Blackbirds are common throughout the reserve.

Picture by Ray Baker

Blackcaps are a mostly shy and retiring summer visitor and are more often heard singing from within a hedge than actually seen. Despite its name, the black cap of females is actually a rich chestnut brown. Our British Blackcaps migrate to southerly continental europe to over-winter, but in recent years, other birds have started to migrate from eastern europe to take advantage of our comparitively mild climate, but a winter Blackcap is yet to be recorded in the reserve. Picture by Ray Baker

Blue Tits are common throughout the reserve and are avid users of the many nest-boxes which are in the reserve. Picture by Ray Baker

Most often seen flying over. Note that in winter, Black-headed Gulls don't actually have black heads, but can be identified by the black spot behind the eye. Picture by Ray Baker

Bullfinches are often seen on the reserve, particularly in winter when they are often feeding on berries down by the pond and on the ground by the various path-edges. They are surprisingly shy and inconspicuous for such a colourful bird, so listen for the soft 'phoot' call. Picture Ray Baker

Buzzards are gradually colonising this area as they spread from the west and are now a fairly common sight. Listen for the wild, mewing call as they float overhead. Picture Ray Baker

Canada Geese are common in the area, with several large bodies of water such as Hedgecourt and The Wire Mill often holding large flocks. On the reserve, they are usually seen just flying over. Picture Ray Baker

Crows are common in the area and on the reserve. Crowhurst is called Crowhurst for a reason! Picture Ray Baker

Common throughout the reserve. Picture Ray Baker

Chiffchaffs are common throughout the reserve - usually found by their loud 'chiff-chaff' calls. Picture Ray Baker

Coal Tits are easily overlooked. Best told from Blue and Great Tits by their smaller size and overall buff colouration. Picture Ray Baker

Collared Doves are common throughout the area. Picture Ray Baker

Cormorants are resident on some of the larger bodies of water in the area and are sometimes seen flying over the reserve. Picture Ray Baker

Cuckoos are a declining species and there is some evidence that they are contracting back to prime habitat. Certainly they are much less common than in years-gone-by but can still be heard in the Spring-time. Picture Ray Baker

Dunnocks are usually quite shy and retiring and can often be heard singing their scratchy but pleasant song before actually being seen. They would favour any hedge or scrub and are often seen alongside the path leading down to the pond. Picture Ray Baker

Fieldfares are a winter visitor from Scandinavia and are a colourful member of the thrush family. If they linger in the UK into Spring, their plumage becomes particularly beautiful as they develop their breeding colours. Listen for the chuckling call as they pass overhead. Picture Ray Baker

Garden Warblers are a drab brown bird, but possess one of the most beatiful Spring-time songs. They had a very good year in 2011, both in the reserve and in the general area. Picture Ray Baker

Goldcrests are the UK's smallest bird - being roughly Wren-sized but weighing much less. For such a small bird their song is very loud and tuneful and can be heard particularly on sunny days in late Winter and into Spring. Picture Ray Baker

Goldfinches are an attractive bird with a pretty song - usually seen feeding on teasel and other seeds or joined with other species and eating alder seeds in the treetops. Picture Ray Baker

Great Tits are common in the reserve - another great user of nestboxes! Picture Ray Baker

Greater Spotted Woodpeckers are resident in the reserve. They are the only woodpecker that can be heard locally drumming. Picture Ray Baker

To see any wader locally is quite an achievement and we once had a Green Sandpiper briefly visit our pond. Picture Ray Baker

Green Woodpeckers are more usually detected by their loud laughing cry, which gives them their old country name of Yaffles. Picture Ray Baker

Numbers of Greenfinch have fallen dramatically in the UK, due to a microscopic parasite which has decimated their numbers. We have quite a few in and around the reserve area and their far-reaching,screeching song can be readily heard in Spring. Picture Ray Baker

Grey Herons are common in the area and there is sizable breeding colony at the nearby British Wildlife Centre. They are most often seen flying over - we don't have any fish in our ponds, but they will readily take frogs and newts, in fact they will take just about anything that they can subdue! Picture Ray Baker

