Holmethorpe SP - Having a Barnie!

After a weekend of sport it was time to focus on my September challenge so I took to the road with the aim of covering some local sites before the rain came in! I checked in at Canons Farm to find the fields by Canon’s Farmhouse had been harvested. This area had recently held Whinchat and Stonechat.  I had a wander around for a couple of hours sifting through the masses of hirundines that were quartering the fields before heading off to Holmethorpe.

The cloud was closing in fast so I travelled light so I could cover the key areas. The water level on Spynes Mere had dropped considerably since my last visit creating several sandy islands that waterfowl and Lapwing were taking full advantage of! In amongst the masses of geese (over 200 Canada’s) were a couple of Barnacle Geese that looked very smart resting on one of the sand islands. 

The birds did not have rings but were likely to be from feral stock. Wild birds tend to arrive for winter and spend time in the North of England and Scotland. The birds had been present for about a week viz Gordon.

The biggest flock of fifty birds I saw at QE2 reservoir with Dave Harris and John Allan back in January 2010. There has since been a regular winter flock that spends its time in the Walton area.

Nothing too exciting today but this is a species that I have not seen at Holmethorpe before. Will the storm work its magic!

Beddington Farm - Back to the Farm!

I was up and out at the crack of dawn heading to Beddington Farm to catch up on some species to add to my September challenge. The site is far from what it used to be and the new access and site “crystal maze” obstacle course does not appeal to my patch watching senses like it used to! The wet grassland area is still being dug with the few Tree Sparrows that are left ducking and diving between feeding as the machinery bypasses the feeder stations! 

Once complete the area will have to be drained for three years to allow seeding and growth before the area can be flooded and become “operational”. 100 Acre also seems to be out of bounds with no route through to this area! If you are on site dressed in your PPE hi-viz gear you cannot access the hides and visa versa making full site coverage tricky to say the least!

The areas to and on to the mound are now lined with fencing which has allowed the scrub to grow providing a useful migrant trap. Several Whinchat was seen in this area with a Stonechat, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and other common passerines.

The North Lake held a variety of waterfowl including a female Pintail which has been present for a few days.

Whilst checking through the Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Pochard a Wigeon was spied. This species does not appear in any great numbers on the Farm and therefore was a welcome addition to the day list.

Most of the gulls were frequenting the area for the proposed wet grassland so I spent some time looking through a reasonable number of Herring, Lesser Black Backed, Black Headed, Greater Black Backed and a few odd looking gulls.

Whilst doing this Dodge messaged me with news of a Spotted Flycatcher behind the hide! I debated whether to trek back having had one yesterday at Canons Farm but joined Dodge, Tank and Glen on the Sand Martin bank.

Other migrants seen during the morning Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and Buzzard.

I recorded 54 species during my morning visit back to Epsom Downs for Geese watch later!

Canons Farm - Spot the Flycatcher!

This morning’s garden watch produced a flurry of Swallow over my house which had me polish off breakfast and head out to Canons Farm in search of migrants. I parked up opposite Canons Farmhouse got out the car and looked up. The sky above my head was littered with House Martin and Swallow this could be interesting! I sifted through the masses and took counts before venturing into the fields in this area. A flock of Linnet and Meadow Pipit were present in the fields along with other common birds.

Bird of the morning a Spotted Flycatcher was found hawking insects on the corner of George East and the Legal & General Sports Field. There were a few Chaffinch and Chiffchaff also in this area that was full of flying insects.

A few Yellowhammer were seen on my travels this one was photographed by Canons Farmhouse.

A juvenile male Reed Bunting was seen flitting in and out of a hedge along the track.

The Swallows took advantage of the wires too rest upon giving me good opportunity to have a second look through them. There were more on the wires further down the track. 

Buzzard were regularly being chased by corvids three were seen together mid morning!

Thirty two species were recorded which is not bad considering I did not make it up to Banstead Woods!

Walton on Thames and Epsom and Walton Downs - Regular Caspo and some Viz Mig!

Another bumper day was had at Queen Mother Reservoir with Tony Beasley and the Hersham Ringing Group. I added another net tick Coal Tit to my short list and then popped in to the Elmbridge Xcel Centre on the way back to Epsom Downs to bag the adult Caspian Gull. 

I guess there was no surprise when the bird was sat up on the floodlight pylon admiring the elevated view of the area. This was probably the easiest Caspo I had seen in England anyway! I had a quick look around and then made my way back to Epsom Downs for Geese watch.

The geese appeared fairly late on and flew in in short waves of birds. If you put aside that the majority are Canada Geese it is still a sight to see as “V” formations appear over the trees then wheeling round to land on the high ground of the field. Numbers were also slightly up with 303 plus a Greylag and a couple of hybrids! They all fly in from the general direction on Langley Vale. I wonder where they spend the day?

As the cloud rolled in hirundines, Swallow 6, and Sand Martin 66 (one flock) along with Starling 72 and Herring Gull 95 passed SW over the tree line. The Jackdaw roost had over 100 birds in attendance just before dusk.

