August fizzles out

The best month of the local birding year has come to an end. August 2024 has produced plenty of great moments on patch, but there's no escaping the fact it's been quieter than normal, not just for me but for most birders in the South-East. There's been a distinct lack of typical seasonal flare, such as chats and flycatchers, for example. Still, it's been fun – it always is – even if this final week has fizzled out somewhat.

Grasshopper Warbler.

Sunday 25th

I arrived at Thursley with fairly low expectations, following a quiet week or so locally and indeed regionally. It was cool early on, with a breezy south-westerly blowing, but it slowly warmed up during my four-hour session and in fact was progressively enjoyable, becoming the first 'vis-miggy' morning of the autumn.

Pine Island.

Pudmore yielded very little, save the continuing two Little Grebe chicks and up to five different Water Rails. The Hobby pair were interestingly here at first light, perhaps hoping for wagtails or hirundines from the reedbed roost.

Little Grebes.

I figured I'd sit on Shrike Hill for a bit, given how quiet the bushes have been recently, and I ended up skywatching for nearly three hours. The most notable movers were hirundines – all three species, which is rare enough at Thursley, including 30 or so Sand Martins.

Sand Martin.

Among them was an impressive movement of Yellow Wagtails that totalled 12 birds by the end of my session. My highest count for the site, this included a group of five and was appreciated after a steady August so far for this species.

They were eclipsed, however, by a remarkable two Ringed Plovers that flew south separately, at 07:15 and 07:47. What a bonkers week it's been for this species, with these my fourth and fifth local birds since Monday! 

What's madder is that ringo is truly rare out here, with less than 10 Thursley records, ever … and I've had three in the last seven days. A major movement was noted in northern England yesterday, interestingly, including hundreds at some inland sites. Clearly it's an excellent autumn for this wader.

Other bits in the skies included three Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Grey Wagtail south, while two Ravens circled to the north – surprisingly my first here in 2024.

Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Once it warmed up, I did bush bash a bit, but there was still a sense of quiet, with few discernible migrants seen. Bullfinch and Collared Dove were of note.

Kestrel.

Monday 26th

It was another relatively breezy morning, albeit warmer than yesterday. I headed to Shackleford where a two and a half hour session was maybe my quietest of the autumn so far here, even though it was still decent – such is the time of year and current form of this site.

Shackleford.

There had been considerable turnover compared with my last visit on Wednesday with a clearout of Whitethroats evident. The Lesser Whitethroat and Tree Pipit had moved on as well, but again plenty of Phylloscopus warblers were noted, with three Willow Warblers among them.

Willow Warbler.

Better still was two Grasshopper Warblers along the Lone Barn track, both bright, olive-toned first-year birds, one of which showed splendidly well in the early morning sunshine. These are always great to encounter in Surrey.

Grasshopper Warbler.

The groppers were very much the highlight, though, with other signs of migration limited to three southbound Yellow Wagtails and one Grey Wagtail. Once again there were no chats – it's been a dire August for Wheatear locally (I've seen two!) and I've yet to record an autumn Whinchat …

Yellow Wagtail.

The wheat fields had been cut and harboured hundreds of corvids, Woodpigeons and Stock Doves, plus a covey of eight Red-legged Partridges, with two Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk and six Stonechats also of note.

Buzzards and Red-legged Partridge.

Mid-afternoon, I saw a Swift high over South Park Football Club in Reigate – my first anywhere since 14th and quite probably my last of 2024 …

In the early evening, a brief stop-off at Snowdenham Mill Pond produced singles of Shoveler and Teal, two Gadwall and 12 Mandarin.

Snowdenham Mill Pond.

Tuesday 27th

I only had time for a quick look at Tuesley this morning, which was rather muggy and grey. A major surprise greeted me on the water – four Ruddy Shelduck! The birds, all juveniles, were foraging away but seemed alert and skittish. They eventually flew off south, unprompted … 

Ruddy Shelduck.

I'm normally dismissive of local Ruddy Shelduck (not that I ever see many), but these four were perfect candidates for wild birds from the Low Countries Category C populations in terms of date and age. The arrival of such birds in Britain in late summer/early autumn has become something of a phenomenon and it is widely accepted family groups and youngsters at this time of the year, especially in eastern areas, are wild. A BOU review is underway as we speak about changing the status of Ruddy Shelduck, which is currently untickable in Britain. Read this piece by my colleague Sam for more …

Anyway, it later transpired from photo comparison that these four were very likely the same as at Rainham Marshes in east London from 5-25 August. While I can't be adding these birds to any official lists anytime soon, it does seem plausible that one day they will perhaps represent a British lifer for me!

Ruddy Shelduck.

The shelduck had arrived amid a notable increase in Tufted Duck, with 30 counted. A drake Pochard was among them – slightly on the early side for an autumn returnee and my first locally since 5 April. 

Pochard.

Wednesday 28th

This morning was still, a little cloudy and somewhat muggy, feeling rather rare with the wind in the south-east, although it ultimately flattered to deceive for me at Thursley Common, the journey to which included a Tawny Owl over the road by the Royal Common car park.

