Bird Watching and Sea Eagles

By Nigel Scott

I noted your comment about Sea Eagles over Shepperton in the January edition. The Sea Eagles released by the Roy Dennis Foundation in the Isle of Wight ranged far and wide over the UK this summer, one even flew back to Scotland where it had been born!

Birdwatch magazine last year reported that one had been tracked (they all have satellite transmitters) over Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex and a verified report from Worcester Park in late April is an accepted record. I was in my lockdown garden in Thames Ditton on a Sunday in late April (sadly without binoculars) and we saw a very large bird which we thought was just a big buzzard to the south of us towards Worcester Park. Having read the report I am pretty confident that I did see a white-tailed sea eagle overhead on that Sunday in late April so the rumours are correct, we may see them again this coming summer!

Red Kites have been seen more and more frequently in this area but we seem to have lost our population of winter thrushes (redwings and fieldfares) which liked the trees near Manor Park and also the Shepperton Old Allotments. In the case of the latter they have stopped coming since buildings were allowed to be erected on the allotments. My bird list for the Allotments also includes Brambling, a Chaffinch-like rarity more normally seen in rural areas. I have also watched a male Sparrowhawk kill and eat a wood pigeon in my small garden, it must have ben very hungry to take on a bird so large!

Birdwatching is alive and kicking in Spelthorne.

Finally, a note from the editor.

A lady was spotted watching some birds on the fields at Home Farm on the Shepperton Road. When asked, she said she was watching Tundra Bean Geese, although this is being challenged by specialists who suggest it is a Taiga Bean Goose. As the bird breeds in northern Siberia and winters in Asia, what is it doing in Shepperton? It is clearly not a regular to Spelthorne...Not yet anyway.

Having seen posts on social media about fears of dog thefts Sunbury Matters checked the status with Spelthorne Police. Maxine Cillia, Spelthorne Borough Commander, said that there has in fact been no increase in reported thefts of pets in the area. Her advice to pet owners however is as follows:

• Ensure you have a recent picture of your pet an that it is micro chipped • Ensure that the microchip is up to date • Keep dogs on leads or close by when walking them or be aware of where they are at all times • Walk in locations where other dog walkers usually • Always have a phone with you.

Make sure you always report any crime to the police so that they can build an accurate picture.

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1 Grand house (7) 5 Verifiable truths (5) 8 Dividends, earnings (5) 9 Ghoulish, spooky (7) 10 Evened the score (7) 11 Coach, teach (5) 12 Animosity, hatred (6) 14 Stick, attach (6) 18 Permit (5) 20 Sincere (7) 22 Beasts (7) 23 Belief (5) 24 Ledge (5) 25 Pudding (7) Solution p 57

1 Important business person (7) 2 Sound (5) 3 Brilliance, astuteness (7) 4 Wanderers, travellers (6) 5 One side of a many-sided object (5) 6 Savoy, Red, or Napa (7) 7 Severe, sombre (5) 13 Depression, sickness (7) 15 Ridicules (7) 16 Drain, take out (7) 17 Stopped (6) 18 Collect, compile (5) 19 Dock, levee (5)