Epsom and Walton Downs - Scramble, Scramble!

The majority of the geese including the hybrids (198) came into the fields in varying group sizes an hour early tonight. A Red Kite was being mobbed by corvids over Walton Downs and disappeared out of view to re-appear over the Gallops heading for the woodland adjacent to the field of roosting geese. 

The geese took flight en mass and headed back towards Langley Vale where they had flown in from. The question now was would they return or find another area to feed and roost. One hundred Canada’s did come in to roost an hour later but not from that area which suggested this was another group of geese!

No Wheatear today but a Yellow Wagtail was heard over the Gallops. Marsh Tit were seen in a mixed tit flock further down past the three furlong marker! 

The Red Kite and Yellow Wagtail were new additions to my Downs tally. Hopefully the geese will be there tomorrow!

Epsom and Walton Downs - There is Some Wheat Left Ear!

I caught up with a Wheatear that was in the same area I had the first sighting last week. It is also possible it is the same bird! The difference with today was I managed to sneak around and get the sun at my back to get some reasonable shots of the bird. A few Meadow Pipits were also present this evening.

I have also been keeping a regular eye on the flock of Canada Geese that roost on the fields behind the Gallops. Last Fridays count saw 256 Canada a Greylag and a couple of hybrids. The count tonight was a few birds short and the geese arrived later than usual but I hope that something rarer will join the group during the migration period. 

Time will tell!

London Wetland Centre - A Wry Smile and a Crooked Neck!

When late news broke of a Wryneck at the London Wetland Centre I was dreading today! The bird would remain and be on view and I would not be able to get out to add it to my VC17 Surrey total. I have missed several birds over the years through being abroad. I also missed the Beddington Farm bird that was caught in the nets having arranged to go out for the day with a girlfriend (an ex!). I remember the news breaking as I was sat on a train. Tough times! 

The Wryneck did remain and by a non serious quirk of fate my hospital run was delayed by a few hours! With no time to lose I was making my way back to LWC to find out the bird had not shown since 1000hrs. The likely scenario was it was sitting tight in a bush having been spooked by a crow. I gained a prime viewing position in the hide as people drifted away and waited!

The bird appeared near the first post along the fence-line right in front of my position. Fantastic! Some 100 shots later and my first SVC Wryneck was in the bag.

This was my 238 VC17 Surrey species and one I was relieved to have finally caught up with! The VC17 top listers page is on the dashboard to this blog.

I am hoping my next tick will be Stone Curlew another species I keep missing for similar reasons!

Woo Hoo!

London Wetland Centre - A Multitude of Migrants!

This is my first autumn in the UK for a while therefore I am taking every opportunity I can to get out in the field. I am still banding (ringing) at Queen Mary’s Reservoir with Tony Beasley on a Tuesday and Saturdays that fall on away days with Sutton Utd! The current home form is very shaky and recent results have seen a nose dive to seventeenth in the National League table!

I have spent evenings watching the geese roost in the fields at Epsom and Walton Downs. There has not been any interesting developments so far within the growing numbers that are feeding and roosting in the fields.

This morning I decided to take a trip to The London Wetland Centre where a Pied Flycatcher has spent a couple of days in the Wildside area of the reserve. There were only a handful of observers including Matt Palmer who I teamed up with for the day. The bird was elusive but was located by one of the regulars and the camera was put into quick fire mode as the bird flitted between the foliage on the trees. It seemed a few moments later and the bird had continued on with its circuit of this area. This was my second Pied Flycatcher in SVC17!

There were reports of several other migrants on site including a juvenile Garganey which was best viewed late afternoon from the WWF hide.

A Ringed Plover was the best of the shorebirds on the main lake. A Little Ringed Plover took exception to its presence taking flight and chasing it between islands. The WWF hide again provided the best photo opportunities. 2006 was the only time I have seen this species at LWC. 

A Green Sandpiper was seen on the grazing marsh moving between small pools of water and muddy channels.

There were three Common Sandpipers on the main lake each bird was mobile with two resting together at one point.

Not a bad day by any standards!

Epsom and Walton Downs - Under Starters Orders!

September has started as August left off with new species added to my Epsom Downs tally. I took the opportunity to pay an evening visit in the hope of connecting with some migrating passerines and happened upon a 1^st winter Wheatear along the Gallops. The eye stripe and rufous cheek are visible on photos that were taken into the sun!

The fields behind the Gallops were being harvested explaining the now regular sightings of geese that roost on the cut fields.

A Greylag and a couple of hybrid/feral geese were amongst the incoming flocks that numbered 209 + the aforementioned birds. Can you find the Greylag in the photo? (It’s there!).

The stalking of the Wheatear and the geese count halted my progress allowing only time to count the Jackdaw roost. I should have left Banstead Golf Course earlier but hindsight is a marvelous thing. I also need to establish a suitable raptor watch-point which is not too much of a trek with the heavy artillery!

Only twelve species recorded but two new additions Wheatear and Greylag Goose to my Epsom and Walton Downs total!