March goes quietly

Another March has come and gone. It's such a great month and this year has been no different, though the final week was pretty steady on patch. After the mass of spring migrants that had arrived in Britain the previous week, it feels like the brakes were applied a little in recent days. That's no bad thing, though, as spring is a season to savour – and never one to wish away quickly.

Dartford Warbler.

Monday 25th

After the bright and breezy weekend, the weather switched overnight to light rain and south-easterlies – promising conditions for waterbodies. I checked Tuesley first of all, but it was dead. Bar the Dunlin a couple of weeks ago, it's been a really quiet year so far here …

I then headed to Frensham Great Pond, where things were livelier. At least 35 Sand Martins were swirling over the water and I thought I may pick out a Swallow; as it happened, I located two early House Martins – my first of the year (and the first in Surrey) and my third earliest local record.

House Martins.

Despite the rare-feeling weather there was nothing better do be found. Tufted Duck numbers were high – this species peaks locally in March – and I counted 78. The Firecrest was singing near the outlet stream too.

Great Crested Grebe.

On the way home, I espied a Mute Swan on Hammer Pond, Thursley Common, from the A3. Clearly the refilling of this little waterbody will change the status of this species at Thursley!

At lunchtime, Graham O messaged with news of a Waxwing flock near Frensham Manor. I deliberated twitching them, eventually deciding to give it a go after work, when I dipped. An incongruous rural record, it married up with other odd sightings of the species today (including at Bignor and Leith Hills) – presumably migrant flocks heading back north. We were a little short-changed in south-west Surrey during this winter's influx, so I feel lucky I was able to see the Busbridge birds in December. It could be several years before the next local Waxwings …

Tuesday 26th

The forecast for this morning was rain and south-easterlies – we got the latter, but no precipitation, and it was in fact quite pleasant albeit cloudy early on. I plumped for Shackleford, where I spent a peaceful couple of hours before work.

Two passage Willow Warblers quietly foraging amid flowering blackthorn was a lovely early spring aesthetic and the highlight of the session. One of the birds occasionally sub-sang, too. Like many spring migrants it seems, this species seems to be arriving especially early this year …

Seven Fieldfares north-east may well be my last of the winter, but other signs of migration were fairly limited. There was plenty of breeding activity, though, including at least 25 Skylarks (many in song), one of the Stonechat pairs quietly gathering nest material and lots of territorial Dunnock action.

Stonechats and Fieldfares.

A single Lesser Black-back Gull on the polo pitch, a Red-legged Partridge and a Siskin were also of note, as was one of the Little Owls showing itself for the first time this year. The spring 2024 lack of Meadow Pipit action continued, with only a handful present.

Little Owl, Pheasant and Ring-necked Parakeets.

The rain eventually moved in at lunchtime and, with the wind still in the south-east, I popped out after work to check a couple of waterbodies. 

First up was Tuesley, where a smart prize awaited me in the now relentless rainfall: a drake Goldeneye. The bird was active, diving often, and amazingly even displayed briefly at times (despite zero other wildfowl on the reservoir)! When I tried to edge closer, it bolted off north … 

Goldeneye.

Goldeneye has a funny standing locally after captive birds bred at Secretts Garden Centre pond in 2021, and the young escaped, meaning any records since then in the local area have been tainted. Given the perfect date and weather and its behaviour, you'd fancy it to be kosher – which is most notable given (wild) Goldeneye are less than annual in south-west Surrey these days. However, the feral birds linger in the mind, and if I see any here in the coming days it'll confirm the captive suspicions.

Black-headed Gulls.

By now I was soaking, but had a quick look at Enton Lakes afterwards. It was fairly quiet, though good numbers of Tufted Duck (22) and Great Crested Grebe (10) were present, along with a sole drake Pochard – perhaps one of the last I'll see locally this winter.

Enton Lakes.

Wednesday 27th

It was back to being bright and breezy this morning and, despite the wing coming from the south, it was quite chilly at Thursley Common during a two-hour session. Birdsong was reduced and migrant action was limited, certainly compared with my Saturday visit. But, given the 0 to 60 nature of spring migrant action during the last week, including some unsettlingly early arrivals, it was actually quite nice to enjoy a wintry-feeling wander …

The Curlew pair were at Pudmore first thing, with the male performing the odd display flight. Better still was a Teal pair – seemingly the first record on the common this year. Teal's local status is inverted at Thursley where it's a summer visitor (and breeder). Normally a pair are back by early or mid-March, so they've been a bit late this year. Hopefully they can breed successfully for the fifth year in a row.

The aforementioned fresh breeze and clear skies meant there wasn't much else doing. Finches have cleared out in recent weeks here and, despite scoring a flock of seven Crossbills near South Bog, I had only a similar number of Lesser Redpolls. It's been a great winter for redpolls in Britain and I made sure to appreciate these birds – we could get a run of poor winters for them (and they might all be lumped again by then!).

Lesser Redpoll and Crossbill.

