Birdwatcher’s Diary No.69

Published on: 29 Aug, 2014
Updated on: 29 Aug, 2014

By Malcolm Fincham

The second half of August brought with it a noticeable change in the weather, with maximum temperatures sinking for the most part below 20c.

With some dry sunny spells however it did remain warm enough to allow me what were possibly some last opportunities to get out and about in the hope of seeing some butterflies; and, with a bit of luck, photograph a couple that were due to start coming out on the wing that I hadn’t seen as yet.

A view across to Leith Hill from Denbies Hillside.

This involed trip back to Denbies hillside at Ranmore near Dorking (previously visited back in July in report 66).

Chalk hilll blue.

Sunday August 17 showed fewer butterflies than on that previous visit, with chalk hill blues that were seen then in abundance, now looking more scarce and rather tatty.

Adonis blue on Denbies hillside.

These had now been replace by the striking colour of the adonis blue, rarely seen anywhere but on sloping south-facing chalk lands in the south of the UK. Adonis, well known as the Greek god of beauty and desire, is certainly an apt name for such delightful critters.

Silver-spotted skipper.

Also to add to my year list that day was a silver-spotted skipper.

Small heath butterfly.

A few other buterflies out on show included a small heath.

Small tortoiseshell.

Speckled wood butterfly.

And a few speckled wood.

With temperatures remaining unseasonably cool, changes were becoming more evident with our avian species too, and with incoming reports that it was the turn of some of our summer visiting passerines to say enough is enough.

Whinchats, yellow wagtails and wheatears had already been spotted in a number of Surrey locations, as well as on our southern shore lines, preparing to make their long trips back to Africa.

Having so far missed out on seeing the ones reported locally, on August 23 I decided it was time for me to take a trip down to Farlington Marshes near Portsmouth, Hampshire to get a better chance to view some migrants before they fly south across the English Channel. Farlington is a nature reserve now familiar to readers of my previous reports.

On my arrival I was greeted by a robin making a few brief bursts of song within a hawthorn; one of many now starting to sing again after having been silent while going through its summer moult of feathers. But this one was still not brave enough to show itself!

Black-tailed godwits in a freshwater lagoon at Farlington.

Walking along the sea wall, now fully repaired from last winter’s storms and with the tide out, I noticed black-tailed godwits had started to arrive back from northerly breeding grounds to feed on the coastal mudflats and in the inland pools.

Black-tailed godwit in flight.

Black-tailed godwit.

Flocks of goldfinch also seen at Farlington feeding on thistles.

A flock of 30 or more goldfinches were also present, feeding on the thistles that had now started to seed.

Flocks of starling at Farlington.

Also a large flock of starling had started to gather – moving back and forth in unison between the fields and shoreline to feed.

Reed bunting showing well at Farlington.

While several of both male and female resident reed buntings could also be viewed.

Kestrel sits tight on its prey.

Another resident bird also showing off well was a kestrel as it spent its time hovering over the meadows, occasionally making a dive for a small unsuspecting mammal.

Kestrel with talons on show.

Kestrel perches on a fence post.

Eventually taking time out to rest on a fence post after several unsuccessful attempts.

Wheatear at Farlington.

My first sighting of a migrating bird was a wheatear feeding by the sea wall.

Willow warbler also seen at Farlington.

Having later spotted at least another eight feeding in the fields, I managed to get a photo of a willow warbler – another bird soon to make its long flight back to Africa.

Personally, my most pleasing sightings of the day were in the areas surrounding cowpats in fields where the cows were grazing.

Can you spot the yellow wagtail?

This is always a favourite place for me to spot yellow wagtails feeding – especially at migration time.

Yellow wagtail.

Yellow wagtails feeding with the cows at Farlington.

These birds can often be confused by some with our resident grey wagtails, that can be seen all year around often by our rivers and streams.

grey wagtail – side view.

Both they are noticeably yellow, as seen from my photos.

Grasshopper hitches a ride on my camera strap.

Ending my day of photography while putting my cameras away was the realisation that a grasshopper of some description had hitched a ride on my camera strap – worth a photo I thought.

One of four woodlark seen in Shamley Green.

On my recent travels just south of Guildford I was fortunate to spot a small group of young woodlarks feeding in a horse paddock in Shamley Green.

I also had a brief chat with ‘top birdwatcher’ Brian at his Unstead Sewage Farm patch. He told me that record sightings of common buzzards have been seen so far this year with two juveniles also regularly seen in the area.

A very pale looking juvenile common buzzard, often seen recently near Unstead Sewage farm.

One of which looks very pale in its colouration, but definitely wasn’t confused with his sighting of the short-toed eagle which made an appearance there on July 12, making it the 200th species to be recorded at that site and an incredible personal 190th there for him I believe!

This was the same bird I had previously gone all the way to Ashdown Forest to see. Click here for my report.

It also made a brief appearance over Thursley Common the same evening as Brian saw it, although wasn’t officially reported there until several days later.

A barn owl spotted recently near Bowers Lock.

Meanwhile back on my own local patch in the area surrounding the Riverside Nature Reserve, my most pleasing sighting had to be on August 23 (and on several evenings since) being the return of a barn owl near Bowers Lock.

From a totally selfish point of view however, I do find myself savouring such moments.

With continued fears of building on green belt land around Guildford, such birds, along with many other species that since my youth I now rarely see locally, I believe will certainly struggle to exist in the future in this part of Surrey.