Following on from my review of key sites during my 2020 south-west Surrey big year (see here), this post looks at the final list and the status of each species on it. In the end, I finished on 159 – far surpassing my goal of 150, which was reached in mid-September. This total represents 80% of the Surrey vice-county year list record (198), something I was both pleased with and surprised at, given the size of the area. Hopefully this document will make interesting reading in the decades to come. The below list is in taxonomic order.
1. Red-legged Partridge
Uncommon or relatively common resident, especially around the many shooting estates, as far north as the Hog’s Back and as far west as Elstead. I recorded this species at 13 sites with a clear concentration around the farmland of the Low Weald where my highest counts (50 being the maximum) were achieved.
2. Grey Partridge
An unexpected addition to the list when a covey of eight pitched up at Shackleford from early November. Clearly releases from somewhere nearby, this isn’t the first time ‘pop up populations’ of this species have occurred in south-west Surrey in recent years and for this reason it goes down as a very rare resident.
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| Four gamebird species in a year is a great modern-day total in Surrey, let alone just in south-west. |
3. Quail
A county rarity – in part due to the wooded and hilly nature of Surrey – this species hadn’t been recorded in south-west Surrey since 2011. So, it was one of the highlights of the year when a singing bird pitched up at Shackleford for little under two weeks in mid-June. Probably an artefact of a minor ‘Quail year’ nationally.
4. Pheasant
Common resident; abundant in some areas of shooting land.
5. Greylag Goose
Fairly common resident and increasing.
6. White-fronted Goose
South-west Surrey’s 16th and 17th records – at Thursley Common / Snowdenham Mill Pond and along the River Wey respectively – was a fine way to end the year, amid an astonishing influx of the species to south-east England. Will some of the first-year birds that visited return again next year?
7. Barnacle Goose
A rare, low-level and feral resident, presumably the same bird was seen at three sites on four dates.
8. Canada Goose
Common resident.
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| Common Canadas ... |
9. Mute Swan
Fairly common resident.
10. Egyptian Goose
Relatively common and increasing resident.
11. Shelduck
A rare passage migrant and winter visitor. I wasn’t expecting to see any local Shelduck this year; I ended with four records from four sites (though late November and December records at Shalford and Snowdenham Mill Pond may account for the same bird).
12. Mandarin
Relatively common resident in suitable habitat.
13. Shoveler
A scarce passage migrant and localised winter visitor, seen at only five sites. Early spring and early autumn produces small numbers moving through dabbling duck hot-spots, but in the winter it proved very hard to pin down, with single birds seen at just two sites.
14. Gadwall
Fairly uncommon and somewhat localised; essentially resident at Snowdenham Mill Pond (where it was recorded in every month) but seen at only four other sites, three of them involving single records.
15. Wigeon
Rare and highly localised / weather dependent. If there are winter floods, then birds appear on Wrecclesham Water Meadows, in the far north-west of the recording area. Otherwise, this is a bird you’re unlikely to encounter: the only two records both came on 29 November, at Broadwater Lake and Snowdenham Mill Pond, following fog and easterlies.
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| Wigeon: rare and localised. |
16. Mallard
Very common resident.
17. Pintail
A single record, at Frensham Great Pond on 4 January, was the only one in the area this year and confirms that this duck is barely an annual visitor to south-west Surrey.
18. Teal
Relatively common winter visitor in favoured locales (Snowdenham Mill Pond, the river etc) but never numerous. Probably breeds on Thursley Common most years and indeed did so in 2020; a very nice species to have breeding locally.
19. Red-crested Pochard
Very low-level and rare feral resident, almost exclusive to Snowdenham Mill Pond and Bramley Park Lake where it popped up on six dates this year.
20. Pochard
Uncommon and localised winter visitor. A flock at Frensham Great Pond is regular in the winter months, as is a much smaller group at Enton Lakes, and these are the only places I saw this declining species in the area. I know of only two other records – both singles birds, at Cutt Mill and Broadwater.
21. Tufted Duck
Relatively common resident, seemingly declining as a wintering species.
22. Goosander
Fairly low-level and localised winter visitor, almost exclusive to Cutt Mill, though small groups seemingly reside at Lowick’s Pond, Churt, and Forked Pond, Thursley, too.
23. Nightjar
A relatively common summer visitor to the sandy heaths almost exclusively west of the A3. Probably persists along the Greensand Ridge but requires investigation.
