Migration in motion

March has come and gone, this year complete with a mixed bag of weather that ended this last week with plenty of rain and wind. While classic early spring-like days have been limited, migration is well underway now – and in several weeks it'll all be over, so it's important to enjoy it while it's in motion. Thankfully I've had plenty of time to do so these past seven days.

Kittiwake at Frensham. An early contender for local bird of the spring.

Saturday 25th

Some 47 species wasn't a bad haul on the Lammas Lands this morning, at least given the grey, blustery weather, but it was a steady session at best. A calling Blackcap at Overgone Meadow was a rather inauspicious way to record my first of the year, and one of the wintering Dartford Warblers – a female – was still about. Other bits included four each of Stonechat and Reed Bunting, two Little Egrets and seven Snipe.

I walked on to Unstead Water Meadows which were similarly quiet, with Raven, Siskin, two Kingfishers and two Reed Buntings the best.

I ended my morning stroll at Unstead SF, where Water Rail, Cetti's Warbler, two Teal and four Reed Buntings were the highlights. The biggest avian change here since I stopped regularly birding the site is the presence of breeding Black-headed Gulls, and it was nice to see several occupied rafts in the Lagoons.

Black-headed Gulls and Tufted Duck.

I bumped into Janet who showed me some of the recent restoration work that's taken place across the site – it'll be interesting to see what the new South Meadow scrape pulls in this spring. 

South Meadow, Unstead SF.

Sunday 26th

After the run of windy westerlies, an overnight switch to a gentle northerly and rain always threatened to deliver – and it did. I headed to Tuesley early on, where five Sand Martins through were looking like the highlight of my stakeout. However, not long after contemplating heading home, I heard a Golden Plover calling overhead. I got on it – it was very high – as it powered south-east. Always a good bird locally, this was my first GP at Tuesley sine the mid-2000s, when I'd often see the famous wintering flock on the journey to school … 

Not long after, a Dunlin appeared from the east, circled twice then disappeared again. Suddenly my rainy vigil had produced two local goodies – and buoyed by this I decided to check out Frensham afterwards.

Arriving at the Great Pond, almost the first bird I saw through my bins was a Kittiwake. Mega! Minor panic mode ensued, as I presumed it had dropped in and be gone anytime soon. As it happened the bird – an adult still in largely winter plumage – had no intentions of moving. In fact, I wondered if it was unwell, but upon getting 'scope views it was clearly alert and feeding actively to boot, in constant phalarope style.

Kittiwake.

Dave soon arrived and we ended up having an hour or so of lovely – albeit distant – views of this south-west Surrey rarity. Even a veritable regatta didn't perturb the bird. It was only later that I appreciated the true status of Kittiwake in south-west Surrey, with this only the fourth record in the last two decades (the last being one I had over Thorncombe Street in 2017) and the first at Frensham since 2002!

Other bits included my first Common Gull for seven days – and quite possibly my last of the winter locally – as well as two Ravens and 40 Sand Martins.

Raven.

Monday 27th

I went looking for Yellowhammer on Witley Common this morning – and drew a rather ominous blank (as did Ray B last week). The future of this species on the south-west Surrey heaths looks bleak indeed (see here). Bits of note during a calm, bright session included Firecrest, two Siskins, two Woodlarks, five Chiffchaffs and a drake Mandarin.

The time of year and wind (north-westerly) enticed me up to Eashing Fields late morning, with Mipits on my mind. Any long-time reader of this blog will know Meadow Pipit is a favourite of mine – especially watching them bound north on late March days – so it was great fun tallying up 142 in an hour-long watch under bright skies. 

Eashing Fields.

Loads of raptors (20 Buzzards and six Red Kites) were up as well, with a high-flying Siskin a notable vis-mig record in the context of this past winter.

Enthused by the extra evening daylight, I plumped for a long walk along the Wey after work. The Eashing stretch was quiet, though two pairs of Teal in and around Milton Pool were very much of note. I rather skirted the Lammas Lands, noting only a Little Egret at Overgone Meadow.

