Early arrivals but few bonuses

The past 11 days has seen some glorious spring weather, with the Bank Holiday weekend particularly balmy. This ushered in a load of early arrivals and I broke a few personal ‘earliest ever’ records in the process. However, the fine conditions has also meant many birds have had no need to stop by or drop in. So, while I sit happily on 120 for the south-west Surrey year list, of the nine additions since my last post only one could be considered a bonus species.

This Reed Warbler was my earliest ever, at Unstead SF on 10th.

It is of course bonus species that dictate if 150 species is possible in south-west Surrey in a year. When lockdown began, I figured I could get all the anticipated summer migrants (there or there abouts) on foot or bike. So, I decided to continue with my target. However, the reality that’s hit home since then is that 150 just won’t be possible in this strangest of years. Freedom of movement, other birders not being able to find stuff and many other issues mean it just isn’t realistic.

For example, by mid-April I’d have expected Frensham Ponds to have delivered more than it has by now. This is probably the site that I hoped would gift me the most bonus species, but so far I’ve only Pintail to show. The ponds are too far for me to do on the bike, save a single committed session (with little lingering when there), and it’s basically unwatched at present, meaning any sole exercise outing there is a gamble (a tiring one too!). And this theory can be applied to other sites too …

Local Barn Owl in the pre-dawn sun ...

Anyway, working with what I have and on an uber-local scale has at least kept some normality to life, as well as a crucial outlet mentally. And, who knows, maybe a change in the weather will mix things  up … the patch is basically unvisited at the moment and it’s safe to say a 2020 report won’t be possible. That said, a bike ride there on Saturday 5th delivered two additions, both there and on the journey back.

112: Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler has become very scarce locally in spring very quickly, with the starkest example at Thorncombe Street, where it bred as recently as 2017 but, just last year, I had only two records. So, it was a nice surprise to see one silent bird feeding tiredly in the hedge at Broomy Down. Passing Unstead SF on the route back paid off too.

113: House Martin

A relatively early record for me at least, as it zipped over The Works with two Swallows.

Both House Martins and Swallows are largely back on territory locally.

Rain has been thin on the ground this month so 6th looked tasty, with dawn showers. And it did indeed deliver a year tick.

114: Common Tern

One descended from a very dark cloud and, while my earliest ever and a real joy to see, I must confess to hoping for a slightly rarer tern species given the conditions. This species breeds at the site I was at and I presumed it was an early returnee. However, with none seen there since, it probably was in fact a migrant pushed down by the showers. Arctic next time …

The grey and drizzly conditions were conducive to sky-watching from the flat that day. A Great Black-backed Gull flew north ahead of a marked Lesser Black-backed movement (33 north-east), along with a trickle of Meadow Pipits and hirundines. Best of all, though, was a Lapwing flying south-east over Farncombe – a real bonus for the BWKM0 list and a first from home.

An early Common Tern ... will Arctic or Black make it onto the local year list in 2020?

Better still would come from the flat on 7th. The weather was much better and I’d cycled to Loseley Downs late morning – another year tick awaited me there.

115: Whitethroat

This too was my earliest ever, by an impressive nine days. It scratched away in the hedgerow for a bit, barely revealing itself. A male Wheatear was a most pleasant discovery in one of the last remaining bare fields and a Little Owl was at Loseley Park.

While I was out, Dave B had an Osprey over Milford, heading east to Enton. This had me scanning the skies from home most of the day, though a light passage of Black-headed Gulls was all I’d managed. Then, after honing in on presumably the millionth Buzzard I’d checked since lockdown, It became clear I was dealing with a bigger and bandier-winged beast.

116: Osprey

It took my brain a while to engage as the bird circled lazily over Catteshall/Munstead. A Buzzard half-heartedly gave it some jip as it slowly headed south-east. I alerted some local birders ASAP, but only one connected, as it disappeared towards Munstead (and probably the patch). Now that was a bonus – always hard to catch up with due to the pure chance involved, I was most pleased as Osprey was perhaps the one year list bonus the flat could feasibly be a good site to get one from!

Some Raven action from various sites recently.

The following day, a dawn ride to Shackleford delivered a long-expected species there: Barn Owl. Sadly I only caught the arse end of it as it ghosted down Hook Lane. The habitat there couldn’t be better for Barn Owl, so an April record was nice. Some late Fieldfare were present too, as well as two Ravens. Then, on 10th, there was another earliest ever record, this time at Unstead SF.

117: Reed Warbler

Incredibly, despite the state of Unstead (which, I must say, is really bad now), as many as three pairs bred last year. This chap was clearly fresh in and subsinging from the reedbed. I do love an Acro.

I'm pleased to have Reed Warblers on my doorstep.

On Saturday, a darkness ride to Thursley Common proved a wise move. With the car parks shut, it was true heaven, despite some cloud cover. One of the first birds I saw was the ringtail Hen Harrier, as it presumably left its Ockley Common roost. At least one Curlew was displaying too, and I also heard a singing Red-legged Partridge (a Thursley first for me). A lovely start.

The most notable observation was the sheer number of Willow Warblers. I covered most of the common and logged a minimum of 17 singing males! How this species is so hard elsewhere is a mystery, but would seem worrying. Most were at the south and east sides. Another species notable by their numbers was also a year tick.

118: Redstart

At least seven singing males were heard, spread widely across the common. Most were near Parish Field, where two Marsh Tits were of note. In the distance, yet another 2020 addition was heard.

119: Cuckoo.

At least two males were heard, one loosely at the east end (Colin?) and another distantly towards Guinea Common. Few spring songsters are more welcome … other bits included 25 Dartford Warblers, several Linnet pairs building nests, Tawny Owl and Woodlark. No Tree Pipit this time, but there’s a couple of underwatched areas even closer to home that I want to check for these.

Willow Warblers and Redstarts were in fine voice at Thursley.

The following morning I cycled to Shackleford first bells, in an attempt to try and locate the Barn Owl. This time it was hunting over the main fields, and even flew up the hedgerows towards me a few times. Magical stuff. I realised I’d never actually done Shackleford at dawn – maybe this is a regular site.

While this was happening, the familiar call of a Yellow Wagtail was heard to the south. I soon clocked the bird as it flew around in various directions, before bolting low north-east. Maybe it was actually in the fields (which look good for Yellow Wag) and not vis-migging … I managed a recording before it disappeared.

More Barn Owl action ...

Yesterday, yet another early migrant was clocked up …

120: Sedge Warbler

Another rather surprising species to hang on at Unstead, one male was singing from the reedbed, but was rather skulking. This is one I was expecting to get along the river at some stage. From Godalming to Unstead, the Wey has been visited by me most often since lockdown (Catteshall Meadow is literally two roads down from me), whether for my one outing or en route to somewhere else.

A skulking Sedge Warbler at Unstead SF.

I must say, it feels like it has potential and I've definitely neglected it before. Since my last post there hasn’t been heaps of note – the Cetti’s Warbler, a few pairs of Stonechats and, yesterday, two late Snipe – but I would like to think regular visits will deliver, even if it’s just something like a Wheatear. Certainly, the heavy winter rain has left a couple of secluded pools look rather tasty. They’d normally be dry by now, so hopefully they can last into peak wader passage at the end of the month.

Will the Wey Valley from Godalming to Unstead deliver a goodie this spring? The state of the above flash suggests maybe.

To be honest, I’ve always loved local so this restricted birding is all good. The 150 year list challenge is realistically off, barring a remarkable run of proper bonus species (at least four needed by my maths!) between now and summer, but I’ll keep going for now. Who knows, we may even be able to bird as normal by the autumn.