24. Swift
A fairly common summer visitor. A remarkable passage of 509 over Thorncombe Street on 7 July was a year highlight.
25. Cuckoo
A relatively common and widespread summer visitor; recorded at 20 sites.
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| Cuckoos are doing OK in the rural parts of the area. |
26. Feral Pigeon
Very common resident.
27. Stock Dove
Common resident.
28. Woodpigeon
Very common resident.
29. Turtle Dove
The confirmation of a tiny, relic breeding population was one of the highlights of the year. At least one pair bred successfully, with singing males located at three sites. Hopefully this species can hang on.
30. Collared Dove
Very common resident.
31. Water Rail
A somewhat uncommon and localised winter visitor, though doubtless under recorded. Also a rare breeding resident (confirmed at Thursley and Frensham). Only recorded at five sites.
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| Water Rail: occasionally seen and rarely heard. |
32. Moorhen
Very common resident.
33. Coot
Common resident.
34. Little Grebe
Common resident.
35. Great Crested Grebe
Relatively common resident though localised.
36. Oystercatcher
A very rare passage migrant, seen once in mid-July at Tuesley and in early August at Thursley. Aware of one spring record (Lammas Lands in May).
37. Golden Plover
A scarce passage migrant and winter visitor, recorded four times. Three of these were at Shackleford – the best local site for this tricky species.
38. Lapwing
Somewhat uncommon in the winter, when it is dependent on suitable fields at sites such as Shackleford and Loseley. A rare but clear spring passage migrant and just about hanging on as a breeding species in the Low Weald farmland.
39. Ringed Plover
Very rare passage migrant, with single Tuesley records in both spring and autumn.
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| One of seven south-west Surrey lifers for me this year ... |
40. Little Ringed Plover
Scarce passage migrant. Took me until May to connect with this traditionally early spring returnee, but eventually had four records at three sites including two lingerers. A bird on the Lammas Lands for a few days in early May may have been attempting to breed nearby.
41. Whimbrel
Rare passage migrant. Single spring and early autumn records at Tuesley.
42. Curlew
Very rare and localised breeding visitor and rare passage migrant. The Thursley pair seemingly failed again, thank to the fire on Ockley Common. Their late return of mid-March was notable. The only other record flew over Thorncombe Street on 5 July – symptomatic of the particularly early return passage of waders in this area, as well as the scarcity of this bird away from Thursley.
43. Dunlin
Rare passage migrant, almost exclusively to Tuesley (three records), though a tame juvenile in a puddle at Shackleford in late August was a year highlight.
44. Jack Snipe
A low-level and localised winter visitor, almost exclusively on the Lammas Lands where it takes some finding. Probably frequents Thursley at this time of year too and I had my only record away from the river here in November.
45. Woodcock
A relatively common summer visitor, mainly to the sandy western heaths west of the A3. Scarce in the winter but doubtless under recorded.
46. Snipe
A relatively common winter visitor to suitable habitat. Some birds summer at Thursley though no breeding was anticipated in 2020.
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| A typical view of a local Snipe. |
47. Common Sandpiper
An uncommon but regular and fairly widespread passage migrant. Recorded at four sites, of which Tuesley was very reliable.
48. Green Sandpiper
A scarce and rather unpredictable passage migrant and winter visitor, seen at four sites. One spring record was followed by five autumn birds, then a sole winter record.
49. Greenshank
Very rare passage migrant, with single spring and autumn records from Tuesley.
50. Redshank
A rare passage migrant exclusive to Tuesley, where six birds included a surprising and impressive five in July.
51. Black-headed Gull
Very common winter visitor. Small numbers breed.
52. Mediterranean Gull
Very rare passage migrant. I had just one – a typical March bird heading to roost at Frensham Great Pond – and am aware of just two other records.
53. Little Gull
A welcome addition – this species is barely annual in south-west Surrey, and almost exclusive to Frensham. One of those rare occasions twitching the weather pays off, an adult was at the Great Pond for the afternoon of a very showery 17 April.
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| One of the highlights of spring. |
54. Common Gull
Common winter visitor. Rare between April and September.
55. Herring Gull
Fairly common winter and passage visitor; uncommon in summer.
56. Yellow-legged Gull
A rare passage and winter visitor that I didn’t expect to see in 2020, surprisingly recorded three times, two of which were at Shackleford.
57. Lesser Black-backed Gull
Uncommon and low-level winter visitor; slightly more regular on passage (especially early autumn) and very rare in summer.
