Spring in full swing

The past week picked up where the opening period of April left off, with a lovely run of south-westerlies and plenty of migration action to boot. It's safe to say spring is in full spring now across Britain and, for me, the past seven days have produced a fun mixture of catching up with summer mgirants, some nice patch finds and connecting with a mega Surrey tick.

Nightingale.

Wednesday 10th

A clear night made for a cool but bright morning, and I headed to Milford and Witley Commons for a couple of hours before work. It was a relaxing, enjoyable session as the temperature gradually rose throughout, with the dawn chorus perhaps the loudest I've heard it so far this spring.

Headlining were my first Nightingales of the year – three males absolutely going for it on Milford Common. This is such a great site to enjoy this species and I immersed myself in their presence for a good hour or so. Quality birds.

There wasn't loads else doing on Milford Common, save small numbers of Siskins and Lesser Redpolls plus the typical abundance of common species you always get here.

I moved onto Witley Common, where a few heathland specials entertained. A Tree Pipit singing and 'parachuting' in a recently cleared area of heath was notable as I haven't recorded this species holding territory here since 2020 (there are a few across the road on the ARC reserve, mind). 

A male Redstart was also in song, along with two Woodlarks and three Willow Warblers. Three Stonechats and a Dartford Warbler were present, too, and a Greylag Goose flew south.

Greylag Goose.

Thursday 11th

This morning was grey and muggy, with occasional light rain. I was up fairly late and had a look at Tuesley first, where an early Common Sandpiper was resting on the shore. This site has had a slow 2024 so far but hopefully this little wader is a sign of things to come. I rarely see local Common Sandpipers before around 20 April and this bird was my second earliest south-west Surrey record.

Common Sandpiper.

I then wandered around Eashing Fields before work beckoned. Here, I scored my first Whitethroat of the year – a singing male in The Meadow. This species had a decent 2023 in the Eashing area with two pairs thought to have bred at Eashing Fields.

Other bits of note included a Red-legged Partridge, four Skylarks and an unseasonal high count of 60 or so Herring Gulls.

Cowslip.

After work I wandered along the Wey at Eashing, with the walk proving enjoyable under warm, cloudy April skies as the temperature reached 16°C.

The pick of the punch – by some distance – was a super male Redstart in the paddocks at Greenways Farm. Since moving to Eashing I've hoped for something in these paddocks but, save a juvenile Cuckoo in September 2022, had not found much prior to this – and passage Redstarts are always a good prize locally, with spring males the best. 

Redstart.

This is only the second known record of the species in the Eashing area as well! I'd barely been on it for a few minutes before it disappeared into the alder wood, not to be seen again … migration in action.

A Firecrest singing at Hurtmore Bottom was notable, too, given their scarcity in the 1-km so far this year. Six Red-legged Partridges were at A3 Fields, along with a Skylark and a few Linnets.

Firecrest.

Friday 12th

It was a mild, cloudy morning with some hazy sunshine, ahead of the warmest, most pleasant day of 2024 so far. I walked around the Lammas Lands early on, accruing 48 species in the process.

Lammas Lands.

Most of the highlights were similar to my last visit on Saturday, with the Little Grebe and Coot pairs still on the Overgone pool. A Whitethroat on Catteshall Meadow was new in, however, and a Swallow flew over. A late Snipe was also near Plover Pool and will likely be the last I see on the Lammas Lands until the autumn.

Little Grebe.

Flyover Meadow Pipit and Siskin were also notable – we're getting into the slightly late realm for these largely winter visitors to the area. A female Reed Bunting was seen building a nest, too.

I checked Snowdenham Mill Pond afterwards. Here, a late Teal pair were present, along with the female Red-crested Pochard x Mallard hybrid and my first ducklings of the year – a brood of five Mallards with their mum.

Snowdenham Mill Pond.

When I was on the Lammas Lands, Zach had called with big news from Beddington – a Woodchat Shrike! It had been found by Mark B and marked quite a record, not least due to the early date. I deliberated whether to go, not really fancying a London commute on a Friday, but eventually cracked, and by mid-morning was on site after kind access arrangement by the local birders.

I ended up having a great spring session under what was now gorgeous, warm blue skies. The Woodchat Shrike – a first-summer male – was initially mobile but eventually settled on a fence line east of Wet Grassland where the large assembled crowd took in views. It was finding plenty to eat and even sang briefly.

Woodchat Shrike.

A fine way to hit 236 for my Surrey list and it was great to catch up with so many familiar faces. The last Surrey Woodchat was in Richmond Park in 2005 and there have been 14 in total, including a famous bird at Thursley in the 1999.

Other bits of note included two Yellow Wagtails over and a singing Reed Warbler (both year firsts for me), two Wheatears, a Willow Warbler, Little Ringed Plover and two Lapwings. In all, a successful trip to the capital!

A happy me post-shrike (photo credit Shaun Ferguson).

My first garden Swallow of the year was flying around mid-afternoon.

Saturday 13th

Despite starting off with patchy sunshine, this morning was largely grey and hazy, but with the breeze still flowing from the south-west it was mild. I walked Thursley Common with Dave and we had a really fun visit, clocking 58 species including some goodies.

Pick of the bunch was a juvenile (second-year) male Goshawk that flew low over Ockley Common early on, being mobbed by a Carrion Crow. Despite a big increase in the South-East in the last decade, Goshawk remains very localised in south-west Surrey and it's still a bit of a Thursley mega. Indeed, it was a site first for me ... presumably it was having a wander around away from a more usual haunt.

