Get in the field

Another splendid August week has gone by. An entertaining few days has not necessarily produced any rarities, but has delivered plenty of cool moments and often in pleasant late summer weather. It is simply the time to get in the field – August is the best!

Sparrowhawk.

Sunday 11th

It was a misty morning, ahead of one of the hottest days of the year, so I had a late-ish start. Pleasingly, by the time I got to Shackleford, it was burning off, with a bright morning swiftly warming up.

Shackleford.

Once again, the bushes were lively along the Lone Barn track, with an apparent increase in Phylloscopus warblers. This included 20 or so Chiffchaffs and two bright juvenile Willow Warblers. 

Chiffchaff.

That said, there was also a feeling of 'as you were', with the Reed Warbler from Thursday still present. A juvenile Sedge Warbler may have been the same from last Sunday's visit, too …

Sedge Warbler.

There was action in the skies as well, for the first time this month, including two separate Tree Pipits that flew over, the latter of which dropped in – my first at 'the shack' this year. It seems there was a decent push of this species nationally today. A Yellow Wagtail was also detected high above.

Tree Pipit.

The highlight of the two-hour visit, however, was a wonderful encounter with a juvenile female Sparrowhawk. It alighted on a fence next to me, oblivious to my presence, allowing me to enjoy crippling views. Mega!

Sparrowhawk.

I also enjoyed a brief sighting of a Stoat scurrying across a path.

Goldfinch, Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

Monday 12th

I hadn't planned on birding this morning, but was up fairly early so opted to head out for a bit before work. It was already warm and humid and the water level was down at Tuesley, where a surprise Snipe was foraging on the shore – only the fifth site record and first for two years! Interestingly, Dave had the first of the autumn at Thursley yesterday …

Snipe.

Two noisy, skittish juvenile Common Sandpipers were flying around, too, while numbers of 'winter' fare – such as Coot, Little Grebe and Tufted Duck – had continued their recent small increases.

Common Sandpiper.

I then walked Eashing Fields before going home. By now it was 21°C but passerine activity could still be detected, and included the site's third Firecrest, calling while hyperactively foraging amid a mixed flock along A3 Hedgerow. 

A Bullfinch in the same loose group of birds was the first here this year – and only my seventh ever at Eashing Fields! – and the family party of Stonechats were still in The Meadow.

Eashing Fields.

Tuesday 13th

A restless night in warm, humid conditions did produce my first Eashing area Tawny Owl of the year, with a juvenile calling from the garden in the small hours …

After yesterday's heat, it was pleasantly cool this morning. I was up early and headed to Thursley, where the 'Thursley mist' was particularly marked, a veritable island of fog in an otherwise clear landscape. It burned off quickly, though, and the morning soon warmed up, allowing me to enjoy a steady three-hour session that featured 50 species.

Ockley Common.

Migration action was limited, though did include a vocal Yellow Wagtail flying south with a small group of six Sand Martins – both species good value at Thursley. A Grey Wagtail south over South Bog may well have been on the move also, as might have a Painted Lady on Ockley Common.

One or perhaps two Snipe – flushed from Dead End Ditch and later at Pudmore – were hot on the feels of my first of the autumn at Tuesley yesterday. Pudmore was otherwise quiet today, though, with two Water Rail and a Teal noted.

Snipe and Greylag Geese.

Other bits and pieces included a better showing of Redstarts (four) than on Saturday, a Spotted Flycatcher at Crossbill Corner, a noisy Hobby and a Bullfinch.

Green Woodpecker.

It was lovely and warm by lunchtime, though not as oppressively hot as yesterday. I squeezed in a lunchbreak check of Eashing Farm and was rewarded with six late Swifts overhead, as well as two Hobbies hawking to the east – a 1-km year first. 

Hobby.

Indeed, the skies were lively, with several Swallows, House Martins and Buzzards all noted.

Wednesday 14th

The warm weather broke down overnight, with light rain and relative murk early morning. This called for a waterbody check and I headed to Tuesley first. 

Tuesley.

It felt quite good and one of the first birds I heard was a Greenshank. It went on to call several times in the following few minutes but I never saw it … a typically skittish individual refusing to land.

Two juvenile Common Terns were interesting, not least because I haven't seen any locally for nearly three weeks. A juvenile Common Sandpiper – perhaps a continuing bird – was present along with three Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Common Sandpiper.