There were a few small floods at Unstead Water Meadows, which you don't usually get at this time of year. Several geese and a flock of Black-headed Gulls were the best they had attracted, but a surprise came on the Wey itself – a drake Tufted Duck, presumably 'Mark'.

Tufted Duck.

Another wondrous wildfowl was to be had in the Peasmarsh meadows north of Trunley Heath Road, in the form of a cracking Barnacle Goose. Found by Janet at Unstead SF earlier today, it was firmly on my radar during this walk so I was pleased to see it. These Category C delights are never easy locally!

Barnacle Goose.

I then finished up with a little session at Unstead SF, where I could still see the Barnacle Goose out beyond Flooded Field, which held no fewer than nine Snipe. A Cetti's Warbler was in song near the Lagoons too. In all, some 9 km walked after work and a few decent birds to go with it.

Snipe.

Tuesday 28th

A quick lunchbreak skywatch at Eashing Fields, in a breezy southerly following a morning of rain, produced more Meadow Pipits heading north-west (though nothing like as many as yesterday), a trickle of large gulls north and two Sand Martins powering east.

Sand Martin.

Wednesday 29th

A grey, gloomy morning walk around Thursley was quiet – this site still doesn't feel like it's got into gear this year. Two male Curlews were around Pudmore/Elstead Common (meaning three birds must be about, for now at least), along with two Water Rails. A Lesser Redpoll over Shrike Hill was, incredibly, only my second record of the year. It felt like there had been a fall of Chiffchaffs too, with at least 10 in song.

By late morning it was mild and drizzly. No fewer than 17 Sand Martins pushed through Eashing Farm during a short watch – what a start to spring it's been for them. A resplendent Swallow was with one group too. Around 40 Linnets and six Skylarks were in the fields. 

Down by the river afterwards, I finally heard my first singing Blackcap of the year, in the alder carr at Greenways Farm. A Siskin was calling a little further upriver too.

Thursday 30th

After speculating last Friday that the Corn Buntings had left Shackleford, I was very surprised to see one still around this morning – nearly two weeks after the last report. I'm sure they will depart eventually, but it's interesting that one or more are still around despite the dissipation of winter flocks of Skylarks, Linnets and Reed Buntings.

Corn Bunting.

Indeed, I didn't note a single Reed Bunting today, with other highlights restricted to two Sand Martins north (always good at Shackleford), a Raven west, two singing Blackcaps and 75 or so Linnets.

A mood swing of a day brightened up around lunch, so I headed to Thursley for a windy walk. As soon as I arrived a squally shower passed through, but thankfully the sun was out again shortly after (with a couple of Brimstones to boot). I paused briefly on Shrike Hill and was soon counting myself lucky to stop there, as an Osprey appeared high overhead.

Osprey.

The bird lazily drifted north, circling a few times over Pudmore, before I lost it in the distance. Thursley is good to me when it comes to Ospreys – this is my sixth here in the last three years. 

Other bits of note included two Ravens north-east and a Redpoll over South Bog

Friday 31st

No birding.

The build up

As a birder, it's difficult to not enjoy March, especially the second half of it. After months of winter, things are finally springing into life – field sessions shift from repetition to anticipation. Yet March lacks the frenetic, expectant nature that April brings, allowing one to peacefully soak up the slow build-up of the year's most brilliant season. Despite some wet and windy weather, the past week has been just like that – not show-stopping or mega, but most enjoyable.

Wheatear.

Saturday 18th

A St Patrick's Day induced slightly later rise saw this morning off to a bit of a shocker – a missed White-fronted Goose at Pudmore, which was a brief but excellent find by Dave. With drizzly south-easterlies in play I thought I'd better go and try to salvage things, so headed to Tuesley.