Herring Gulls are the large 'seagulls' that often frequent UK seaside resorts and steal your chips! Usually seen flying over in small parties. Picture Ray Baker

House Martins are struggling these days, as modern houses afford them less nesting space under the eaves. Readily identified by their white rumps. Picture Ray Baker

House Sparrows have declined dramatically in the UK generally in recent decades but are not doing too badly around here. They breed in the roof-spaces of nearby houses and are often seen in the hedges by the pond area. Picture Ray Baker

Hobbys are small, slim, fast-flying members of the falcon family. They will often feed on dragonflies which they catch in their claws and transfer to their beaks to be eaten whilst still in flight. They will also catch birds if they can, with Swifts being a favoured target. Look out for their red 'trousers' as a useful field mark. Picture John P

Jackdaws are common in the area, with a large roost based in the village. They are smaller than Crows and Rooks and can be identified by their grey necks and piercing blue eyes. They also say their name - 'jak, jak' - constantly! Picture Ray Baker

Jays are a colourful bird which are often mistaken for more exotic species by novice birdwatchers. They eat acorns and can often be seen on the ground gathering them in autumn for winter storage. This photograph was a summer one though, and the bird is 'anting', which basically consists of disturbing an ants nest and then sitting in it, to allow the angry ants to attack any parasites etc in the birds plumage! Picture Ray Baker

Kestrels are the birds of prey which are often seen hovering on motorway verges. Sadly they havn't been doing so well in recent years, as 'improved' management of rough grass areas has reduced their rodent prey. Picture Ray Baker

Lapwings were once a common bird in farmlands but are now increasingly unusual. Their call gives them their old country-name of Peewit. Picture Ray Baker

Lesser Black-backed Gulls are infrequently seen flying over. Picture Ray Baker

Lesser Redpolls are winter visitors sometimes to be seen feeding in the tops of alders and aspen trees. Picture Ray Baker

2011 was a good year for Lesser Whitethroats in the reserve and surrounding hedges. Lesser Whitethroats are smaller and greyer than Common Whitethroats and are easily distinguishable by their rattling call. Picture Jos Stratford

Linnets are seen regularly on the reserve. They are a bird often associated with gorse and it is worth checking for linnets in the gorse bushes in Bloomer’s Field or the hedges and trees nearby.
Picture by Ray Baker

Little Egrets are being seen more and more frequently in the area over recent years, but first recorded in the reserve in March 2013, when one was seen flying low over the community orchard. Picture Ray Baker

Long-tailed Tits join up into large flocks for most of the year before separating into pairs in the breeding season. They make a oval ball-shaped nest, mainly out of moss and cobwebs and line it with feathers. Picture Ray Baker

Magpies are a frequent and noisy visitor to the reserve and gardens. Picture Ray Baker

Mallards are the most common ducks and are sometimes seen on the ponds. Picture Ray Baker

Meadow Pipits are more usually seen in the larger fields surrounding the reserve, but can sometimes be seen in the treetops or flying over. Picture Ray Baker

Mistle Thrushes are the largest British thrush and got their name from their habit of eating mistletoe berries. Sadly we don't have many of those around these days. Picture Ray Baker

Moorhens have rarely been seen in the pond area. Picture Ray Baker

Mute Swans are seen locally on larger bodies of water, but have only been seen flying over the reserve. Picture Ray Baker

Nightingales are a scarce bird in the UK, although our local area is something of a hotspot. The bird was first recorded on the reserve in 2011, and its drab appearance belies the beautiful song. Picture Ray Baker

Nuthatches are more often heard than seen, with a number of different calls, the most usual of which is a loud 'quik, quik'. They have striking and colourful plumage, particularly in the spring. Picture Ray Baker

There are large numbers of Pheasants in the local area - most being bred as game birds. Picture Ray Baker

Pied Wagtails can often be seen flying over giving their loud 'chissick' calls. There is a winter roost in Lingfield High St and they can be seen gathering on the rooftops in some numbers. Picture Ray Baker

Redwings are another winter visitor from Scandinavia. They often gather in large groups to feed on the ground or on berry-laden shrubs. Picture Ray Baker

