Birdwatcher’s Diary No.57

Published on: 16 Mar, 2014
Updated on: 16 Mar, 2014

By Malcolm Fincham

A ridge of high pressure pushing up from the south has finally blocked the continuous flow of rain-filled Atlantic winds that have battered our shores over the winter months.

With the addition of some warmer air and even the bonus of some sunshine is a taste of spring? It’s certainly a contrast to this time last year when we were all wondering if winter was ever going to end.

By the first week of March water levels in our flooded fields alongside the River Wey had decreased considerably. And five little egret could once again be viewed feeding on Shalford Meadows. Occasionally they could be seen flying to other parts of the meadow, easily spotted as their white wings and bodies glistened in the sunlight.

Two little egrets feeding among horses on the water meadows in Chilworth.

The little egret is a magnificent looking bird in my opinion, and one that is certainly on the increase locally. Just a few days previously I spotted two feeding among some horses near the water meadows in Chilworth. By Saturday, March 8, there were at least 11 on view at Shalford Meadows – a record count for me in a single location in Surrey.

11 little egrets (one out of shot) feeding at Shalford water meadows.

Daytime temperatures rising into their teens has brought great optimism to my thoughts of spotting my first arrival of a summer migrant bird locally. Indeed, on some southern coastal resorts of the UK there have been sightings of a few wheatears now starting to make their way back from their winter homes in Africa.

My first sighting of frog spawn this year – looking a bit like some kind of alien life form.

March 13 was my first sighting of frog spawn in a local pond, while the continuation of warm sunny days also gave me the opportunity to photograph three different types of butterfly including brimstone, peacock and comma. I narrowly missed out on a red admiral, which managed to elude me by flying off just as I was focusing my camera.

Brimstone butterflies are now out in good numbers.

Comma butterfly.

Peacock butterfly.

Our resident birds have also started to pair up, with many now seen collecting nesting material.

Blue tits now paring up.

On a few occasions I have witnessed a pair of mandarin ducks looking for a nesting site.

Mandarin drake and duck looking for a nest site.

Drake Mandarin.

These non-indigenous wildfowl, as with a few other species duck such as goldeneye, are renown for nesting in trees, and therefore can often be viewed in unusual places at this time of the year.

One of a large group of Redwings still present in flocks of 100 or more.

Large flocks of redwing, as well as a few fieldfares, could still be viewed mainly in more rural locations around Guildford by the middle of March; not having taken advantage of the southerly breezes that might at any time prompt them to make their homeward trip back to their summer breeding grounds in Scandinavia.

Shoveler.

Most of our wintering species of duck could also still be seen on fields still in flood. These included shoveler, wigeon and gadwall, all of which I managed to get some distant photographs of from the towpath beyond Bowers lock, viewing out towards Sutton Place.

Wigeon in a flooded field beyond Bowers Lock.

Gadwall.

Walking back along the boardwalk by Stoke Lake as the sun fell low in the sky, I smiled to myself with the confidence on seeing a reed bunting had once again taken up residence in its usual springtime spot.