Almost immediately after I arrived I picked up two adult Little Gulls on the water – result! They soon disappeared, however, so I was relieved when they returned overhead several minutes later. As the rain fell they bathed, foraged and flew around a bit, which was a lovely experience. After a while though they felt it was time to move on, and spiralled up mightily high before departing north. Epic migration in action.

Little Gull.

This was a new Tuesley bird for me and only the second site record after one in November 2002. Little Gull is barely annual in south-west Surrey and is virtually exclusive to Frensham, so I was highly chuffed with this find … Other bits of note during a soaking morning included a Green Sandpiper and one of the feral Goldeneye.

On the way home I checked Eashing Farm, where two pairs of Red-legged Partridges, 35 Linnets and six Skylarks highlighted. Later that morning Jeremy had a Shelduck over Broadwater – it had been quite the morning in south-west Surrey.

Red-legged Partridge.

Sunday 19th

The wind had switched to a fresh north-westerly today, with clear skies. A quick check of Tuesley first thing looked set to be quiet – until an adult Great Black-backed Gull flew north-west. This is a true local rarity (there was only one south-west Surrey record last year) and it was a site first for me, so I was very pleased. March is pretty much the best month for GBBG locally.

I then headed to the Lammas Lands, where 44 species were noted including plenty of common species in song. The standout stuff was typical fare, including five Stonechats, nine Reed Buntings, three Little Egrets and four singing Chiffchaffs.

Little Egrets.

From Godalming I moved on to the Bramley area and Snowdenham Mill Pond, where four Teal, two Gadwall, 15 Tufted Duck and the Mute Swan pair – including the female on their nest – were present.

I strolled from the pond to Bonhurst Farm, an old haunt of mine that I still like to check every now and again. The ever-reliable Little Owl pair were sunning themselves in a big oak, while singing Skylark and Chiffchaff and flocks of Common Gulls and Fieldfares were also seen.

Little Owl.

Monday 20th

A grey, gloomy and mild morning, which looks set to be the theme this week. A pre-work walk of the Wey produced a tidy 44 species, including six singing Chiffchaffs, a Siskin, 18 Mandarin and a displaying Sparrowhawk. There were notably fewer Chaffinches around. I also had prolonged views of a Mink …

Mink.

Shortly after writing about the remarkable influx of Alpine Swift in Britain I thought I should try and look for one, so headed to Frensham Great Pond mid-morning. Of course there was no swift, but two House Martins in with six Sand Martins were lovely to see. Easily my earliest House Martin in Britain (by 13 days!) and my first in March, an unusually early rush of this species has coincided with the swift influx.

Tuesday 21st

A drizzly, gloomy morning saw me back at Frensham Great Pond, where Sand Martin numbers were up to 40. One of the House Martins was still in tow as well. Better still was a drake Red-crested Pochard – a very tricky local bird (at least non-dodgy ones!) and only the third Frensham record in the last 15 years. Nice.

Red-crested Pochard.

Other bits included the Cetti's Warbler, which was in song in the eastern reedbed, three each of Firecrest and Chiffchaff, a Kingfisher and a Little Egret.

On the way back I popped into Waverley Abbey, a site I've not visited since November 2021. My brief visit was lively, not least around the marshy area by the Wey which held a drake Wigeon (only my second local record of 2023), a Gadwall pair, four Teal and, best of all, a Lapwing pair, complete with a displaying bird. This is a rare sight in south-west Surrey these days – indeed, with Dunsfold Aerodrome being developed and the boards back up at Pudmore, it'll probably become the last breeding site in the area …

Also noted were two Ravens, three Firecrests and several disorderly Egyptian Geese.

A jewel in the English Heritage crown (and Waverley Abbey ruins). 

I popped up to Eashing Fields late morning, by which point it was squally and breezy. A light north-westerly push of Meadow Pipits was underway, with an adult Peregrine loitering to the north. Two Sand Martins powering north was a nice treat – I only had three 1-km records last year, all in the autumn.