I then popped over to Frensham Great Pond. As with my visit here on 23 July, Gadwall were strikingly present – in fact a count of 11 is my personal highest for this site, where it is uncommon at best. Surely this new presence is to do with the breeding success at nearby Waverley Abbey this year.

Gadwall.

Two Teal were notable, too, and perhaps the first sign this autumn of proper wildfowl movement locally. A single Kingfisher flew across the south side and a Common Sandpiper was bobbing about on the beach in the north-east corner as well.

Teal.

The rain eased off late morning, when I headed to Eashing Fields for a poke around. It proved a fairly lively visit, including a site first – and Eashing area lifer – no less: a Sedge Warbler. 

The bird, a juvenile, was very elusive in the hedgerow between Top Field and The Meadow. I'd expected one here at some point but it was cool nonetheless.

Sedge Warbler.

The skies were fairly busy, too, and included a light movement of three Swifts and 15 or so House Martins. Five Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew incredibly high south as well – such underrated migrants.

Whitethroat.

Thursday 15th

It was back to being clear and pleasant this morning, albeit with a gentle breeze, as the sun gradually warmed things up throughout.

I headed to Tuesley first, where an adult Dunlin was a nice treat along the southern shore. It's been another decent year for this species here and this is my fifth record of 2024. Always to be appreciated locally … 

Dunlin.

The juvenile Common Sandpiper was still present, too, along with adult and juvenile Common Terns.

I then went to Shackleford, where I enjoyed yet another excellent early autumn session. Warblers were the prominent theme today and involved an impressive seven species, including a fine juvenile Lesser Whitethroat – my first here this year and always a smart find locally.

Lesser Whitethroat.

The bird was along the Lone Barn track, which once again was heaving with birds. The Reed and Sedge Warblers were both still present, and particularly showy today, while a further increase in Phylloscopus was noted compared with Sunday, and involved a decent tally of four Willow Warblers (one adult and three juveniles) and 20 or so Chiffchaffs.

Willow, Sedge and Reed Warblers.

A Tree Pipit dropped in, too, and proceeded to linger, proving quite mobile and vocal across the main fields. It seems to be a good autumn for this species across England. 

Tree Pipit.

I had a lovely little August 30 seconds or so when I first heard the pipit calling overhead, while I was watching the Sedge Warbler in an Elder with a Willow Warbler quietly subsinging in the hedgerow behind me …

A really fun session was capped off by my first Wheatear of the autumn, a fresh juvenile along the fence line near the hay barn. In all, a wonderful, classic mid-August morning on patch.

Wheatear, Cormorant and Feral Pigeons.

Friday 16th

Last night's rain meant it was damp underfoot this morning, although fairly sunny. I had a look around the Lammas Lands before work and it was particularly quiet – probably my slowest session of the month so far. 

It was so quiet, in fact, that there was barely anything of note among the 37 species detected. Reed Buntings were still seemingly in breeding mode on Overgone Meadow and three House Martins drifted downriver, but that was it.

Overgone Meadow.

Saturday 17th

It was another beautiful mid-August morning, cool early on but soon warming up. I headed to Thursley Common a little later than usual, managed 52 species in the following four hours. It was a fairly typical visit for the time of year, albeit slightly on the quiet side.

South Bog.

There were a few signs of migration, including a Wheatear at South Bog (later at Shrike Hill) and singles of Yellow Wagtail and Green Sandpiper south, the latter curiously very high over High Ground. A couple of House Martins south were on the move, too, though a Spotted Flycatcher at Shrike Hill may have been local.

Wheatear and Spotted Flycatcher.

Five or so Tree Pipits were probably local as well, but a couple were high over and calling, suggestive of long-distance migrants. Redstarts were also up on recent visits, with a decent end of season presence across the site. 

Tree Pipit.

Other bits and pieces included the Hobby pair noisily at Hobby Hangar (though, as on Tuesday, I couldn’t find the nest), two Water Rails (including one at South Bog) and two Bullfinches.

Hobby and Egyptian Geese.

I decided to pop to Frensham Great Pond before heading home. Earlier this morning Shaun had found a Black-necked Grebe – a fine south-west Surrey bird these days, with this and the duo there in March the first locally since 2018.

The bird, a juvenile, was still present when I arrived late morning, despite the heavy presence of boats and beach-goers. It was distant and diving often.

Black-necked Grebe.