Autumn vibes

The last week has seen a slightly more autumnal set of weather move in, including rain and strong winds, contrasting with what's been an otherwise warm and pleasant end to summer. Migration has slowed down a little bit – passerine action in particular seems steady this August – but it's still been a fun few days on patch.

Osprey.

Sunday 18th

It was greyer than forecast this morning, contributing to a Shackleford session that felt a touch quieter than of late, with little evidence of turnover on the deck as I recorded 43 species.

The 'Acro duo' – the juvenile Sedge and Reed Warblers – were still along the Lone Barn track, amid continuing excellent numbers of passerines, but there was little I could detect that was new. Indeed, the Lesser Whitethroat found on Thursday was still present and there were fewer Chiffchaffs (and no Willow Warblers).

Lesser Whitethroat.

Impressively, the Tree Pipit was still here as well, acting like a Dunnock and often quite showy. A quirky bird for sure. A Stoat ran over the track as well but I recorded no chats during my two-hour session. It feels like migrants have been holding up during the last few days …

Tree Pipit.

That said, the skies were a fraction livelier, and featured seven Yellow Wagtails south (including a group of five), plus a trickle of Swallows heading the same way. 

A Little Owl was nice to see, a Red-legged Partridges called in the northern fields and a Bullfinch was at Cuckoo Corner, too.

Red Kite.

I checked Snowdenham Mill Pond afterwards. My first Shoveler of the autumn was present – indeed my first in south-west Surrey since April – along with two Gadwall and five Teal. Two Mistle Thrushes flew over as well – my first locally this month!

Shoveler, Mallard and Grey Heron.

Monday 19th

I hadn't planned on birding this morning, but was up early-ish and decided to have a quick poke around Thursley before a busy day of work. It was misty, cool and autumnal – and like the last few days, quiet on the bird front.

Pudmore.

That said, I had a surprise Ringed Plover over Pudmore – frustratingly heard-only, which has become a bit of a theme for me with local waders this autumn. Ringo is a proper mega out here – this was only my second (hot on the heels of one last October) and, I was amazed to find out later on, only the seventh ever for the site! 

A Siskin south was my first at Thursley since April and felt like a proper autumn bird. Otherwise, though, there wasn't loads doing, with Snipe, Kingfisher, two Water Rails and some newly hatched Little Grebe chicks at Pudmore of note.

Little Grebes.

Tuesday 20th

I was in Godalming late morning anyway, so I stuck my head in briefly at the Lammas Lands. It was quite breezy but sunny, and plenty of corvids and common raptors were in the skies above Catteshall Meadow.

Among them were at least two Ravens – my first here this year – and a Peregrine that dashed towards Sainsbury's. A female Pheasant with a small chick was a rare example of wild breeding locally, too.

Peregrine and Raven.

Wednesday 21st

It was bright and fresh this morning, with the breezy south-westerly gradually picking up throughout my morning visit of Shackleford. In keeping with the past few days it was a steady affair, though a piece of August magic right at the end lit up proceedings …

Shackleford.

That moment was an Osprey, which caught me well and truly by surprise when I picked it up low over Hook Lane, heading towards me with an entourage of angry corvids. The bird, a juvenile, circled a few times, gaining height, before departing south …

Osprey.

One was reported at West Horsley and Stoke Lake yesterday and I wonder if this was the same. It must have roosted pretty close by and been disturbed, given how low it was (and early in the morning for a flyover Osprey).

It was an awesome encounter with mega views – I'd never expected to see this species at Shackleford, which is far from any water. Unsurprisingly it was a site first, and also my first locally this year (I'd been worrying that maybe 2024 would be the first year in several that I didn't see Osprey on patch, after a blank spring).

Osprey.

Earlier on, a flyover Hobby that was chasing hirundines was very notable, being only my second of the year here. It helped make for a six raptor species morning!

Hobby.

On the deck it was rather quiet. Interestingly, the 'Acro duo' had moved on – but the Lesser Whitethroat and quirky Tree Pipit were still present along the Lone Barn track. 

Lesser Whitethroat.

Chiffchaff numbers were noticeably back up and a single Willow Warbler was among them, following a blank for this species on my last visit here. There were a few more Blackcaps about, too.

Chiffchaff.

However, I scored no chats – not a single Wheatear, which seem thin on the ground so far this autumn, and I await my first August Whinchat of 2024. The skies were fairly quiet, too, save that wonderful raptor encounter.

Goldfinch.

Thursday 22nd

It truly felt like autumn this morning, with a fresh south-westerly breezy, dull grey skies and showers. I visited Tuesley first, where it was a quite lively – most welcome after a run of quiet weeks here.

Pick of the bunch was yet another local Ringed Plover – an amazing seventh of 2024 and my sixth here. I've always considered ringo to be one of the rarer waders locally, but this year and 2023 have been exceptional for them. It was a nice and tame juvenile too, foraging away happily …

Ringed Plover.

A Great Crested Grebe was technically more notable, being only my sixth site record and first of the year. An adult, it likely had come from nearby Enton Lakes, along with the increased numbers of Tufted Duck and Coot. A Common Sandpiper was present, too, and two Sand Martins flew south.

Great Crested Grebe and Common Sandpiper.

Afterwards I checked Enton. There were good numbers of adult and young Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebes on Johnson's Lake, signalling a decent breeding season. Black-headed Gulls bred in impressive numbers here this year as well, per Eric and Dave, and two surprisingly fresh-looking juveniles were noted.

A few hirundines had gathered over the water, too, including 15 or so Sand Martins and more than double the number of Swallows.

Johnson's Lake.

Friday 23rd

No birding.

Saturday 24th

A wet, grey morning, with the wind slightly in the east after yesterday's stormy south-westerlies. Normally, such conditions in late August would scream rare, but things have been so quiet this past week that I had low expectations – and a comprehensive waterbody sweep matched that prediction.

That said, Tuesley yielded yet another Ringed Plover – a moulting adult with a juvenile that I suspect is the bird from 22nd continuing. This makes it a remarkable seven records here this year, and eight for me in total locally.

Ringed Plovers.

Some 40-50 gathered hirundines included all three species and impressive numbers of Pied Wagtails totalled about 30, but that was it.

Checks of the Overgone Meadow pool at the Lammas Lands, Pudmore at Thursley and Frensham Great Pond were all very quiet. The latter site produced two juvenile Reed Warblers and a Kingfisher, with another Kingfisher at Pudmore.

A Raven flew over Wey Court, Farncombe, mid-afternoon.