Birdwatcher’s Diary No.117

Published on: 29 Aug, 2016
Updated on: 29 Aug, 2016

By Malcolm Fincham

Having had so much success during the first few weeks of August, achieving some of my best pictures to date of both common buzzard and kingfishers, fortune continued to shine my way with more sightings of both.

Also shining my way were some pleasant days of sunlight, which coincided with a few days off work.

Harvest time in the fields around Guildford. Click on all pictures to enlarge in a new window.

A visit to Blackheath and surrounding villages allowed me some ‘heart-warming’ views of the countryside that still surrounds our rapidly growing town of Guildford.

I also managed to spy on another common buzzard. Having got some decent pictures of a juvenile for my previous report, this one looked a little older, or at least far more astute.

Common buzzard.

Suspicious of my movements, to my amusement, he tucked himself behind some of the leaves in the oak tree where he had perched. Peering through the leaves, the rolls reversed as he took to spying on me!

Common buzzard –watching me, watching him.

Caught in a stalemate, he realised I had ‘clocked’ him.

Commond buzzard flies off.

A few beats of his galactic wings and he was off, but not without me snatching a few shots as he made his exit.

kingfisher, wings ablur as it takes flight.

Continuing my fortunes, luck remained on my side with kingfisher sightings and I added a few more pictures to their ‘family album’ collection. These included a few that I took that were just too late to submit into my previous report.

kingfisher, on a ‘failed’ attempt to catch a fish.

Personally pleased with some of the ‘in-flight’ shots I got.

Kingfishers. Adult on right with a paler looking juvenile.

Even getting more pictures of both young and adult together.

Long overdue for my wife and I was a trip to the seaside. As regular readers will have already guessed, Farlington Marshes, near Portsmouth, to be precise.

Tide out in Langstone Harbour, Farlington Marshes.

Notice board at Farlington Marshes.

This was on a pleasantly warm and sunny August 15.

Wheatear at Farlington.

Although hearing of several types of migrant birds starting to return south, I was still surprised that my first notable sighting there was a wheatear, perched on the seawall, near the car park.

Black-tailed godwits at Farlington.

Black-tailed godwits were beginning to arrive back from their breeding grounds, some already losing their bright, summer breeding plumage.

Curlew at Farlington.

A few curlews could also be viewed out in the harbour.

Curlew sandpiper at Farlington.

There was a bird, similar to a dunlin, feeding on its own. It had all the signs and markings of curlew sandpiper.

Yellow wagtail in flight at Farlington.

While scanning across the main lagoon I managed to ‘snatch’ a couple of record shots of two yellow wagtails as they flew overhead.

Lapwing at Farlington.

A few lapwing were also present.

Little egret at Farlington.

Along with a sprinkling of little egrets, counting at least five on my walk.

Little egret comes in to land in Langstone Harbour, Farlington.

These once rare UK sightings can now be seen most of the year along the South Coast.

Unfortunately with the tide out so far during my visit, some of the waders I was hoping to see were too far out to view.

Meadow pipit, one of many feeding among the seaweed at Farlington.

They were replaced by a good many well camouflaged meadow pipits feeding among the seaweed.

Goldfinches feeding on thistle seeds at Farlington.

A flock of 100 or so goldfinches roamed the reserve, feeding on the seeds of an abundant crop of thistles.

Part of the large flock of goldfinches at Farlington.

Taking flight in one large flock at the first sign of any disturbance.

Starlings at Farlington.

Also, a growing number of starlings hung around the brambles, especially in the ‘point field’ feeding on the ripening blackberries.

Linnets.

Small groups of linnets also gathered at various stages of my circular walk.

Brimstone butterfly at Farlington.

While several brimstone butterflies could be seen.

Small heath butterfly at Farlington.

A few small heath butterflies could also be viewed.

Juvenile moorhen at Farlington.

Arriving by the information hut, I spent a while listening out for the bearded tits, often heard there while they feed among the reed beds. Just as my imagination started to get the better of me, believing I could hear their distant ‘pinging’ sound, I took a photo of a juvenile moorhen perched by the reed bed.

