Birdwatcher’s Diary No.146

Published on: 8 Oct, 2017
Updated on: 9 Oct, 2017

By Malcolm Fincham

The second half of my September diary included a couple of trips to Farlington Marshes near Portsmouth.

The main lagoon at Farlington.

These visits allowed me comparisons of ‘latest’ sightings there, as well as satisfying attempts with my photos.

The weather was starting to feel noticeably cooler on my first visit on September 13, as a strong north-westerly breeze, accompanied by short, sharp showers blew across marshes.

Kestrel at Farlington.

In spite of this at least two kestrels could be viewed attempting to hunt against the wind. Their bodies and wings constantly readjusting as their eyes remained fixed to the ground.

Surprisingly, I must have distracted one as it turned its head to ‘check me out’. Unperturbed, it continued to hunt.

Yellow wagtails at Farlington.

A small herd of cattle grazed in a nearby field. Looking between their legs, I counted at least nine yellow wagtails as they flitted back and forth, feeding on the insects around them.

Yellow wagtail takes flight to avoid a cow’s feet.

Dodging the cows’ legs, they would occasionally take flight, only to return to feast on the flies.

Greenshank at Farlington.

A low tide on my arrival allowed me decent views of a greenshank feeding on the mudflats of Langstone Harbour.

Ringed plover at Farlington.

Also out in the harbour were several ringed plovers.

Dunlin at Farlington.

Along with a lone dunlin.

Oystercatcher at Farlington.

And a couple of oystercatchers.

Whinchat at Farlington.

On migration to their winter homes in Africa, two whinchats could be seen, just inland, perched on the fencing posts and wires, occasionally dipping down into the field beyond to snatch a meal and return.

Starling feeding on blackberries at Farlington.

Starlings could be seen feeding on blackberries.

Common whitethroat.

While a common whitethroat worked its way along the hedgerow.

Personally, my best pictures came as I watched a wheatear attempting to perch on a bench, out by the eastern-most wall.

Wheatear battling against the breeze at Farlington.

It took manyan endeavor, fighting against prevailing gusts of wind blowing along the seawall.

Wheatear perches on the bench.

Eventually, determined, it completed its feat.

Wheatear at Farlington.

And even sat and posed long enough for a few photos.

Just a week later, on September 18, it was back down the A3, on a return trip to Farlington, in the hope of a few more pictures, and a few more species to my add to my sightings.

Mute swans on Langstone Harbour at Farlington.

The tide was still receding on this occasion and two distant mute swans could be seen out in the harbour.

A congregation of little egrets, sometimes known as a ”skewer”, or a ”wedge”.

Inland, a congregation of little egrets gathered around a pool, out in the field.

Goldfinches.

More notable were flocks of goldfinches gathered on thistles to feed on the seed heads.

Grey plovers on the main lagoon at Farlington.

Unlike my previous visit, grey plovers formed a tight group on the main lagoon.

Black-tailed godwit in flight.

Black-tailed godwits were plentiful.

Lapwing at Farlington.

While a few lapwings could be viewed.

Teal at Farlington.

Teal had now started to increase in their numbers there.

Pintail at Farlington.

While a few pintails had freshly started to arrive since my previous account. Counting at least five out on the lagoon.

Wheatear.

Several wheatears could still be seen there, preparing for their long migration. One in particular kept its distance from me as I followed it along the seawall as I made my way back to my car.

Between the two Farlington trips I also found time for a visit to Pulborough Brooks on September 15.

Greylag and Canada geese take flight.

Although relatively quiet in the way of bird sightings, the early autumn sounds of both greylag and Canada geese out on the brooks as they took flight, soon made up for any lack in sound.

Spotted redshank.

At West Mead hide a spotted redshank came into view. Calling, it circled the water in front of the shelter. Although I hoped it might land, it had other ideas and flew from sight leaving me with just a couple of record shots.

Male Aeshna mixta (migrant hawker).

The warmth of the sun was enough to bring a few dragonflies out, enabling me to spy and even get a few pictures of a male migrant hawker.

Probably my best sighting of the day there was a brown hairstreak butterfly.

Brown hairstreak (female) at Pulborough Brooks.

Although having seen them at various locations over the past few weeks, and aware they could be seen around this reserve, it was the first I had actually seen there.

