It took its time to get going but April has finally clicked into gear, with summer migrants arriving as the southerly floodgates eventually opened. The first two weeks of the month have contrasted greatly – the opening seven days were typically quiet with uninspiring weather, but the past week has been much improved. Spring is officially here!
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| Female Wheatear at Thursley Common. |
Friday 1st
A morning visit to Frensham Great Pond produced a drake Pochard and a squealing Water Rail.
Saturday 2nd
No birding.
Sunday 3rd
A lazy start and only time for a quick check of Tuesley, though it proved fruitful despite the clear skies and hard frost. A female White Wagtail was a nice treat, with good views enjoyed in the sunshine as it fed up around the reservoir. As much of a surprise was two female Goldeneye – presumably two of the birds of captive origin that appeared last summer, before disappearing in mid-December. Perhaps Goldeneye will be a summer visitor to this area now!
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| White Wagtail and Goldeneye. |
The visit was capped off by two noisy Mediterranean Gulls than flew in from the Enton Lakes area, calling profusely. They did a couple of circuits before disappearing off to the east … interestingly small groups were also recorded over Crooksbury and Frensham this morning.
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| Mediterranean Gulls. |
Monday 4th
No birding today.
Tuesday 5th
A grey and breezy session at Shackleford was quiet, despite a light northward passage of Meadow Pipits (at last!) hinting at some movement. The Stonechat pair were furtively nest-building in the alfalfa, a flock of Redwings flew over and two Blackcaps were in song.
Wednesday 6th
No birding.
Thursday 7th
A bright and breezy morning began at Snowdenham Mill Pond, where I was surprised to see the female Red-crested Pochard knocking about – my first sighting of her since January 2021. The female Mute Swan was still sitting on her nest and a drake Mandarin was also present.
I then walked Unstead Water Meadows, where I've been fortunate enough to be given access to the private fields. Six Snipe hinted at how many must get in here unnoticed during the winter. A few Reed Buntings were dotted about, a Water Rail called from a reedy ditch and a Willow Warbler gently and fittingly sub-sang from a willow.
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| Greylag Goose. |
It was quiet at a grey Thursley Common this morning. Highlights including a few Bramblings near the Moat (with a male in song), squealing Water Rails at Pudmore and Birchy Pond, a Snipe flushed on South Bog, a drake and female Teal and a Willow Warbler near Woodpigeon Wood. The Curlew pair were knocking about though it seems there is no unpaired male on the common this year …
A singing Marsh Tit was heard during a late afternoon stroll along the river.
Saturday 9th
No birding.
Sunday 10th
Six Crossbills were a nice surprise over a Haslemere garden in the early afternoon – only my third local record of 2022.
Monday 11th
There were finally some summer migrants at Thursley Common this morning, with 56 species tallied up before work in pleasantly mild conditions. My first Redstarts (singing males at Woodpigeon Wood and Spur Wood) and Tree Pipit (singing male at Will Reeds) of the year were lovely to see, and an increase in Willow Warbler saw four birds in song. A female Wheatear was flitting around Pine Island first thing as well.
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| Tree Pipit. |
Pudmore held the Curlew pair and a Water Rail, four Redwings flew high north over Shrike Hill, a small Lesser Redpoll flock zipped about and a couple of Bramblings were still around the Moat. A real surprise came at Redstart Corner – a male Yellowhammer bounding low north-east. This is a good bird here these days, averaging a couple of records a year.
The highlight of the morning came out on Ockley Common. In fact, I was treated to a Surrey first – prolonged visuals of a displaying Snipe. This species breeds here and I've heard drumming birds several times before, but it's normally very brief (or after dark). So this really was a moment to cherish …
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| Drumming Snipe record shots. |
At lunchtime, Orange-tip and Holly Blue were on the wing in the garden and a Raven circled overhead.
Tuesday 12th
A birdy day. I staked out Tuesley first thing but the forecast showers never materialised, and it was quiet as a result. My first Common Tern of the year was welcome, however. Presumably it was the same one Dave had over Enton several minutes earlier.
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| Common Tern. |
I then opted for a wander around Puttenham Common. Redstart and Tree Pipit were in song at the northern end of the site, but the star of the show came at the ponds: an Osprey. The bird had presumably roosted overnight and it was seemingly touring the area – it soon disappeared off to the north, where a convenient number of private trout lakes can be found.
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| Osprey action. |
Other bits included a Ring-necked Parakeet calling to the west, a Lesser Redpoll, a Teal pair on Long Pond, a singing Willow Warbler and a couple of vocal Firecrests.
Post-work rounds in the drizzle produced my first House Martins of the year – at least 10 – at Enton Lakes, along with a Sand Martin and two Swallows. On the way home, two male Wheatears were seen hopping around Top Field at Eashing Fields.
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| Wheatear. |
Wednesday 13th
There was lots of birdsong at a pleasantly mild Shackleford early on – mornings like this were few and far between last April, so I made sure to appreciate it. A singing Whitethroat was my first of the year, in the same bramble patch I had my first individual in 2021 …
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| Whitethroat. |
A Willow Warbler in subsong was more of a surprise. The male Stonechat was also giving it some although there was no sign of his mate – perhaps on eggs. The usual cacophony of Skylarks was nearly minus one contributor when a male Sparrowhawk went close to bagging an Alauda breakfast and the Little Owl watched on from its usual tree.
I walked Unstead Water Meadows afterwards and was very pleased to score a Sedge Warbler in the big reedbed. This is a truly localised south-west Surrey bird – there are two or three breeding sites most years – and the meadows here were devoid of this species in 2021. A singing Water Rail was also very notable, with a silent Willow Warbler, seven Snipe, three Swallows and four Reed Bunting also about.
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| Sedge and Willow Warblers. |
Thursday 14th
It was misty but mild at Milford and Witley Commons this morning, where a singing Nightingale was back at the former site, singing occasionally but not going for it. Other bits at Milford included Willow Warbler, two Siskins and an excellent number of Blackcaps.
I was pleased to locate three Dartford Warblers on Witley, where a (the?) male Yellowhammer was singing. Sadly he seems to be the only one holding fort here this year … singles of Woodlark and Redstart, two Willow Warblers and a mixed singing Chiffchaff were also present.
Two Swallows were whizzing about over the garden at lunchtime.
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