Fun fourth month

The fourth month of the year has flown by. It's been my most enjoyable April for a little while: migration has been in evidence virtually all month, numbers of common species seem steady and there's been a few local goodies to boot. It has been a bit wet, but April's supposed to be damp, right? In total, according to eBird, I’ve seen 119 species in south-west Surrey this month – pretty decent! Roll on May.

Sanderling.

Friday 21st

No birding.

Saturday 22nd

No birding.

Sunday 23rd

Typically, a non-birding spell away matched up with a lively period of migration in Surrey, so I was feeling a little gripped when I groggily popped into Tuesley on the way back from Gatwick mid-afternoon. My mood lifted instantly, though, as I espied a female Black Redstart on the fence – nice!

Black Redstart.

My third Black Red of a super productive spring for this species, this is a full fat Tuesley tick to boot. They're always great to encounter. A Common Sandpiper pottering along the shore was my first this year, too, and one of the dodgy local Goldeneye was present.

Common Sandpiper and Goldeneye.

Monday 24th

A cool, bright morning saw me walk Shackleford, where 46 species were amassed. Pick of the bunch were two Yellow Wagtails flying north, calling as they went – number 130 for my south-west Surrey year list. A Tree Pipit heading in the same direction was good value, too, as they're a rare bird here.

Other bits of note included a male Wheatear, five male Whitethroats, a handful of Meadow Pipits and a calling Little Owl. 

Wheatear.

A surprise awaited me at the end of the session as well, when a Corn Bunting ticked away as it flew overhead. It perched briefly before disappearing … I am amazed there is still one (or more?) around!

Corn Bunting.

I had time to check Frensham Little Pond before work. Shaun found a Wood Warbler here yesterday morning which was never likely to still be about – it wasn't, but I was compensated with five Reed Warblers (my first of 2023), a Willow Warbler, two Common Terns, two Redstarts and three late drake Shoveler.

I popped up to Eashing Fields at lunch, where I was pleased to hear my first Garden Warbler of the year singing from deep within A3 Hedgerow. A Blackcap was in song nearby for good measure. This was actually my first Garden Warbler for the site and my third year tick of the day.

With rain having moved in during the afternoon, I did an evening check of a couple of waterbodies. A field opposite The Mill pub near Elstead often floods and this spring has seen it look particularly rare, with Jeremy and Dave both recording Green Sandpipers recently. A quick check tonight revealed no fewer than six, which was quite a sight for south-west Surrey eyes – my biggest local count to date!

Things got even better when I popped to Eashing Farm afterwards, where a Common Sandpiper pottering along the reservoir shoreline made for a brilliant 1-km lifer (number 114). I wrapped up a tidy day of spring local birding.

Common Sandpiper.

Tuesday 25th

It was a little chilly this morning with the slightest touch of frost. As a result, my session on the Lammas Lands was rather quiet, with two late Snipe, six each of Reed Bunting and Whitethroat, five Stonechats and two Little Egrets highlighting.

Stacks of common species were in song along the Eashing stretch on the walk home (soundscape below), including at least 12 Blackcaps. A Firecrest singing in the village was of note too.

Wednesday 26th

A grey, dull morning saw 47 species racked up in an hour at Unstead SF. A showy Sedge Warbler in Dry Lagoon was the highlight, with two each of Cetti's and Reed Warblers also noted, along with three Whitethroats, four Sand Martins, three Gadwall and five Shoveler. The loitering female Ruddy Shelduck flew over South Meadow too – my third encounter with it locally.

Sedge Warbler.

An early evening walk around Hydon's Ball was quiet, though – as they always are – a singing Willow Warbler was a pleasure to hear on the heath.

Thursday 27th

Again it was rather cool this morning, with grey skies, as I headed to Thursley for a big session. In total I managed 60 species – not bad at all – but things felt a little quiet to be honest. My first Hobby of the year had a scrap with a female Kestrel over Ockley, two Swifts flew east and a male Wheatear was by tumulus, but otherwise migration action was fairly limited.

I was pleased to count seven singing male Tree Pipits – much better than last year's dire numbers. Other bits included a silent Cuckoo at Parish Field, eight Redstarts, 10 Willow Warblers, a Snipe and the Curlew pair. 

Willow Warbler.

A very quick lunchtime walk around Eashing Fields produced a Swift powering north-east into the breeze.