Pudmore.

I spent two and a half hours at Thursley, but migration evidence was limited to two noisy and skittish Green Sandpipers at Pudmore/Pylon Pool, seven vocal Lesser Black-backed Gulls high south and a Yellow Wagtail in and around the cattle on South Bog.

Two Water Rails, a Kingfisher, four Teal and a Snipe were also at Pudmore, but generally things were quiet. Indeed, the presence of decent numbers of Redstart and Tree Pipit suggested some species haven't even properly begun to leave yet. A juvenile Hobby was welcome evidence that the Cricklestones pair had bred successfully.

Redstart.

I had a quick look at Tuesley afterwards, before work beckoned. An absurd seventh Ringed Plover of the autumn was on the near shore – I have run out of superlatives to describe what a crazy month (and indeed year) it's been for this species. I've had nine birds at Tuesley this year – more than my entire south-west Surrey totals for the years 2015-2021!

Ringed Plover.

It was warm and clammy by the evening, when I headed to Witley Common for a post-work stroll. It was fairly quiet, but five Spotted Flycatchers foraging from the tall trees in the enclosure were most welcome. It's been a poor August (and indeed year) for this species locally. 

Spotted Flycatchers.

A Marsh Tit, scarce here, called nearby, too.

Thursday 29th

I had a bit of extra time this morning so enjoyed a longer than usual pre-work session in the field. Yesterday was the liveliest of the autumn so far nationally and I felt I'd missed out on the fun at Thursley – and finished this morning with a similar feeling.

Tuesley was fairly decent, to be fair, with a new Common Sandpiper and Great Crested Grebe in. Meanwhile, the drake Pochard from 27th had reappeared and the juvenile Ringed Plover from yesterday was still pottering about.

Common Sandpiper, Great Crested Grebe, Pochard and Ringed Plover.

I then headed to Shackleford, where an ever so slightly disappointing session felt like my quietest of the autumn so far here. Action along the Lone Barn track was a little reduced, even though new-in Sedge Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat – both site seconds of the year – were not to be sniffed at. Two Willow Warblers were also noted along this stretch.

Chiffchaff and Sedge Warbler.

Some 20 Cormorants high south-west included a clearly migrating flock of 14, with four Lesser Black-backed Gulls and two Ravens heading in the same direction. Southbound singles of Grey and Yellow Wagtails were detected as well.

Cormorants.

I did manage to prize out a Wheatear – a paltry third of the month for me locally – but it looks like I'm going to go Whinchat-less for the first August my notes suggest.

Wheatear.

Other bits included three Red-legged Partridges and six Stonechats.

On the walk home I noted a Firecrest at Shackleford Heath and two Ring-necked Parakeets, a Sparrowhawk and another southbound Grey Wagtail at Peper Harow.

Peper Harow.

Friday 30th

It was a beautiful early autumn morning – sunny, fresh and dewy. I headed to the Lammas Lands before work but unfortunately had another low-key session. In fact, bar Chiffchaffs, I logged no discernible migrants in an hour and 15 minutes!

Overgone Meadow.

A Treecreeper along the towpath at Catteshall Meadow highlighted – only my second of the year here – which says it all. A single Bullfinch and seven Cormorants west (similarly to at Shackleford yesterday) were noted, while interestingly there were no Reed Buntings – perhaps many have moved on to nearby farmland for the winter.

Kestrel.

By late morning it was properly warm and pleasant. I popped up to Eashing Fields where, at last, I saw some August Whinchats. Two, in fact, flitting along the hedgerow between The Meadow and Top Field with the local Stonechats. Lovely.

Whinchats.

A light trickle of Swallows and a Grey Wagtail few south, too.

Swallow.

Once home, I set up shop with my laptop in the garden, where I experienced a truly frustrating encounter with what was surely a Honey Buzzard. It was super high and always flying away from me, and I saw it for mere seconds. My photos were no good either. A once in a decade-type garden rare that slipped through my fingers!

Raptor.

Saturday 31st

August finished, in contrast to yesterday, grey, gloomy and autumnal. Tuesley felt fairly lively first thing with a genuine site mega present – a Lapwing, amazingly only my second-ever record here at the reservoir. This species has become depressingly scarce locally – when I was at school flocks of hundreds to thousands would be present at Tuesley in the big arable fields that no longer exist …

Lapwing.

A juvenile Common Sandpiper was knocking about, too, while three Pochard – a female and two drakes – were in with the increasing number of Tufted Duck.

Pochard and Tufted Duck.

I then headed to Thursley, where August ended with a bit of a whimper. A few hirundines were moving south, including a handful of Sand Martins, with a Yellow Wagtail heading the same way (and four more with the Belted Galloways at South Bog). Two Little Egrets flew north-east and a Lesser Black-backed Gull went south, too.

Otherwise, though it was quiet. A mini wisp of three Snipe flew around Pudmore, which held Teal and two Water Rails, the family party of Hobbies were over Cricklestones and a Tree Pipit was at Shrike Hill.

Snipe.