This work when completed should add an extra habitat to a shrinking Farmland.

My prime objective this morning was to look for the Twite that seemed to have taken up winter residence with a flock of Linnet that frequent the landfill area. I took a count of the waterfowl on the lakes before making my way over to the lake side of the landfill. Glen and Frank were over in the SE corner looking for Woodcock.
(photo 22/11/2017)
As Frank was seen on the horizon I noted two Tree Sparrow fly onto the fence. I then spotted the Twite on top of a pile of earth on the W side of the landfill. Locating this bird is made simpler by the colour rings on both its legs. The bird was banded by The South Pennines Ringing Project. I beckoned for Frank to get a move on as I now had the bird in my scope but it had gone by the time he reached me.

The flock of Linnet were very mobile and it took over an hour before Frank picked up the Twite on the path just S of the hay bales. The wait had been worth the effort and importantly this rare visitor had made it onto the Farm yearlist which finished on a respectable 160 species last year.

Having had a successful morning it was then up to Sutton Utd to complete the perfect day by beating Boreham Wood in the return festive fixture. A late equaliser by The Woods prevented the end to a perfect day!

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