Thorncombe Street
Things had quietened down on the patch since my last post on 23rd January, and 7 visits (albeit many brief) between then and today had yielded just 2 year ticks, both on the 28th in the shape of Lesser Black-backed Gull and Lesser Redpoll. By 6th February of 2015 I was on 73 species, including such patch gems as Brent Goose, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Great Crested Grebe, but by this year on the 6th I was on 67, and missing fairly regular birds like Grey Wagtail and Little Owl. How things would change today!
The forecast was set to be pretty miserable, with high winds, so I had a late start at Mill Pond. There were still decent numbers of Teal, though yet again no Shoveler - I have had none since the 23rd. The regular wildfowl were all present, and a Red Kite drifted overhead, mobbed by Jackdaws. Next stop was Rowe Barn Farm, where there was little other than Common Gulls overhead, and I wasn't particularly hopeful as I climbed up to the Ridge.
However, 2 Bramblings were quickly located on the north side, and there were good numbers of Reed Buntings. The wind was strong, but to my surprise a Peregrine drifted W at 11:07, my first of the year. Perhaps, like one did in 2015, this bird will spend the late winter here. Interestingly, Matt Phelps had a Peregrine over Winkworth later in the day, surely the same bird. Minutes later and I had another year tick - a Meadow Pipit - calling as it zipped over. Good fortune indeed, but the winds were making birding pretty uncomfortable, so I headed back down, before setting off to Scotsland Farm.
Siskins were the first bird noted, and as I walked the footpath towards the entrance to Great Brook I was alerted to a stocky bird with an notably heavy bill in the tops of the trees that join the bowl. I had an inkling, and once my bins were on my suspicions were confirmed - Hawfinch! I was over the moon, and amid the excitement I noted a second bird slightly lower down - I couldn't believe it! They seemed fairly settled and I enjoyed some pretty decent views while they simply sat in branches, but after 4 minutes, at 11:45, they both took off and flew E.
Very pleased, I continued into Great Brook to try and relocate them. Unsurprisingly I couldn't, though a Marsh Tit was heard. The amount of private land makes it likely these birds didn't go far. I had 1 Hawfinch last year, a much more fleeting sighting in Furze Field on 21st November. Perhaps there is a tiny wintering population here?
Godalming area
Plenty of stuff locally since my last post, all summed up briefly below:
24th - Great Grey Shrikes at both Thursley and Witley Commons.
25th - Great Grey Shrike again at Thursley, but no sign of the Witley bird. 11 Goosander at Cutt Mill.
26th - Great Grey Shrike at Thursley.
28th - A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a Firecrest were at Witley Common, and the Great Grey Shrike was again at Thursley.
30th - A Great Grey Shrike was at Frensham Common, on Vampire Flats, but not reported at Thursley. A Firecrest was at the latter site, and 1 was in a Witley garden. Little Egrets were at the Lammas Lands (2) and Unstead Sewage Farm (3).
31st - Great Grey Shrike at Thursley.
1st February - Great Grey Shrike at Thursley again.
2nd - Firecrest in a Witley garden again.
3rd - A Short-eared Owl, a very rare local bird, was seen hunting north of Dunsfold aerodrome at 13:15, in fields either side of Dunsfold Road.
4th - 2 Great Grey Shrikes at Thursley Common.
5th - again 2 Great Grey Shrikes at Thursley, and a Little Egret flew S over Shalford Water Meadows.
