Spring, glorious spring

Having whinged a little in my last post about a lack of bonus species accrued so far this spring for my south-west Surrey year list, it seems good old reverse psychology worked and the past week has borne witness to many a handy addition, as well as some super, sunny spring sights while pootling around locally on bike and foot.

With the warm, sunny days and strong headwinds, there have been autumn-like figures of Wheatears locally.

The weather hasn’t exactly been ideal for local migration, apart from excellent conditions on Friday afternoon and Saturday, but it has been changeable – sometimes that’s all you need. Most of the banker species (common summer migrants and such) have been added in the past seven days: Garden Warbler, Swift, Tree Pipit and Nightingale have all made it back to south-west Surrey for 2020, rather early too. I’ve also – at last – managed to connect with Crossbill this year, bumping into a pair (including a singing male) at Hindhead Common.

As well as these likely lads, a few ‘very gettable but will require work and time’ species have had the decency to show themselves, not least Common Sandpiper, which I’ve had at three sites during the past week. Add in Green Sandpiper and Whinchat – which I certainly had down as autumn jobs – then it’s good times.

They don't come much better than spring male Whinchat.

A seasonal surprise: Green Sand is uncommon locally at this time of year.

The icing on the cake, though, has been a trio of super bonus birds (for these parts at least): Little Gull, Arctic Tern and Shelduck. And on that icing atop the cake there has even been a few decorations, with some generally lovely local action, including some marked diurnal passerine migration.

Probably the best outing came on Friday. After days of sunny, clear skies and high pressure, the forecast had showers pencilled in for the afternoon – with continuing north-easterlies to boot. I chose to not take my exercise session that morning, waiting for the weather to arrive. It eventually came, and a very tiring cycle to Frensham truly delivered.

Little Gull (top) and Arctic Tern – bonuses in a big way at Frensham Great Pond.

As I scrambled down to one of the fishing swims on the east side, I could hear the calls of Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns. Upon seeing the water, it was clear hundreds of birds had been forced down by the rain – at least 30 terns and heaps of hirundines (all three species) were zipping over the pond. It didn’t take long to clap eyes on my main desire from this weather and lengthy journey: Little Gull. A dapper adult was cruising around in the torrential rain, which was getting heavier.

One of my favourite species ...

Some Common Tern action. The bottom bird bore a silver ring.

I didn’t want to linger too long and my optics were getting soaked, but it was clear there were a handful of Arctic Terns amid the Commons, with one close-range view of a vocal bird. It wasn’t easy in the conditions, though, and I left it at a very conservative two or more (a couple of other birders visited later and reported a similar number, as well as, rather gallingly, two Black Terns).

A Common Sandpiper on the boat club jetty completed a sweet reward for a lot of soggy effort. I have had further Common Sands at Thursley Common and Tuesley, the latter site also delivering the Green Sandpipers.

A return visit in similar conditions was far less rewarding, though I did connect with my first Swifts of the year (and earliest ever, to boot). As mentioned, a few other common migrants have been clocked up recently. Tree Pipit was scored at Thursley Common, with three birds performing their parachute display flights. Garden Warbler has been noted at three sites now, firstly New Barn, on patch, before others at Hindhead Common and Chiddingfold Forest.

Garden Warbler (top) and Swift have been seen in recent days, the latter my earliest ever in the UK.

The latter site was part of an excellent bike ride on Sunday afternoon. On the avian front, four singing Nightingales headlined – I got some nice recordings of one particularly vocal bird, including the ‘croak’ call. A female Cuckoo was decent, too, but best of all were three rather early Wood White butterflies. These fairy-like beasts were a real treasure to see.

Early Wood Whites at Chiddingfold.

A Roe Deer amid Bluebells.

Shackleford farmland is an area that has really captured my attention over the past 12 months, and has delivered decent birds. It is really coming into its own this spring, though, and seemingly every visit results in at least something of note. The crème de le crème came on Saturday morning, following an almighty shower – a pair of Shelduck, no less, sat rather incongruously on one of the large fields at the north end.

Clearly landing at the first available open space the rain allowed them, this pair were fairly content until the milkman’s van raced up the lane and flushed them. Of course, this species will breed far from water, but it was a truly bizarre record of a species that is rare in south-west Surrey. Bonus indeed.

I'll be surprised if I see Shelduck again in south-west Surrey this year.

As mentioned, Shackleford is on good form, not least for chats and wagtails. I guess the oft-strong headwinds, but nice conditions, have meant the passage of these delightful critters is more notable than usual. Whatever the case, a dapper male Whinchat, a single visit count of 10 Wheatears and Yellow Wagtail and White Wagtail – in a week – are autumn tallies. So, to see these birds in their spring plumage has been a rare treat. No apologies for the below photo-fest.

Wheatears galore.

Mr Whinchat ...

... Mr flavissima ...

... and Mr alba.

Aside from year list additions, super-local birding has been pretty fun, too. Along the river, the best record has been a flyover Redshank at Unstead SF, my first there for 16 years. A short excursion to Loseley Downs delivered an elusive female Redstart – it’s always nice to bump into this species on passage. They always feel ‘rare’.

An elusive female Redstart at Loseley Park.

Sedge Warblers are back along the River Wey now at a couple of sites.

In all a reminder – if ever it was needed – that local is great. I of course look forward to the lockdown lift, so proper birding sessions and much more time in the field is on the cards. But for now, despite these limitations, it’s time to appreciate spring – a time of year I love, but one that has often led me to frustration when solely birding Thorncombe Street in previous years. 131 is the current haul for the south-west Surrey year list, but with few easy additions left to add, things will get tougher from here.