Brown hairstreak (female) takes flight.

Although looking a little tatty compared to the previous ones I had seen, as their season was coming to a close, I felt it was still worth a few photos.

South Basin at Staines Reservoir.

Another day of warm sunshine on September 24 gave a small party of us the chance to visit Staines Reservoir, and with the south basin still drained of water, a hopeful chance to pick out a few ‘decent’ waders.

Grey (and a few yellow) wagtails along the gantry walkway at Staines Reservoir.

The causeway was littered with pied wagtails, while among them a few yellow wagtails could be picked out.

Little stint.

”Calidris minuta!” my friend Dougal exclaimed as we looked across the south basin. Indeed an apt Latin name for a very small wader. It is better known as a little stint and it breeds in the Arctic. A long-distance migrant, wintering south to Africa and south Asia, several have been spotted on migration through the UK in the past few weeks.

Little stints in flight with ringed plovers.

None more so in Surrey than at Staines Reservoir, where we counted at least 11 that day, joining in to feed alongside the 50 or more ringed plovers there.

Ruff at Staines Reservoir.

A few ruff were also close enough to photograph. And there were various other waders such as curlews and common sandpipers, as well as a few black-tailed godwits, best viewed through a scope.

Dabchick (little grebe) with coots.

On the north basin, where the water remained at its usual level, a rafts of ducks could be seen. Mostly distant mallards and tufted, though close to view was a dabchick (little grebe).

Devil’s coach horse.

As we left, a strange black critter crossed our path, an omen maybe? It was a devil’s coach horse of course!

A few mythical stories surround this species of rove beetle. Its scorpion-like tail pointed in one’s direction was thought to be a curse. Fortunately, to date, non other than usual, have come my way.

Chiffchaff.

A walk down the footpath leading to Staines Moor we were serenaded by the sound of chiffchaffs still in good voice.

While still on path that runs alongside the King George V1 Reservoir, we were alerted to a small bird as it elusively flitted through the trees.

Pied flycatcher on Staines Moor.

It was a pied flycatcher, a rare sighting in the Surrey area and a first for me since my sighting of a breeding pair in the Highlands of Scotland a few years ago. “So much for the curse of the devils coach horse!” I thought.

Thursley Common.

Although another walk across Thursley Common before the month was over didn’t produce such an acclaim, it more than made up for it in its therapeutic scenery and the bonus of a few good photo opportunities.

Black darter.

These included a black darter along one of the boardwalks.

Small copper.

A small copper butterfly was also present.

Stonechat on Thursley Common.

Stonechats were plentiful. Even attempting a (sort of) artistic shot of one some distance away.

Dartford warbler.

A Dartford warbler also made an appearance.

Common buzzard perched on a dead tree.

While a common buzzard perched high in the open on a distant dead tree.

Kestrel overhead on Thursley Common.

As the sun warmed the thermals in the air above, a kestrel circled overhead.

It soon tempted the buzzard off its perch and before long a second one joined in, finding myself with three birds of prey circling, close, overhead.

Roe deer.

While on my local patch at Guildford’s Stoke Nature Reserve, my most regular sightings and best photos came with regular close encounters with roe deer.

Kingfisher at Stoke Lake.

As well as continued fleeting glimpses of (and lots of attempted photos) of a kingfisher as it skimmed across the lake.

As the month drew to a close, the reds and golds of autumn were now becoming more prominent.

North American red oak with leaves now turning in colour.

None more so than in the ‘northern red oaks’. Introduced into the UK in the 1920s as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens, it is widely considered a national treasure in its native North America.

Commas and red admirals attracted to the blossom of Michaelmas daisies.

A few butterflies, such as red admirals and commas still holding out on the warmer sunnier days. Still making the most of the remaining flowers.

Common darter.

And a few dragonflies still skimmed over the water.

I remain wide awake with wonder to what this winter may hold as nights now start to grow longer than the days. A cold one with a large influx of waxwings maybe?

Red kite flying low over rooftops in Rydes Hill.

Ending the month with with an uneventful afternoon’s birdwatch in the Rydes Hill area of Guildford on Saturday, September 30, I was eventually enlightened as I made my way back to my car by a red kite drifting slowly over the rooftops.

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