58. Great Black-backed Gull
Only two records! This species is rare in the area and cold weather or spring passage is the time to see one. Both my records involved spring migrants tracking the High Weald Ridge.
59. Common Tern
A relatively common, albeit localised, summer visitor.
60. Arctic Tern
A rare and less than annual passage migrant, at least two dropped into Frensham Great Pond with the Little Gull during the April showers on 17th of that month.
61. Cormorant
A fairly common resident, though it doesn’t breed.
62. Grey Heron
Fairly common resident.
63. Great Egret
Still a bit of a local mega with only six records in south-west Surrey prior to 2020, so I was surprised to see two birds at three spots: one was at Frensham Great Pond and then over Thursley Common on 25-26 October; the other was by the River Wey at Eashing on 30 November.
64. Little Egret
Relatively common, although a little localised, winter visitor and a rare and low-level breeding bird in the summer.
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| An increasing winter sight. |
65. Osprey
Rare / scarce passage migrant. Several Ospreys probably drift over south-west Surrey skies most years but jamming into one is down to luck. I managed such fortune in early April (from my window at home, flying up the River Wey) and in mid-September (at Thursley, where one flew from presumed roost early morning).
66. Honey Buzzard
This species averages less than one passage record a year in the area and an adult over Unstead SF in early August was reflective of that trend.
67. Marsh Harrier
Rare passage migrant, probably sitting between Osprey and Honey Buzzard in terms of frequency during these periods. My only record, over Tuesley Farm on 30 August, was on a classic date. At least two records came from Thursley but I’m unaware of any others.
68. Hen Harrier
A rare passage migrant; a scarce and localised winter visitor in most years. The 2019-2020 wintering ringtail at Thursley was seen a handful of times in the first winter period and was my only local record. It seems that there aren’t any using the site in the second half of the year, though.
69. Sparrowhawk
A fairly common resident.
70. Goshawk
A rare and localised resident, though increasing. A bird up the River Wey on 27 March was a lockdown special and far from any suitable habitat.
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| One of my favourite species is doing well close to home. |
71. Red Kite
A fairly common resident. Impressive winter roost at Hankley.
72. Buzzard
A common resident.
73. Barn Owl
A rare, low-level and localised resident. I only had four records, from three sites, and know of only one or two other anecdotal areas.
74. Little Owl
Uncommon, fairly localised and seemingly on the decline. I had records from five sites and know of at least one other definite spot.
75. Tawny Owl
Fairly common resident.
76. Kingfisher
Relatively common resident along waterbodies. I had birds at 15 sites.
77. Wryneck
South-west Surrey’s first record for 17 years – at Shackleford on 2 September – was a highlight of the year.
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| An early autumn highlight. |
78. Great Spotted Woodpecker
A common resident.
79. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
A rare, localised and declining resident, though it’s doing better in south-west Surrey than many other areas in England. I had records at seven sites, five of which involved birds exhibiting breeding behaviour. Sadly the first lockdown put pay to pinning down nest sites this year.
80. Green Woodpecker
A common resident.
81. Kestrel
A fairly common though somewhat localised, and apparently declining, resident.
82. Red-footed Falcon
The Thursley Red-footed Falcon – south-west Surrey’s third and Surrey’s 10th – was one of the spring highlights when it spent four days at the site in mid-May, proving rather mobile. Prolonged views and finding it myself would have made this record even sweeter!
83. Merlin
A very rare passage migrant and winter visitor. My only record was a female-type at Thursley Common in early October; I missed one at Shackleford in mid-September, and there have been a couple of December reports from Thursley, where this species used to winter regularly until fairly recently.
84. Hobby
An uncommon or relatively common summer visitor. Recorded at 12 sites.
85. Peregrine
A scarce and localised resident, rarer in the winter. Seen at nine sites though rarely encountered in the southern half of the recording area.
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| A rare view of a local Peregrine not in flight. |
86. Ring-necked Parakeet
A rare and very localised recent colonist, seen only at Shackleford, where it is absent from late April to early July. Thought to breed near Puttenham.
87. Great Grey Shrike
This once winter staple of south-west Surrey has been a bit of a slippery customer during the last couple of years. One was at Frensham Common for a few weeks in February, where I saw it twice, and another briefly used Thursley for little more than a week in November and December, where I saw it once.
88. Jay
Common resident.
89. Magpie
Very common resident.