Peregrine.

After work I cycled to the Lammas Lands (Overgone Meadow). It was still a touch breezy but the sun was out and four Chiffchaffs foraging furiously along the Wey clearly had plans to move overnight. I also saw a female Stonechat bearing a metal ring (indecipherable, sadly) and the drake Tufted Duck.

Stonechat and Tufted Duck.

Wednesday 22nd

Following a long day working on the book, Matt and I nipped up to Eashing Fields late afternoon. It was grey and breezy, but we were both delighted to set eyes on a Swallow zipping south – a first of the year for both of us and, for me, an earliest ever in Britain. How bizarre to have seen all three British hirundines by 22 March …

It was a fairly lively little session in fact, with the adult Peregrine still around, two Greylags north-west, a Stonechat pair in Scrub Strip and a Sparrowhawk to the south.

Thursday 23rd

A brief lunchtime walk in and around the village produced my first Brimstone of the year, plus three singing Chiffchaffs and a Siskin.

Friday 24th

My first Shackleford visit in more than a week felt like a transitional one, with few signs of migration and a notable lack of winter flocks, especially around the Chalk Lane crop. There, the only Linnets were pairs prospecting hedgerows, there were no gatherings of Skylarks and – most tellingly – I only had one Reed Bunting. 

Shackleford.

There was no sign of the Corn Buntings either. Tom G had one on 19th, the last sighting, which would make it a fitting two-month visit if they have indeed moved on …

Bits of note were limited to a Raven, a Red-legged Partridge pair, three singing Chiffchaffs, a displaying Sparrowhawk and a pair of Stonechats.

After work I popped up to Eashing Farm, where one of the first birds on the checklist was a female Wheatear. She seemed rather tired – presumably after a long day of travel – and was motionless for the most part, before a sudden burst of energy saw her foraging along a fence line. Lovely stuff.

Wheatear.

A singing Red-legged Partridge, two Greylag Geese and a Mandarin pair attending a Pheasant feeder were also noted.

Nought to sixty

Birding is a funny hobby. This year, spring has been seriously slow in coming, with winter dragging on. That was the case for much of the past week as well – frosts and northerlies dominated, until Wednesday. Then, it seemed, the tap was turned on. With suitable departure conditions on the Continent a large arrival (for mid-March at least) of migrants took place across southern England. This unexpected and early pulse of spring action caught many off-guard – and it's these unpredictable moments that make it such a fun pastime.

Reed Bunting.

Saturday 11th

Another wintry morning with a hard frost began at Eashing Farm, where a quick check of the reservoir produced the three Little Grebes and a hefty juvenile Peregrine sat on the perimeter fence.

Peregrine.

I then headed to Shackleford, where a two-hour session featuring some 49 species was really enjoyable, even if signs of spring were somewhat limited. The highlight was finally getting good, prolonged views of the Corn Buntings, which have been here for nearly two months now. One bird even started singing for a short while – amazing!

A Yellowhammer pair nearby were a very welcome sight – perhaps they will stick around and breed. One can hope … some 25 Reed Buntings, 45 Skylarks, 80 or more Linnets and 35 Meadow Pipits were also noted, along with a heard-only Little Owl. Nine Stonechats and a Chiffchaff hinted at spring. 

Reed Buntings and Linnets.

The morning was capped off by a Water Rail scampering along a frozen puddle near the farm pond – a Shackleford first no less!

Sunday 12th

The first spring-like morning since I got back from Mexico was most welcome as I walked along the Wey. The Lammas Lands held the typical fare, with the added bonus of a Jack Snipe which I flushed twice on Catteshall Meadow. I often find March to be a good month to connect with this species, which has had a poor winter locally.

Other bits and pieces included 12 Snipe, a singing Stonechat, some territorial Reed Buntings and a Little Egret.

Stonechat.

