So excited to see and hear a Nightingale this morning on the Downslink. Still waiting to hear my first 2025 Cuckoo.
Linda Williams, 1st May 2025
Bird Sightings
Birds (and other interesting things!) seen in and around our patch.
If you want to let us know of something you have seen on our patch, please contact sightings@henfieldbirdwatch.co.uk
Ziggy and I walked down to the lakes and were happy to see that the Canada Goose pair had four fluffy little goslings. A Moorhen chugged by as I was watching(Ziggy had a nap) and I enjoyed listening to the birds singing including Cetti’s Warbler (hardly a song), Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and the song of a Reed Warbler only normally heard in the Autumn when passing through. I hope he finds a mate and stays to raise a family.
John Pointing, 6th May 2025
Rather decadently, just had breakfast in the PO cafe. Sitting in the garden, noticed five Swifts and 3 House Martins flying around high above the village. So happy they’re back!
Lesley Milward, 1st May 2025
Great to hear that yesterday Martin had Swifts over his house, he had 3 active nests last year.
Today a solitary Swift flew screaming over our house, we had 2 active nests last year.
Debbie Colgate, 1st May 2025
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Lesley and I did my first breeding survey on Monday and what a truly glorious spring morning it was too. This starts at the footpath opposite Tottington Drive in Small Dole and then make our way via New Hall and West Mill Farm to Stretham and the Downs Link where we turn right and head north for about 150 metres before turning right down the Millstream to the road and then back to Small Dole where we started. There were a number of highlights, one of them being hearing 2 Nightingales where I had never recorded them before in 25 years of surveying this patch! Six Nightingale territories were heard in total, the other 4 being more regularly heard down the Millstream. In a field by the river near the Stretham Bridge, we counted 3 Cattle Egrets amongst a herd of cows with a Little Egret a bit further down followed by a Great White Egret that flew over our heads.
A Peregrine and a Buzzard found a a pylon each to sit on from which to observe the world. Warblers were in good voice with good numbers each of Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and especially while we also heard 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Reed Warblers and a single Sedge Warbler. Swallows had returned to a previous nesting site while it was good to record Yellowhammer, Linnet and Reed Bunting which we don’t always see during surveys and I estimate that there are 6 Skylark territories on the patch while there is a possible 7 pairs of Lapwing.
Having bemoaned about the lack of birds during the winter survey of this patch, we actually recorded 56 species in the end which could be a record for Area 11, so not a bad morning at all.
Mike Russell, 30th April 2025
A lovely walk yesterday morning down Furners Lane, past Bylsborough and returning via Park Farm.
There was a solitary Swallow flying near the stables next to Bylsborough but the highlight was a Cuckoo , first heard but then seen atop a bare tree in the woods next to Park Farm.
Alan Burnage, 28th April 2025
Three Cattle Egrets in with the cows, south along the Downslink at Stretham. Can be seen looking south from the bridge. Full complement… a Great White and Little Egret have just arrived!
Lesley Millward, 28th April 2025
Lovely early walk along the Mill Stream this morning starting from Wood Mill end. A Nightingale in the bushes right next to the path singing its head off. Sedge Warbler, Blackcap and Whitethroat amongst others. A Yellowhammer was sitting on a telegraph wire as we returned.
John Kendall, 27th April 2025
A Nightingale was singing this morning on the track beside the Guide Hut, and another just a hundred yards or so further north. Also Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff along the same stretch.
Les Cheeseman, 23rd April 2025
I took my birdwatching course group around Woods Mill last night and they were treated to a wonderful display of a hunting Barn Owl for 10 minutes over the fields at the back of the reserve. We then stood by the reedbed listening to the Nightingale when a Tawny Owl hooted and some people saw it in an oak tree before it flew off. In the end, we could here four of them calling to each other around the reserve.
Also nice to hear at least five Reed Warblers singing from within the reed beds plus a very vocal Cetti’s Warbler.
Mike Russell, 23rd April 2025