Rain fell from late afternoon, prompting a post-work waterbody sweep that flattered to deceive somewhat. The highlights from a large circuit were a female Greenland Wheatear at Tuesley, a Common Sandpiper and some 300 Sand Martins at Frensham Great Pond and a Green Sandpiper on the Elstead flood.

Friday 28th

The wind had switched to a westerly overnight, bringing with it light squally showers. I headed to Tuesley for a stakeout and was rewarded immediately upon my arrival – a smart tundrae Ringed Plover on the far shore. Always a good bird in south-west Surrey, this individual was on edge from the off and soon departed to the west, calling as it went.

Ringed Plover.

Not long after it flew three Dunlin appeared from the south. They circled the reservoir a few times, attempted to land once, and then too headed off on their journey – a rather typical spring Dunlin encounter here.

Dunlin.

Very happy with these waders, the lively session was added to by a Hobby south, a Meadow Pipit north, a courting pair of Common Terns, a subsinging Willow Warbler, the local female Ruddy Shelduck flying over and two of the dodgy feral Goldeneye. Cracking!

Ruddy Shelduck.

With the day off, I headed down to East Sussex mid-morning, hoping for a lifer. As it happened, the White-crowned Sparrow twitch at Seaford Head was straightforward – decent views were enjoyed, albeit from an awkward vantage. What a smart bird. 

White-crowned Sparrow.

Garden Warbler and Rock Pipit were also noted during a rather drizzly, misty visit to a site I last came to in October 2020 for a Radde's Warbler.

Wader action had ben prevalent in various WhatsApp groups all day, so I figured it'd be rude to not have another look at Tuesley on the way home – and boy was that decision worth it. An initial scan suggested nothing was doing, until a small wader with obvious white wing-bars flushed from the northern shore and flew across me: Sanderling!

Sanderling.

What followed was a seriously special encounter with a wonderfully confiding wader. Coming into summer plumage, the bird looked spectacular as it foraged along the shore. This is a serious local rarity, though Tuesley has good form for Sanderling, this being the fourth record. It was hard to tear myself away, but eventually I did – this will be a 2023 highlight for sure.

Sanderling.

Saturday 29th

A light mist was hanging in the air at dawn this morning, which began at Eashing Farm, where a softly singing Willow Warbler was a site first for me.

I then checked Tuesley – no sign of the Sanderling, of course, though a Common Sandpiper was present.

It was then to the Devil's Punch Bowl for a big walk. Not far from the car park I was surprised to hear a singing male Brambling again, in the same place I had three on 16th. Easily my latest British record, the bird was going for it and allowed close approach too. Lovely.

A pleasant, sunny stroll saw me total 42 species, including two Garden Warblers, two Marsh Tits, Cuckoo, three Firecrests, Redstart, Tree Pipit and four Willow Warblers.

Garden Warbler.

Afterwards I headed to Painshill Farm. Here and neighbouring Barrihurst Farm are the only two sites in south-west Surrey that support breeding Lesser Whitethroat, which is a curiously localised bird in these parts. Sure enough two birds were found and both showed well.

Other bits included singles of Cuckoo, Nightingale and Yellowhammer, eight Whitethroats and two Willow Warblers. I've now had 'wilwa' at 15 local sites this month – a great total, but doubtless masking a species in trouble as a breeding bird in South-East England. 

A disappointing element of this visit was the fact that lots of scrub has been cleared from the lovely old lane between Telegraph Hill and Painshill Cottage, meaning a usually reliable Nightingale territory was no more … still, it remains a rather wild and untouched area, of which few can be found locally these days.

Painshill Farm.

In the early evening, a serene walk around Chiddingfold Forest produced four Nightingales, a Garden Warbler, two Firecrests and an adult Marsh Tit feeding a young fledgling.

Sunday 30th

Dense fog delayed my start at Shackleford this morning, where blue skies eventually burned through. The highlight of the session was a Lesser Whitethroat – hot on the heels of yesterday's encounter at Painshill Farm. This bird was far less cooperative, though, giving its rattling call only twice. Still, a great bird to encounter on passage locally.

An otherwise quiet, though enjoyable, session also produced a male Greenland Wheatear and 10 singing Whitethroats.

Wheatear and Linnets.

The Corn Bunting was still present too, singing on and off in what is apparently now its territory!

A light northerly passage of Swifts was taking place over the garden at lunchtime.