Wet and windy

If it hasn't been breezy during the last 10 days then it's been rainy, at least more often than not, as the unsettled late autumn of 2023 continues. At times it has been especially wet or windy, with a couple more storms having battered Britain. It's no surprise then that local birding continues to stutter, as we patiently await a prolonged period of settled, wintry conditions.

Little Egret.

Saturday 11th

It was a rare gorgeous, crisp autumn morning, with frost on the ground and a light mist in the air. Thankfully – and surprisingly – Thursley wasn't shrouded in its infamous mist, and I enjoyed a lovely three-hour hike around much of the site. As pleasant as it was, it was very quiet, with the skies empty bar a light trickle of Woodpigeons and numbers of passerines on the deck slightly down.

Woodpigeons.

In fact, the highlights were reduced to the mega flock of Lesser Redpolls (now down to about 300 and roving around more widely), a single, late Chiffchaff, three flyover Crossbills and a Greenfinch over Ockley (rare out on the common). I also made my debut at the newly topped up Hammer Pond, where a single Little Grebe was present.

Fieldfares.

Sunday 12th

The only way was Essex today, with news breaking yesterday afternoon of Britain's seventh Canvasback at Abberton Reservoir. A mega and a duck – I had to go, and I got to Abberton mid-morning, by which time a large crowd had assembled at Billets Farm in gloomy, cold conditions.

A frustrating couple of hours followed, with no sign of the bird in very tricky viewing conditions. However, at around 1 pm a large flock of Pochard took off and dispersed across the reservoir and the bird – a smart drake – was relocated off Layer Breton Causeway. Good and prolonged views followed, albeit always at range, allowing study of the strikingly pale mantle, long, all-black bill and darker chestnut-brown head. Nice.

Canvasback.

A very pleasing twitch was added to by a selection of other nice bits, including a juvenile Great Northern Diver, three Great Egrets, a Green Sandpiper, three Goldeneye and a redhead Goosander. I was more impressed by the numbers of diving duck, though, which included a minimum 500 Pochard!

Monday 13th

Fieldfare is scarce along the Wey at Eashing, so one over Greenways during a mild, breezy and short lunchtime walk was unexpected. A single Red-legged Partridge and 20 or so Siskins were also noted.

Tuesday 14th

It was a bit brighter this morning, but still breezy and mild. I was torn between a vis-mig session or a waterbody sweep and plumped for the latter, starting at Tuesley. Here, five Crossbills south-east was a real surprise – this is a proper site rare and only my second (the last being in 2020). A Brambling flew over with Chaffinches, too. Maybe I should have been 'migging …

It was then onto Frensham Great Pond, where Pochard numbers were up – in fact, 20 was my highest local count for nearly two years. It's not like Abberton around here … other bits included two Little Egrets having a spat, a Kingfisher, two Lesser Redpolls and the always enjoyable Muscovy Duck.

Little Egret, Pochard, Coot and Muscovy Duck.

I had a quick look at Waverley Abbey on the way home. Here, there was only common wildfowl to be found, but a Skylark overhead felt like it might be notable at this site and a mixed group of winter thrushes were feeding in hawthorn.

Waverley Abbey.

Wednesday 15th

Another bright, breezy morning took me to Shackleford where, as during my last visit on 7th, things were very quiet. I think we need a notable change in weather before the passerine pack is shuffled locally ...

A Raven east, a covey of seven Red-legged Partridges and a very light southerly passage of Fieldfares (40) and Woodpigeons (400) were of note, along with a minimum of five Stonechats.

Meadow Pipits.

Thursday 16th

A grey, drizzly morning with a rather cold north-easterly wind. I checked the Bramley waterbodies before work, both of which were quiet – a drake Mandarin and seven Cormorants were at Bramley Park Lake, with four Shoveler and a Mandarin pair the best at Snowdenham Mill Pond.

Snowdenham Mill Pond.

Friday 17th

Like my Saturday visit to Thursley, it was a lovely, crisp autumn morning with a light frost – and, also like Saturday, it was relatively quiet. Two hours on site produced a not bad 45 species, but quality was limited to a Lapwing that dropped into Pudmore briefly and a Brambling west over Ockley. Both were site firsts for me this year.

A Crossbill north-west was also of some note, and there was a light passage of Woodpigeons (1,000 or so south) and Starlings (70 or more west), but things felt steady. Lesser Redpolls had seemingly cleared out, at least from their favoured recent haunts, with only 20 or so totted up, and a Water Rail squealed near Birchy Pond.

Thursley Common (Ockley).

Saturday 18th

In stark contrast to yesterday, this morning was wet and murky, with a mild breeze blowing from the south. I headed to Frensham Great Pond, where I was both pleased and surprised when a Shelduck was one of the first birds I picked up during my initial scan.

A site first for me, the bird was alert and stuck to the centre of the pond, doubtless grounded by the weather. Shelduck is a tricky, unpredictable species in south-west Surrey – this is just my second record of 2023 (the other at Tuesley in April), with the only other sighting in the area by Jeremy over Broadwater (also in April). I missed the species entirely in 2022.

Shelduck.

Four Shoveler were also acting a bit skittish, while Pochard numbers were up again to a moderately impressive 27 (Dave counted 33 when he twitched the Shelduck later in the morning). Singles of Little Egret and Kingfisher were also seen.

The garden Firecrest was in voice during the late afternoon, by which time the weather had improved a touch.

Sunday 19th

A bright, breezy and mild morning – not the most inspiring conditions. I opted for a walk of Shalford Water Meadows, which was pleasant enough, though fairly quiet, with singles of Raven (west in front of St Catherine's Hill), Chiffchaff (Broadford Marsh), a Stonechat pair and three Lesser Redpolls highlighting.

Stonechat.

Despite the steadiness, I was reminded of what a promising site this is – surely the best stretch of the Wey in south-west Surrey. It's a shame that, after brilliant coverage between 2016 and 2021 by Matt P and Kit B (Spotted Crake, Garganey etc), it is poorly watched at the moment.

Monday 20th

No birding.