Epsom Downs - Back To Birding in Blighty!

The return to “Blighty” after a long period away is always a testing time for the seasoned traveler. Not a great deal has changed we are still in the EU, the TV and tabloids are full of the same rhetoric and the country is overloaded with people making the shortest of journeys a challenge.

Viridor has intensified its security measures at Beddington Farm following a threat from Extinction Rebellion activists to disrupt the operational side of the highly controversial Incinerator! The resulting fall out requires the once keyholders to attend an Induction before they are permitted to enter the site via the main entrance on the Croydon side. Once completed checking in and out with areas that are to be visited during the time on site are to be notified.

The Surrey Bird Club and the BTO have re-designed their websites and the former announcing the SVC 17 boundary will be adhered too. A new SVC Whatsapp group has been created by Geoff “Bartman” Barter and Steve Gale which is another positive step in bringing the counties birdwatchers / ornithologists together.

I was overdue a day out in the field and sought the peaceful surroundings covering Epsom and Walton Downs. The area was introduced to me by Steve Gale before I left for Oceania in December. The focus is centered on passerines with a winter covering of gulls on the racecourse.

There were no gulls today but plenty of work taking place for Epsom Derby Festival which takes place from May 31^st to June 1^st. A short walk from the racecourse there are plenty of open fields, woodland and scrub to hold a good number of passerines.

Before Christmas I averaged thirty species a visit and today the count was slightly higher with 34 recorded including summer visitors Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Swallow and Swift. Linnet was particularly vocal near the car park on the inner part of the racetrack. 

I may have departed the downs too early as Bartman saw a Red Kite mid afternoon near Hook heading towards Ewell Village! A group of 3 Buzzard and a pair of Sparrowhawk was the best offering of raptors over the area.

Species of the day was a pair of Lapwing. The birds are more wary of human activity here making photography in the hazy light more of a challenge and something I have to work on.