Fits and starts

After the excitement of the middle part of October, things have eased off during the last week, producing a period of fits and starts – intermittent good birding, but lengthier periods of steadiness. It's been quite wet, too, for the first time in several weeks. It feels like migration has paused a little, though the signs so far suggest there will be further waves of action in the coming weeks.

Little Owl.

Wednesday 18th

The breezy, chilly north-easterly was still blowing this morning and this, coupled with lots of farm activity, meant a pre-work walk around Shackleford was fairly quiet. The disturbance in the fields had clearly moved a few of the smaller passerines around, though five Stonechats, 25 Skylarks and 40 Meadow Pipits were noted. A late Swallow zipped south, too.

Despite the relative quiet, the male Merlin was still around – to my surprise. I presumed this bird was a brief drop-in when I saw it on Saturday, but presumably it's settled here, and I was treated to easily my best and most prolonged views of the species in Surrey, before it dashed off to the north.

Merlin.

Thursday 19th

I had a quick look at a couple of waterbodies before work, on what was a damp and blustery morning as Storm Babet arrived in the country. Tuesley was quiet, but a female-type Yellowhammer east was a real surprise – my first here since 2014, when the species used to breed on the site and was rather commonly encountered. Rather depressing, really.

Friday 20th

A gloomy, muggy and damp morning again began at Tuesley, where two Teal were unexpected – only the fourth site record. Three drake Pochard were also present, again posing the question of where these intermittently appearing birds otherwise hang out. Busbridge Lakes, perhaps?

Teal and Pochard.

I then headed to the Lammas Lands for a short walk of Almshouse and Catteshall Meadows. Two more Teal were here, female-types on Plover Pool. The Lammas Lands is another site where this species is rather rare. At least five Snipe were also present and three Lesser Redpolls flew west, but it was otherwise quiet.

Saturday 21st

Yet again it was a wet, miserable morning, with Storm Babet still battering much of England. Despite the weather, Mandarin were in the mood at Snowdenham Mill Pond, with several drakes displaying their 'orange peel sails' to uninterested looking females. Two Gadwall, a Shoveler and the Red-crested Pochard x Mallard hybrid were also present. 

Mandarin.

I then stuck my head in at Unstead SF for the first time in a couple of months. With the rain lashing down it was quiet, but I did note a female Shoveler on South Meadow, plus four Gadwall and impressive numbers of Coot (34) on Dry Lagoon and five Teal over.

Shoveler.

Sunday 22nd

A gorgeous, bright morning after the run of rainy ones, and I headed to the Devil's Punch Bowl for a big walk. I've grown fond of this site during the last 12 months or so and believe it has potential – I set myself the task of monthly visits as a minimum at the start of the year. So far in 2023, though, I haven't managed anything of note, and this morning was pleasant but steady with 40 species logged.

Excellent numbers of Fieldfare included a flock of 120 or so at Sugar Loaf Hill. I tried hard for Ring Ouzel, but couldn't prize one out. Given the species' regularity at the similar Leith Hill and Black Down (the latter of which which basically adjoins the Punch Bowl) I feel like they should be encountered here more often …

Fieldfare.

Other bits included Crossbill and Brambling south (among nine finch species), plus two late Swallows and a Skylark (rare here) going the same way.

The Devil's Punch Bowl.

In the late afternoon I met up with Dave, and we did a couple of farmland sites in the far east of south-west Surrey, with the conditions still bright and fine. Painshill Farm was relatively quiet, though we did have three Swallows south – perhaps our last of 2023. 

Singles of Lesser Redpoll and Yellowhammer were also logged, plus large numbers of Red-legged Partridge and 60 or so Fieldfares.

We then checked Bonhurst Farm, on my old Thorncombe Street patch. Dave is doing a south-west Surrey year list and has done well, but still needed Little Owl – such is the decline of the species (see the January 2024 edition of Birdwatch for more on this). Thankfully Bonhurst remains reliable for this charming bird, and within minutes of arrival we located a male, which went on to perform nicely.

Little Owl.

Monday 23rd

A rather isolated day of easterlies annoyingly fell on a Monday, but I still managed to get to Thursley for a couple of hours before work. It was a little chilly but, despite the patchy 'Thursley Mist', felt good, and I ended up enjoying a lively session with 50 species logged.

Pick of the bunch was an adult Great Black-backed Gull that cruised fairly low south over Ockley Common and the tumulus. Always rare in south-west Surrey (only the second of 2023), it's especially mega out on Thursley and comes on a typical date. Gulls were clearly moving – I also scored a long-awaited first-ever Common Gull for my Thursley list (!), plus a flock of 11 Herring Gulls.

Great Black-backed Gull.

The other standout species of the morning was a first-year Marsh Harrier, which emerged from the mist on Ockley Common, flying low south over Francis Copse, before I watched it continue purposefully on for a few minutes as it eventually disappeared towards the A3. 

Like Common Gull, this has been another long-anticipated Thursley tick for me, but they remain rare in this part of the world – two or three a year is about average in south-west Surrey – and it's always a thrill to see one.

Passerine activity was fairly limited, but did include the frankly bonkers Lesser Redpoll flock around Shrike Hill, which is probably totalling more than 400 birds now. Mad – and quite a spectacle to behold. Some signs of Woodpigeon movement were detectable, and a Raven flew over South Bog, too.

Lesser Redpolls.

Tuesday 24th

I walked Eashing Farm in the evening and it was relatively quiet, though two juvenile Mute Swans north was a notable 1-km record (only the fifth of the year). A female Stonechat and a few Red-legged Partridges were also present.