90. Jackdaw
Very common resident.
91. Rook
Common resident.
92. Carrion Crow
Very common resident.
93. Raven
Uncommon but will be relatively common soon due to ongoing increase in the area. Seen at 19 sites, with at least four known nests.
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| Happy Raven family. |
94. Coal Tit
Common resident.
95. Marsh Tit
Localised and generally uncommon, but rather common in some areas of Low Weald woodland and around the Thorncombe Street valley. Seen at 20 sites.
96. Blue Tit
Very common resident.
97. Great Tit
Very common resident.
98. Short-toed Lark
A second for Surrey (last one over half a century ago) and first for south-west Surrey, at Shackleford from 19-20 September, was easily my bird of the year and honestly a crazy record for the area. Not sure I’ll ever find anything as good in the county again!
99. Woodlark
A relatively common, though localised, resident, almost exclusive to the sandy heaths west of the A3. I wonder if this species is a bit under recorded – signs of breeding at sites such as Dunsfold Aerodrome and farmland around Loxhill suggest this may be the case.
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| A favourite songster of mine. |
100. Skylark
A fairly common resident.
101. Sedge Warbler
A low-level and localised summer visitor almost exclusively found along the Wey between Farncombe and Shalford (only 3-4 pairs). I only recorded birds at Unstead Water Meadows and Unstead SF. Uncommon at random sites on passage. Exploration of riverine habitat further west needs to be done.
102. Reed Warbler
A relatively common or uncommon summer visitor and localised, though more widespread than Sedge Warber. Uncommon at random sites on passage.
103. Grasshopper Warbler
A very rare and localised summer visitor, known from one location (the first confirmed Surrey breeding since 1998). A rare passage migrant; I had one record, in late August.
104. Sand Martin
A relatively uncommon passage migrant, though seen in numbers at sites like Frensham. Not sure this species breeds in the area anymore – blanks at the Wrecclesham / Runfold pits and near St Catherine’s Hill.
105. House Martin
A fairly common summer visitor.
106. Swallow
A fairly common summer visitor.
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| The bird of warmer days ... |
107. Willow Warbler
A relatively common summer visitor though declining and may be uncommon soon. Singing males heard at 15 sites.
108. Chiffchaff
A common summer visitor; a scarce and localised winter visitor.
109. Cetti’s Warbler
A rare and very localised recent colonist, known only from a couple of spots along the Wey between Godalming and Unstead. At least one pair is thought to have attempted to breed.
110. Long-tailed Tit
A very common resident.
111. Blackcap
A common summer visitor; rare winter visitor.
112. Garden Warbler
A fairly common summer visitor. Singing males heard at 23 sites.
113. Lesser Whitethroat
A very rare and localised summer visitor; scarce or rare passage migrant. Only two breeding sites / territorial male locales known – Binscombe and Painshill Farm, Dunsfold (the only other site, near Wrecclesham, was seemingly abandoned). Passage birds were at two other sites: Shackleford and Unstead Water Meadows.
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| Not an easy local bird ... |
114. Whitethroat
A common summer visitor.
115. Dartford Warbler
A locally common resident, almost exclusive to the sandy heaths near to or west of the A3 (i.e. 25 at Thursley on 11 April). Bred on cleared forestry land on Greensand Ridge for first known time in the area.
116. Goldcrest
A very common resident.
117. Firecrest
A fairly common and increasing resident (singing males recorded at 32 sites); uncommon in the winter.
118. Nuthatch
A common resident.
119. Treecreeper
A common resident.
120. Wren
A very common resident.
121. Starling
A very common resident.
122. Mistle Thrush
A common resident.
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| One of six thrush species seen. |
123. Song Thrush
A very common resident.
124. Redwing
A common winter visitor.
125. Fieldfare
A common winter visitor.
126. Ring Ouzel
An uncommon or scarce passage migrant. Seemingly a below average autumn – I only had two, at Thorncombe Street and the Devil’s Punchbowl, in late September and early October respectively. Expected a few more.
127. Blackbird
A very common resident.
128. Spotted Flycatcher
An uncommon or relatively common summer visitor. Doing OK in this part of the south-east – of 14 sites where I recorded the species, eight involved some form of breeding behaviour. Uncommon on passage.
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| Always a pleasure to bump into. |
129. Robin
A very common resident.