Reed Buntings are infrequently seen in the reserve and surrounding area, but can sometimes gather in surprisingly large number if attracted by a ready food supply. Picture Ray Baker

Reed Warblers are a summer migrant which reside and breed in water-side reedbeds. Two migrating birds were found in the reserve one foggy morning in May 2011. Picture Ray Baker

Ring-necked Parakeets have done extremely well and are established in much of the area inside the M25. There is some evidence that they are now spreading out to our area with several sighting in late 2011. Picture Ray Baker

Robins are common throughout. What may be less well known however is that they migrate, with our UK ones heading SW in the winter, to be replaced by others heading over from continental Europe. So, they may look the same, but the Robins in your garden are unlikely to be the same individuals in summer and winter. Picture Ray Baker

Rooks are common in the area, although probably less numerous than Crows or Jackdaws. Picture Ray Baker

Siskins are a winter visitor which can sometimes be seen in treetops feeding on alders etc. They often associate with Goldfinches and Redpolls. Picture Ray Baker

Skylarks favour rank arable grass for feeding and breeding, so the reserve is a little too small and busy for their taste, but they are sometimes seen flying over. Picture Ray Baker

Snipe are fairly common waders that are often to be seen in flooded fields as well as water-side locations. There is a regular population of these in Crowhurst and Blindley Heath, and this one was seen flying over the reserve in January 2013. Picture - Ray Baker

Song Thrushes are particularly noted for their song, particularly in spring-time. The song is very varied but they often repeat each phrase - usually 3 times. Picture Ray Baker

Sparrowhawks are attack specialists - probably more likely to be seen swooping up over a hedge to try to get at your bird-feeder than anywhere else. They have been recorded in the reserve though. Picture Ray Baker

Spotted Flycatchers are a bird that is doing very badly - mainly due to lack of its insect prey. Picture Ray Baker

Starlings are often seen in quite large numbers in the area - they nest in house-roofs alongside the reserve - and there is a large winter roost at Hedgecourt Lake. Picture Ray Baker

Stock Doves are a bit like smaller versions of Wood Pigeons and even more like some feral Pigeons, but can be told by the dark outer borders of the wing enclosing a pale interior, and the broad black tail band. Picture Mark

Stonechats are infrequently seen in the area. Their name is due to the call, which sounds like 2 stones being knocked together. Picture Ray Baker

Swallows are relatively common wherever there are farm buildings for them to nest in. Picture Ray Baker

Few birds are more evocative of summer than a flock of Swifts, as they fly round giving their screaming calls. We are very lucky in Lingfield as a group always nests in the church roof. The work being undertaken didn't put them off in 2011, and let's hope the same holds true in 2012. Picture Mark

Tawny Owls are seldom seen roosting during the day but are the most frequently heard at night. The famous 'too-wit, too-woo' call is actually male and female calling to each other. Picture Ray Baker

Treecreepers are small almost mouse-like birds that make their living finding insects in the tree bark. They are most likely to be seen in the large trees around the orchard area and have a high-pitched indrawn call. Picture Ray Baker

Waxwings are annual, but uncommon visitors to the UK from Scandinavia, and it is only every few years that they make it down to the SE of England. A flock of approx 30 were feeding on berries by the pond for several days in January 2013. Picture - Ray Baker

Whitethroats are probably the most common summer warblers on the reserve and they often sit on top of bushes and sing loudly, which helps! Picture Ray Baker

Willow Warblers are usually just a passage migrant around here and can best be separated from the similar Chiffchaff by their calls. Picture Ray Baker

Woodpigeons are common throughout the reserve. Picture Ray Baker

Wrens are just about our smallest bird (beaten by Goldcrest) but certainly have a loud song -probably one of the loudest of all garden birds. Picture Ray Baker

Yellowhammer often heard singing in the fields North of Bloomer’s Hedge and West of Paris Gate. They are sometimes seen foraging on the reserves and in Summer are probably taking some of the thriving population of grasshoppers on the reserves to feed their chicks.
Picture by Ray Baker