The Eashing stretch was entertaining too, with 44 species amassed. Three Teal on floods by Milton Pool were only my third 1-km record of the year, with two Mute Swans on the river by Rush Corner only my second. A Ruddy Shelduck upriver with two Egyptian Geese was a whacky sight and a Marsh Tit was singing in an alder copse near Eashing Bridge – my closest record to the village to date.

Mute Swan and Egyptian Goose with Ruddy Shelduck.

Monday 13th

No birding.

Tuesday 14th

A biting, breezy north-westerly wind was blowing through Eashing Fields this morning, where signs of spring life included a light northerly passage of Meadow Pipits (my first notable push of the year), three Stonechats in The Meadow and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls north. A Red-legged Partridge and two Greylag Geese (rare here) were also noted.

A singing Firecrest was a notable village record later in the morning.

After another busy day working on the finishing touches to our book, Matt fancied trying for the Corn Buntings – a species he needed for his vice-county list. To our surprise, the trio were immediately located upon arrival, hanging out with a group of 80 or more Linnets and seemingly getting ready for roost. A high, north-eastbound flock of 70 Starlings caught the eye as well.

Corn Buntings.

Wednesday 15th

Winter's extension was very much in evidence at Thursley Common this morning, with a hard frost cloaking the ground. Despite this, one of the most enjoyable local signs of spring was around Pudmore first thing: a pair of Curlews. The male arrived back last week but this was my first encounter of the year, as both birds foraged in the wider area, occasionally performing territorial loops. Splendid.

Curlews.

Some 44 species were noted in all – a decent total for mid-March – but things still felt quiet out there. A few more Meadow Pipits were knocking about, a light northerly passage of Stock Doves was underway and a Mandarin pair were flying around.

Back home and working on the book, with Matt having not long arrived, it was clear through the various WhatsApp pings and BirdGuides app alerts that things were kicking off in the South-East. Then, Beddington main man Zach called: Stone-curlew. It didn't take long before Matt and I were out the door and heading to the outskirts of London, with a vice-county tick on our minds.

Stone-curlew is notoriously hard to twitch in Surrey, so we were pleased when we clapped eyes on the bird at the end of our mad dash. It was distant and rather motionless on Phase 3 Wet Grassland, but a wonderful sight nonetheless – and quite a quirky first spring migrant of the year! Not many people will have seen Curlew and Stone-curlew on the same day in Surrey before ...

Stone-curlew.

We said our thanks and headed back south. The reports and alerts kept coming through, though, and at around 4.30 pm Abel messaged with news of a probable Merlin at Shackleford. This was enough to pique my interest and, with a day working on the book essentially in tatters anywhere, I was out the house again.

Sadly (but predictably) there was no further sign of the Merlin, though glorious compensation came via my first Wheatear of the year – of course a spanking male, and my earliest in Surrey to boot. After today, it's safe to say spring has sprung!

Wheatear.

Thursday 16th

Some 48 species was a new personal best along the Wey at Eashing this morning, which was grey and mild. My first 1-km Chiffchaff of the year was in song near Eashing Marsh – the same locale as my first in 2022, though six days later.

Other bits included an adult Mute Swan low south over Eashing Bridge, 17 Mandarin, eight Greenfinches and a Red-legged Partridge.

I popped up to Eashing Fields around midday, by which time a breezy, mild southerly was in play. A huge flock of Starlings powered north-east – I estimated a minimum of 250, which were later followed by a smaller group of 20 or so. During the last two days I've noticed a few high, north-eastbound groups of Starlings, so presumably some return continental movement is underway at the moment. 

Starlings.

Friday 17th

It was mild and grey at Frensham Great Pond this morning, where I was pleased to see my first hirundines of 2023 – three Sand Martins zipping about over the water. The Cetti's Warbler was in voice in the eastern reedbed – my first record here this year – and a Chiffchaff was singing too. Marsh Tit, Kingfisher and Little Egret were also present, but notably I had no Pochard here for the first time since 23 October.