130. Nightingale
An uncommon or relatively common, but very localised, summer visitor. Of the eight sites I recorded the species, seven where in a tight cluster in the Low Weald – the species’ Surrey stronghold – as far north as Hascombe, west as Grayswood, east as Dunsfold and south as Alfold. Here, the population is strong (i.e. 10 singing males in Chiddingfold Forest on 2 May). The local nature of this species makes the return of a population at Milford Common, where four males held territory, all the more impressive.
131. Pied Flycatcher
Always a good bird in Surrey and, in this region, averages one record every two or three years. However, 2020 was the second year in a row there was an August influx of the species and I ended up seeing three birds: at Chiddingfold Forrest on 12th, Crooksbury Common on 14th and Hascombe on 18th.
132. Redstart
A relatively common though localised breeder; an uncommon passage migrant. I had breeding / territorial birds at seven sites and passage migrants (away from known breeding locales) at three sites.
133. Black Redstart
Averages one or two a year and indeed there were two this year, both in the late autumn. The only one I saw was at Rushmoor on 18 October.
134. Whinchat
An uncommon passage migrant, mainly in autumn. 2020 seemed to be a good year for this species and / or Shackleford is clearly a hot-spot: I had 19 bird days here. I saw Whinchats at three other sites. Of my total of 23 records, only one was in the spring.
135. Stonechat
A fairly common though relatively localised resident; a little less common but more widespread in winter.
136. Wheatear
A relatively common passage migrant. As with Whinchat, Shackleford was a hot-spot with 22 bird days, including a high count of 10 on 18 April. I recorded the species at six other locations.
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| Not much beats a spring male Wheatear. |
137. Dunnock
A very common resident.
138. House Sparrow
A very common resident.
139. Grey Wagtail
A fairly common resident at appropriate water bodies.
140. Yellow Wagtail
An uncommon passage migrant, mainly in autumn. I recorded birds at six sites and, again, Shackleford was the hot-spot with 16 bird days and a high count of 27 on 27 August.
141. Pied Wagtail
A very common resident.
142. Meadow Pipit
A common winter visitor and passage migrant; absent in the summer (between early May and late August) and now thought to be extirpated from the region as a breeder.
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| The humble Meadow Pipit. |
143. Tree Pipit
A relatively common but localised breeder, almost exclusive to the sandy heaths near or west of the A3, but also present on cleared forestry land on the Greensand Ridge. Uncommon but fairly regularly encountered on passage.
144. Water Pipit
A rare and very localised winter visitor and passage migrant, exclusively to the Lammas Lands. Still a bit of an enigma, this species may occur based on rainfall in the winter. There seems to be a gentle spring passage – my two records were on the Lammas Lands in March.
145. Chaffinch
A common resident.
146. Brambling
An uncommon or scarce winter and passage visitor with fluctuating numbers. 2019-2020 was poor and I had one record in the first half of the year; the second winter period was better with 15 records from seven sites.
147. Hawfinch
After the craziness of 2017-2018, this species seemingly reverted to type in 2020: a scarce passage migrant and elusive and low-level resident of Low Weald woodland. Most of my handful of records reflected this (i.e. two during a Thorncombe Street vis-mig on 22 September; two over Loxhill farmland on 21 February). The oddity was two over Thursley Common on 10 May.
148. Bullfinch
A fairly common resident.
149. Greenfinch
A common resident.
150. Linnet
A fairly common resident.
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| Loadsa Linnets. |
151. Common Redpoll
A rare bird in Surrey and prone to influx years. With so many Lesser Redpolls about in the second half of the year, it was almost inevitable that one would appear and so it proved, at Holmen’s Grove, Grayswood, on 26 November.
152. Lesser Redpoll
A relatively common or uncommon winter visitor. A wretched first winter period (six records!) contrasted with an excellent second half of the year (63 bird days). The impressive flock of 170 or more at Thursley was a spectacle.
153. Siskin
A relatively common winter visitor; a scarce (but perhaps unappreciated) breeding resident. I was very pleased to find a successful nest on Witley Common and I recorded this species between May and June at eight other sites.
154. Goldfinch
A very common resident.
155. Crossbill
An uncommon or relatively common resident and winter visitor, prone to influxes. Like Lesser Redpoll and Brambling, this species was thin on the ground in the first winter period – I saw none before 21 April. But the second half of the year was much better with the species very widespread and included some 56 during a Thorncombe Street vis-mig.
