Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix) RED-listed What’s going up and down Thousands of us are in for another top firework display at the Cranleigh bonfire. It ...

Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) ‘Tut tut’ The voice came softly during one of those baking days of this endless summer. Then again: ‘Tut tut.’ Well, ...

Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) Our long hot summer has born a butterfly bonanza all around the south of England, enabling many of us to enjoy some unusual ...

Starling singing (Sturnus vulgaris) If they were rarities then birdwatchers would travel hundreds of miles to see them. Starlings! Surely most people can ...

Wood Pigeons in flight © Andreas Trepte It’s the month when many bird species notably flock up after breeding. There are various reasons why they do this ...

Falco peregrinus The Blue Tits’ alarm calls earlier this Spring signalled a likely raptor was approaching and as I looked up to see what it would be a ...

Woodlark Lullula arborea Lots of people think Spring is truly sprung when they hear the first Cuckoo or see the first Swallow. But for me it is long before ...

Lapwing Vanellus vanellus March madness socked Cranleigh and surrounding villages right between the eyes, shutting roads, closing schools and offering a new ...

Parrot Crossbill (male) Loxia pytyopsittacus In my Crane Spotter column last April, I wrote about the irruption of the Common Crossbill into the Cranleigh ...

Brent Goose (Branta Bernicula) Geese are an increasingly common sight over and around Cranleigh. Greylag Goose numbers have rocketed in the last 20 years. ...

Hawfinch (male) Coccothraustes coccothraustes Cheers to the New Year! Over Christmas I’ve enjoyed the fruits of last Autumn’s labours in one of the prickly ...

Great White Egret (Ardea alba) I was dreaming of a white Christmas as I began scanning the skies for ducks that day in deep mid-winter. This month, on 22 ...