Kingfisher at Farlington.

My ears were then interrupted by a ‘peep-peep’ sound I recognised. With a flash of blue and a hurried record shot, caught on my camera. A kingfisher perched on a post, a little way off.

Kingfisher at Farlington.

Snapping just a few shots of it before it flew off as quickly as it had arrived.

Walking back across the field towards the car park, I picked out the distant sight of a ‘bird of prey’. Only getting a couple of seconds to glimpse it, I had convinced myself it was a marsh harrier.

Marsh harrier at Farlington.

Although running doesn’t come so naturally to me these days, I made haste as best I could to the main lagoon viewing area in the hope of getting a better sighting. Having allowed myself time to recompose myself (get my breath back), the bird in question reappeared. Agitating many of the waders, leaving a trail of panicking birds, including those goldfinches I mentioned earlier.

The following day I decided upon a heathland visit.

Grayling butterfly on Thursley Common.

Having spent several hours at various locations around our Surrey heaths over the last few weeks in the hope of getting my annual sighting of a grayling butterfly, on August 16 I finally managed to set my sights on one on Thursley Common.

A grayling, when disturbed, will raise its forewings for a second or so, revealing dark eye spots.

Graylings mostly sit with their wings closed. When disturbed the butterfly will raise its forewings for a second or so, revealing a dark eye spot. A predator attacking the butterfly could either be startled by the sudden appearance of the pattern, or be enticed into attacking the conspicuous spot rather than the butterfly’s body.

Heather in bloom on Thursley Common.

The walk across the heathland was a quiet one, with bird song minimal compared to earlier in the year. However, the views were now at their most stunning, with the surrounding heather in full bloom.

Stonechat on Thursley Common.

Stonechats appeared to be the most abundant, perching like sentinels on the tops of gorse bushes and dead branches along the route I walked. Clicking in their usual way like two pebbles being struck together, as if sending out a warning sound to other birds in the surrounding area.

Green woodpecker.

I did manage to capture a picture of a green woodpecker before it flew away in abrupt panic, calling loudly as it flew.

Male redstart on Thursley Common.

My only other picture of renown, however, was that of a male redstart.

Inspired by good weather and success on the previous few days, my obsessions started to get the better of me. Although, I must say, so was the heat, with temperatures starting to close in on 30c.

For my third consective day of wildlife hunting, I decided to visit Sheepleas to see if I could add to my year’s sightings of butterflies.

Silver-washed fritillary.

The fields there were not so vibrant in colour as they were on my previous visit, back in June. Sightings of various butterflies, however, remained high.

Dark-green fritillary at Sheepleas.

Although having already seen dark-green fritillary as well as silver-washed fritillary at other locations this year, both were present here.

Small copper butterfly.

As well as a few small copper butterflies.

Common blue.

And common blues.

Brown argus. Unlike most other blues, the brown argus has no blue scales on its upperside, both sexes being primarily brown in colour as its name suggests.

An addition to my sightings this year, however, were a decent number of brown argus butterflies.

Marsh tit at sheepleas.

My personal best pictures came when hearing a family of marsh tits calling near a wooded area there. Looking up, obligingly, one popped out, perching on a branch.

Marsh tit.

With the blue sky beyond, I was rather delighted to snap a few shots of it and also catching sight of a second bird with a seed in its beak.

By then, exhausted, dehydrated and feeling symptoms of heatstroke, I decided to call it a day – after a rather intensive three days.

Perhaps a little over intense and compassionate about my love for wildlife and the obsessions, my wife jokingly insisted: ”You ought to get out more!”

However, after a few moments pausing for thought, she realised what she had said and that it is just exactly where my problem lies. Reflecting on her statement she conceded, that maybe I ought to “stay in more”.

Having peaked too early on my ‘end of month report’, I decided I to draw a line on my story so far and save the rest of this month’s adventures for my next report.

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