The golden month

August always delivers. For the inland patcher, I don't believe there's a finer month – something I've harped on about many times previously on this blog. August this year has been really fun, with several pleasing finds as migration has truly got going, often in pleasant, late summer weather. According to eBird I've seen 114 species in south-west Surrey in August 2023, which demonstrates the diversity of the golden month.

Knot: my 192nd south-west Surrey species.

Friday 25th

It was clear and cool this morning, with a gentle north-westerly wind contributing to an 'autumn proper' sort of vibe at Shackleford, where 48 species in two hours marked a decent haul – and contributed to a thoroughly enjoyable session. 

It took me the best part of 50 minutes to walk the Lone Barn track, such was the volume of birds, which began with a calling Snipe overhead and a loitering second-year female Peregrine – my first local records of both since the very start of May (excluding Snipe at Thursley of course). The Peg was later perched on a pylon and I wonder if it's the same young bird that was at large in the Godalming area at the start of the year …

Peregrine.

Passerine activity was conspicuous in the morning sun, with the highlight of the visit a seven-species warbler rollcall. This included, most notably, a pale juvenile Lesser Whitethroat, which was skulking along Cuckoo Corner. I understand this species has enjoyed a good breeding season nationally and it certainly seems to be reflected in my observations this autumn – I'm normally lucky to encounter one passage bird, but this is my third in 15 days.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Almost as impressive was the continued presence of one of the juvenile Sedge Warblers, making it nearly a month exactly on site. A minimum count of four Willow Warblers were all juveniles, while a young Dartford Warbler was distantly and briefly seen tailing a group of Stonechats in the northern fields.

Willow and Dartford Warblers.

Indeed, Stonechat numbers were well up, with at least 10 spread out across the site. With them was a single Whinchat, though like my only other record this year (at Thurley on 18th) views were less than ideal. This species seems to be having a below average autumn on the back of an apparently poor year for breeding, but to be fair it's still slightly on the early side for big numbers …

Stonechat and Whinchat.

Other bits of note included three Wheatears (also somewhat lacking so far this autumn), at least three Yellow Wagtails (only my second record of the autumn), two each of Kestrel and Sparrowhawk and a Little Grebe on the farm pond.

Wheatears and Kestrel.

At lunchtime I did a short walk along the river. In sunny conditions it was quiet, so three Yellow Wagtails over Greenways were a bit of a surprise – a 1-km year tick and my first along the Wey at Eashing. They considered dropping into the paddocks but flew off east, underlining my suspicions that the fields here are a bit too enclosed to draw chats and wagtails down.

Saturday 26th

I undertook a big Weald wander this morning, covering some 11 km as I birded the 'Twin Peaks' of this part of the Greensand Ridge (The Hurtwood and Hascombe Hill), before dropping down into farmland around Dunsfold. It was good fun, filled with classic late August content amid 52 species seen, even if the would-be icing on the cake scarcity evaded me.

I began at The Hurtwood, where mist was a non-forecasted hindrance and, despite a flyover Yellow Wagtail (a site first for me), it made for a fairly sluggish start. Still, a couple of Crossbills were still about, and mixed flocks yielded four Willow Warblers and two Firecrests. A Siskin flew over too.

It was then down into Hascombe village, before trekking up the always steep Hascombe Hill. By now the mist had burned off and things seemed livelier, a feeling enhanced by a flyover Tree Pipit near the fort. Another tripit was flushed from long grass in Stone Circle Field, too, before perching in an oak. 

The view from Hascombe Hill.

With the sun now out and activity peaking, I worked hard through various flocks, but couldn't score anything of major note. There were good numbers of Goldcrest on the hill – at least 25 – as well as five Firecrests. Another Crossbill and two more Siskins were also heard.

I then weaved my way down to Painshill Farm. The sky had clouded over a bit and the breeze had picked up, but I still managed a decent hour here. The highlight was a female-type Redstart that flushed from a hedge, calling as it went, before vanishing. 

Other bits included three Yellow Wagtails south-west (two of them rather low), singles of Red-legged Partridge and Yellowhammer, some 50 Linnets and two Ravens.

Sunday 27th

It was really quite cool overnight, with a north-westerly airflow and clear skies. I don't usually think of waterbirds in such conditions but I thought I'd have a quick look at Tuesley before heading to the Devil's Punch Bowl. A light mist was burning off as I arrived – two Common Sandpipers were new-in and of note. I scanned the far corner where, on the shore with two Coots, was a plump, pallid wader ...

First views of the Knot ...

It threw me initially, but I suddenly had an inkling for what it could be, and after creeping round my suspicions were confirmed: a flipping Knot! I couldn't believe it – this is a proper south-west Surrey mega – but there it was. 

What followed was a truly memorable hour or so with a very special – and very tame – juvenile Knot. It was contentedly foraging along the shoreline, picking up tiny insects, allowing for close inspection of the pale fringing to the upperparts and coverts, the swamp-green legs and peachy-buff breast. What a beauty.

Knot photodump.

Doubtless one of my birds of the year, this marks only the 14th south-west Surrey record of Knot – and one of only four during the last 65 years! The previous was a brief individual on Flooded Field at Unstead SF in November 2011. It also becomes the 20th wader species for Tuesley, a mere three days after the 19th …

Other bits note during the morning a Kingfisher, a Little Egret north, two Sand Martins and a Yellow Wagtail south.

Kingfisher and Little Egret.

By the time I'd finished I'd run out of time for the Devil's Punch Bowl, so opted for a smaller site in Royal and Bagmoor Commons. It had warmed up by now and there was a bit of passerine activity, but it was generally quiet. 