Other bits of note included a Little Egret west, singles of Snipe and Water Rail at Pudmore, the Mute Swan at Hammer Pond, a Bullfinch and a Lesser Black-backed Gull north. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but again Meadow Pipit numbers were woeful – surely they haven't all moved north undetected, as we've been lacking fine weather this month …

Woodlark, Mute Swan and Little Egret.

Thursday 28th

A mood swing of a morning, with bright, sunny spells mixed with grey cloud and light rain. I had a splash around the Lammas Lands before work, just about hitting 41 species in a fairly quiet hour and a bit.

The Overgone Meadow pool now held two Little Grebes, to my surprise, both of which were especially vocal. Presumably the bird I first saw here on 9th has been present ever since … the two Coots were also knocking about, but all these Lammas Lands goodies will perhaps be gone when the pool presumably eventually dries out in a few weeks …

Little Grebes and Coot.

There was little else of note. Two Blackcaps and five Chiffchaffs were in song, a drake Mandarin flew upriver and three Snipe were still present – these remainers will depart to breeding grounds soon. Pleasingly there was an apparent uptick in Reed Buntings, with a minimum of seven across both meadows.

Friday 29th

Most of yesterday was incredibly windy and wet, and a slightly reduced version of such conditions were in play this morning, feeling rather uninspiring thus. 

My birding efforts were a bit lazy but I did check Frensham Great Pond, where Sand Martin numbers were up to 35 or so. Two Swallows were zipping around as well. 

Sand Martins.

A pair of Goosander in flight were rather late and will likely be the last I see this winter. Otherwise there wasn't much going on, though the Cetti's Warbler was in song and a Kingfisher was notable, given they've been curiously lacking here recently (this was my first sighting at Frensham Great Pond in more than two months).

Saturday 30th

This morning was still and misty, leaving much of the local area in a blanket of poor visibility. I plumped for Shackleford which often seems to avoid the worst of such conditions and, thankfully, it was birdable, even if my two-hour session proved to be a quiet one.

Shackleford.

Bar the cacophony of Skylarks, which seem to be present in even greater numbers than usual this spring, there was little doing. That a singing Treecreeper along Hook Lane was my highlight probably summed up how steady it was – this species is scarce here, and I average about three a year. 

Two Red-legged Partridges were present and a couple of Siskins flew south, too, while Linnets continued to be flocked up (around 45) and a Blackcap was in song.

I had a look at Snowdenham Mill Pond after. The mist had cleared now and it was sunny and spring-like, a feeling bolstered by the Mute Swan pair rebuilding their nest. A single late drake Teal was also present, along with a showy Grey Wagtail pair, and both Red Kite and Sparrowhawk displayed overhead.

Grey Wagtail.

Sunday 31st

On my way from Shackleford to Snowdenham Mill Pond yesterday I noticed the exceptionally high water levels along the Wey near Unstead, so chose to check a few areas along this stretch of the river this morning. It was bright and cool, with patchy mist and the wind in the east.

I started at Unstead Water Meadows, having noted Kingfisher and four Great Crested Grebes on Broadwater Lake beforehand. The water had already receded a fair bit at Upper Unstead Farm and, typically for this site, there wasn't loads doing. A drake Mandarin dropped in, the Coots were still knocking about and another Kingfisher zipped upriver. Good numbers of Chiffchaff (at least five) were in song too.

I continued on to the Peasmarsh stretch. Viewing is never easy here, especially when it comes to trying to get a glimpse at the attractive-looking pools at Trunley Heath Farm. I was pleased to find a Green Sandpiper here, though – in fact my first locally since the end of November. And it was very likely the same bird, which went on to spend the winter at Unstead Sewage Farm and has a distinctive drooping tail.

Green Sandpiper.

I moved upriver to Shalford Water Meadows. An hour here was pretty quiet to be honest, though more good presence of Chiffchaff was evident (at least 10) as well as five Blackcaps. A Lesser Redpoll was near Railway Walk but that was it, really, save a Kingfisher over St Catherine's Lock.

Shalford Water Meadows.

By the time I'd finished at Shalford grey cloud had taken over the skies and it was decidedly cool. It felt good for Little Gull, I thought, so headed to Tuesley for a stakeout. There was lots of commotion from the Black-headed Gulls, which are now ready to go in breeding season terms, and four Lesser Black-backed Gulls cruised over, but nothing more unusual.

After half an hour I wrapped up for the morning and went to grab a coffee from Elstead. At this point Shaun rang – he had a Little Gull at Frensham Great Pond. Halfway there and, being such a great species, I couldn't resist, and was soon on-site enjoying good views of an adult moulting into summer dress.

Little Gull.

The light was awful but it was a nice way to round off another enjoyable March (even if the Easter Weekend has flattered to deceive a bit). It also continues the good current run of Little Gulls in south-west Surrey, following a bumper 2023.

Other bits noted while enjoying the gull included Cetti's Warbler and Woodlark in song and 20 or so Sand Martins.