156. Yellowhammer
An uncommon and fairly localised resident, with a clear stronghold in the Low Weald (where in some areas it’s relatively common). In winter this species has become much harder to connect with and it’s unclear where the summer birds go. A count of 14 along a 0.8 km stretch of the Greensand Way shows the species’ preference for the Weald.
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| Another personal favourite. |
157. Reed Bunting
Relatively common resident in wet areas; found more readily on farmland and commons in winter.
158. Little Bunting
The discovery of one at Thursley Common on 19 October was the second-best moment of the year for me and was the eighth Surrey record (fourth for south-west Surrey). Amazingly it lingered until the year’s end and was incredulously joined by a second bird!
159. Rustic Bunting
A strong contender for Surrey bird of the year, this momentous find by Dave capped off a spectacular autumn for passerines locally when he discovered it on 27 November. Only the second for Surrey and a first for south-west Surrey.
A further eight species were recorded in south-west Surrey in 2020, bringing the regional total to 167. Seven of these I missed; the other I recorded on noc-mig (so can’t include in my personal total). The full list follows:
Brent Goose
Averages just about one a year and one over Shackleford on 28 November (thought to be the bird that pitched up at Tice’s the next day and is still there at the end of December) was a bit gripping, but you can’t bank on unusual flyovers.
Scaup
Easily the most painful omission. As with most diving duck species, Scaup is becoming much rarer in southern England and this species is always a good inland record anyway. South-west Surrey’s first for 14 years was at Frensham for seemingly a couple of hours maximum on 30 October. Late news meant it had gone by the time I got there. Could easily be another 14 years – or more – before the next.
Common Scoter
A small flock was sound recorded over my home on 3 April. This species actually rocks up at Frensham once every four or five years, but there were no 2020 records. Perhaps it’s a shout to stay up late and listen out on murky March and April nights in 2021 …
Black Tern
Frensham scores Black Tern more or less annually, often with multiple records. The only 2020 sighting came from a birder twitching the aforementioned Little Gull and Arctic Terns, on 17 April, so was a bit gripping as they must have arrived late in the day. I still need this species for Surrey (!) so hopefully it falls next year.
Bittern
One, maybe two, Bitterns winter at Frensham Little Pond each year but they are very hard to connect with – a combination of hours of effort and good fortune is needed to score. I gave plenty of the former, but lacked the latter. Around the full moon in March, on clear, calm nights, is the best time as birds prepare to depart back to their presumed European breeding grounds and can be seen noisily circling the pond at dusk. Despite a few stakeouts at this time, I dipped.
Short-eared Owl
This species is a proper rarity in south-west Surrey with barely any suitable habitat (the bog at Ockley lacks rodents). Years can go by without any records in the region. It evades my local life list and encountering one is normally chance. In 2020, brief flyovers were at Thursley (twice) and Hankley Common (once); I dipped the latter which was thought to have roosted.
Hoopoe
Jeremy had the first south-west Surrey Hoopoe for 15 years in flight over The Sands on 15 May but, despite searching the local area all morning, I couldn’t relocate it. Given the influx of this species in spring 2020 I was hoping to find one myself, but it’s another bird that requires luck to encounter purely because they can turn up practically anywhere.
Wood Warbler
Maybe in second place behind Scaup as the most frustrating one to miss. For starters, I had plans to locate a territorial male or breeding pair – this happened, but some 400 metres over the Sussex border! On top of that, I dipped a brief spring male at the Devil’s Punch Bowl and an autumn bird at Crooksbury Common. Now a county rarity …
This final handful of species constitute notable omissions from the area in 2020. Some are a bit tenuous in terms of being ‘notably’ not recorded, but still.
Goldeneye
A winter fixture at Frensham Great Pond until the mid-2000s at least, this species wasn’t recorded anywhere in the region in 2020 – a sure sign of our warming winters.
Wood Sandpiper
At the start of the year, Dave B told me I had a 40% chance of scoring this species at Thursley, where, in most autumns, one or two may drop into Pudmore. Despite many checks from July to September, not one was found or reported.
Black Kite
A Surrey mega and definitely not expected, but given the influx into England in spring 2020 it was surprising that a) more weren’t definitively identified in the county and b) one of the many photographers at i.e. Thursley didn’t accidently snap one, for example.
Yellow-browed Warbler
Becoming more regular in autumn and winter in Surrey, and certainly an annually expected species, YBW remains curiously mega in south-west Surrey with less than five records. Surely set to fall at Unstead SF one day soon.
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