A Yellow Wagtail over Bagmoor was unexpected – there seems to be a good push of this species underway at present. Singles of Marsh Tit, Firecrest and Willow Warbler were also of note, along with a Muntjac.

In the evening I couldn't resist another look at Tuesley, and the Knot was still there, feeding away. Only one Common Sandpiper was still present.

Knot.

Monday 28th

This morning was cloudier and duller, and it began with a surprise at Tuesley via the continued presence of the Knot. It had seemingly buddied up with the lingering Common Sandpiper and was still finding plenty to feed on. Crazy!

Knot.

I then headed to Thursley, where I met Dave at Pudmore. We then undertook a three-hour walk across much of the site, with the amount of blue sky increasing throughout. It was a fine early autumn to be out on the common and some 51 species was a good haul, but migrants were thin on the ground to say the least (though Dave scored two Wheatears after we parted ways).

Pick of the bunch for me were two flyover Yellow Wagtails, as well as a begging juvenile Hobby (and nearby perched adult). Other bits included three Redstarts, four Tree Pipits, a Greenfinch (Thursley scarcity!), three Teal and two Water Rails, plus four Lesser Black-backed Gulls incredibly high south. Phylloscopus numbers were notably down compared to recent birding sessions locally – I tallied only 10 Chiffchaffs and a single Willow Warbler.

Redstart and Hobby.

I did a 1-km wander mid-afternoon. The Wey was quiet, though three Lesser Black-backed Gulls cruised very high south, much like the birds at Thursley earlier. Presumably some sort of long-distance migration is underway today. 

Peper Harow was very quiet, save a Yellow Wagtail south – a site first, and continuing the good run of this species these past few days.

You've got to make the most of a good bird on patch – especially a lingering one – so I headed back to Tuesley in the evening. There, the Knot again performed well, feeding energetically along the shore. It was briefly spooked by a low-flying hot air balloon but thankfully re-landed!

Knot.

Two Yellow Wagtails and a Wheatear dropped in during what was a fairly cloudy evening, and the Common Sandpiper was still around as well.

Tuesday 29th

To my continued surprise the Knot was still in situ at Tuesley this morning, with the grey, dull conditions perhaps deterring it from a night flight. One new-in Common Sandpiper meant two birds were now present.

I then headed to Shackleford for a big walk. It was rather muggy and still largely cloudy, but a decent session was enjoyed. It started well with three Whinchats along the track – finally, my first good views of 2023! They soon disappeared, though, as early morning Whinchats seem to do …

Whinchats.

A little further on was a first-winter male Redstart, flycatching from an elder. This species seems to be having a bumper passage this autumn and this bird was my first at 'The Shack' since 2020. A light passage of Yellow Wagtails throughout amounted to eight, with some dropping into the cattle fields. Surprisingly I didn't score Wheatear.

Redstart and Yellow Wagtail.

Following Friday's warbler-fest here, numbers and diversity were down, though a single Willow Warbler was clocked and a juvenile Sedge Warbler was near the yard – perhaps a new bird. I've had this species on every visit here since late July … crazy. 

Sedge Warbler.

There were other bits of note, including a mixed flock of 150 Stock Doves and 300 Woodpigeons, some 350 Starlings, a singing Red-legged Partridge and five each of Stonechat and Reed Bunting.

Wednesday 30th

The Knot had finally moved on by this morning, which was bright and still, with no sign in a quick look at Tuesley. The two Common Sandpipers were however still knocking about.

With the conditions in mind, and the fact we're entering the last chance saloon for things like Pied Flycatcher, I headed to Milford and Witley Commons. I've felt a good vibe off this site since I started watching it semi-regularly last year and it was truly heaving with birds this morning. Perhaps most notable was a clear increase of Chiffchafff and Blackcap compared with recent days locally, including at least 35 of the former.

Despite being little more than 10°C when I arrived, I soon bumped into an enormous mixed flock not far from the Milford car park. At least three Spotted Flycatchers were here getting in on the feeding act – I ended up recording two more on Milford Common and a further duo on Witley.

Spotted Flycatchers.

This super-gathering also held a female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, which I imagine is the same bird I saw here on 23rd. My first Marsh Tit for the site was a bonus. Several more big flocks were detected during nearly two hours of walking, but I couldn't prize out a Pied Fly (or a Wood Warbler!), despite a fun session that made me feel like I was the closest I've been this autumn to discovering such a prize.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

I did a short walk of Eashing Farm in the evening, which was bright with patchy cloud and a cool westerly blowing through. Some light passerine action was evident and included a Lesser Whitethroat in the exact same hawthorn thicket as the one on 22nd – surely the same bird, I reckon, which has presumably been feasting away merrily ahead of departing these shores.

Thursday 31st

It was overcast and flat this morning, as a last August roll of the Pied Fly dice led me to Hydon's Ball, where I jammed into a bird last August. Three Spotted Flycatchers were a good start but unfortunately I couldn't improve on that, despite a large mixed flock on Octavia Hill that included two Firecrest.

From the Ball I dropped down into the area of farmland east of Hambledon. Most of the fields at Court and Feathercombe Farms had been cut and supported stacks of Columbidae, chiefly Woodpigeons, of which 500 or more were present. At this time of year a few decades ago I'm sure such gatherings would have held some Turtle Doves, too … 

On a similarly depressing note, 10 Yellowhammers marked my only double-figure count of the year so far in south-west Surrey, though it did include a family party.

Yellowhammers.

At Little Burgate Farm, a showy Wheatear perched along a fence line, allowing close approach. In the sheep field beyond, at least one Yellow Wagtail actively flew about. Other bits of note included a pair of Stonechats and at least one Spotted Flycatcher in St Peters Church yard.

Wheatear.