Goshawk.

Minutes later I heard some familiar reeling and, before long, we were both watching a Grasshopper Warbler – the second site record in less than a week! This bird was far more elusive than the one I had on Monday and we were restricted to brief views. What an exceptional spring for this species in Surrey, with this already the seventh record …

Grasshopper Warbler.

Prior to these Thursley treats, we'd started our session at Pudmore. Here, a third Teal – a drake – had joined the pair and had clearly unsettled them, such was their wheeling around. Better still was a third Curlew – the first time more than two have been present since 2020. Perhaps it's one of the young that successfully fledged here last year? A Yellow Wagtail north was detected amid a light trickle of Meadow Pipits going the same way, too.

Curlews.

There was plenty more during the rest of our walk, with a count of 10 singing male Willow Warblers made, as well as seven Redstarts and three each of Tree Pipit and Whitethroat. A male Cuckoo we'd heard singing a few times was eventually seen in flight over Woodpigeon Wood as well – my first of the year.

Other bits included Water Rail, a nest-building Stonechat, a migrant flock of 16 Black-headed Gulls north and a few Siskins and Lesser Redpolls. Thursley at its spring best!

Cuckoo, Willow Warbler and Stonechat.

I popped into Tuesley before coffee called. Bar the Black-headed Gulls it was quiet, though another early Common Sandpiper was present.

Common Sandpiper.

In the afternoon, I enjoyed a big 15 km hike around Pagham Harbour and the Selsey Peninsula with non-birding friends. 

I wasn't properly birding thus, but I noticed a few bits and pieces included a smart male White Wagtail and a Greenshank at Medmerry, two apiece of Wheatear, Sedge Warbler and Sandwich Tern at Church Norton and an early-ish Lesser Whitethroat at Bakers Farm.

Medmerry.

Sunday 14th

It was notably cooler this morning, with the wind in the west, but it was still mild and pleasant – though cloudy – as I headed to Shackleford for a morning walk. I scored 41 species in all and it was probably my most enjoyable session here this spring, even if it was still relatively steady.

Shackleford.

Early singles of Swallow and Yellow Wagtail overhead were signs of movement not long after I arrived, and shortly after a male Whitethroat began to sing, though I was surprised to only locate one bird back on territory during my two hours on site.

As with my last visit here on 7th, a Raven flew east with a full crop. Indeed, there was plenty of breeding activity, including seven species either occupying or visiting nests. Two Red-legged Partridges were in the northern fields and a late Meadow Pipit flew north, too.

I was just about to leave when some Stonechat action caught my eye, with a male chasing around what turned out to be a fetching male Whinchat. The bird was mobile and skittish, with the local Stonechats absolutely livid at its arrival. Not long after I'd first seen it, it disappeared to the north … my earliest Whinchat in Surrey and, after an unusual blank for me for this species in spring 2023, nice to see.

Whinchat.

From Shackleford I headed to Compton, where I again worked the paddocks around Sandy Farm, today continuing on along the North Downs Way to Piccard's Farm at Loseley. Of course, there were no Ring Ouzels, but a singing Willow Warbler in West Warren was a treat. I also logged three Whitethroats and a Firecrest, all of which were in song.

North Downs at Loseley.

I finished my morning at the Bramley waterbodies. A singing Firecrest was at Bramley Park Lake – a reliable site for this species – and nine Tufted Duck and two Mandarin were at Snowdenham Mill Pond.

Monday 15th

I had a quick look at Frensham Great Pond before work in blustery, cool conditions, after a strong wind arrived from the west overnight. My biggest hirundine gathering of the year held all three species – 70 Sand Martins, two House Martins and 12 or so Swallows. A Firecrest was singing, too.

Tuesday 16th

The wind was now in the north-west and it felt cold, leaving me a touch uninspired this morning with regards to where I should bird before work. I had a look at Tuesley first and a Common Sandpiper was present – likely the same bird from the weekend, perhaps held up by the recent winds. A belated first site Swallow of the year flew over as well.

Tuesley.

I then decided to walk the Wey at Eashing. It was fairly steady, though at least sheltered in the 'Happy Valley'. A Whitethroat was back on territory at Eashing Marsh and the same Firecrest as on Thursday was in song, while a second-year Mute Swan flew around the river in uncertain fashion.

Mute Swan.

With the lengthy evening daylight still a novelty, I plumped for a twitch after work – to Pulborough Brooks where a drake Green-winged Teal had been found earlier in the day. A Sussex mega, the bird was showing well – albeit distantly – from the Hanger viewpoint when I arrived around 5.30 pm, in bright and breezy conditions, with grey clouds looming in the distance.

Green-winged Teal (and photobombing LRP in the last photo).

It was active, preening away and feeding often, but I wonder if it may hang around a bit given the run of northerlies coming up … I particularly like the subtler ID features of this species. We're overdue one in Surrey that's for sure.

It was nice to catch up with some familiar faces while watching the teal, and the supporting avian cast wasn't bad either – display-flighting Little Ringed Plover, two Oystercatchers (a decent Pulborough bird), Avocets, singles of Black-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper, a few lingering wintering dabbling duck and singing Cuckoo, Nightingale and Sedge Warbler. I really should come here more often …

Oystercatchers.