Birdwatcher’s Diary No.164

Published on: 25 Jun, 2018
Updated on: 25 Jun, 2018

By Malcolm Fincham

A continued theme of largely dry and pleasurable weather in Surrey during the first few weeks of June, allowed me plenty of time for some ventures in and around Guildford, in the hope of capturing a few more photos to add to my sightings for the year.

Too much time it seemed. By the middle of the month the tide of summer had been flowing so quickly I found I had so much material I had to restrict myself to just highlights. The rapid growth of flora, the emerging of new butterfly species and the fledging of birds, brought about interesting sightings each day I ventured beyond my door.

A view upstream from a footbridge near Trigg’s Lock. Click on all pictures to enlarge in a new window.

On the afternoon of June 2, I spent an hour or so on a short walk along the towpath by Trigg’s Lock.

Banded demoiselles.

Banded demoiselle’s were still plentiful there as they danced across the river and shimmied at eye-level along the tops of the reeds and cow parsley.

Orange tip butterfly along towpath near Trigg’s Lock.

A few male orange tip butterflies could still be viewed, though now coming to the end of their season.

Canada geese with goslings.

On the far bank of the canal a Canada goose sat with its large family of young.

Egyptian geese with goslings.

While close by a family of Egyptian geese drifted by on the water.

Painted lady along the towpath near Trigg’s Lock.

To my surprise, I also added a painted lady butterfly to my photographs as it obligingly perched on the various plants now in flower around me.

The following day turned out to be another pleasant one, sunny periods had been forecast. With the addition of good friend Dougal, and carrying a large slice of optimism in my thoughts, we headed for Thursley Commonin the hope of adding another species of butterfly to this year’s sightings.

Common redstart (male), Thursley Common.

For these, however, we had to walk to the far end of the heathland where the heather was, hopefully, starting to come into bloom. Close to the car park, we were immediately greeted by both a male and a female common redstart, collecting insects for their young.

Common redstart (female), Thursley Common.

Treecreeper.

While several treecreepers could be heard and seen close by in the pine trees by the moat pond.

Continuing our walk, numerous species of dragonflies and damselflies could be viewed as we headed across the boardwalk. They darted back and forth over the pools of water on either side of us.

Female keeled skimmer.

Some of which, I must confess, I struggled to identify. Getting pictures of what I believe to be female keeled skimmer.

female emperor dragonfly.

A female emperor dragonfly laying eggs in a pool.

Male emperor dragonfly.

And a male emperor dragonfly, in flight.

Hobby hunting dragonfly over Pudmore Pond, Thursley Common.

Although most of the hobbies I had seen during my previous report had now moved on to their breeding grounds, the occasional ones could still be seen flying past.

Downlooker snipe fly (Rhagio scolopaceus), Thursley Common.

A downlooker snipefly perched on the bark of a tree. These are predators, which can often be found sat on fence posts or sunny tree trunks, facing downwards, on the lookout for passing prey. They catch smaller flying insects in flight, taking them back to their look-out post to eat.

Tree pipit, Thursley Common.

Out on the heath, tree pipits could still be heard; watching a male flying up steeply into the air from a raised perch, striking up its song shortly before the highest point is reached, continuing its song even when it is parachuting back down in its eye-catching song flight with out-spread wings.

Tree pipit parachuting, Thursley Common.

Heading toward the far side of heathland we looked in on the Parish Field where Colin the confiding, celebrity cuckoo has been the main attraction of many a photographer during the past few weeks. To our surprise, on this occasion, no-one was there to photograph him and neither was he anywhere to be seen or heard either.

“Perhaps he’s done his “business and was already making his return to Africa?” said Dougal. I turned back to look at one of his “staged” perches that had been set up by previous photographers over preceeding days and weeks.

Colin the cuckoo, Parish Field, Thursley Common.

“There he is!” I replied. Indeed, sitting on its perch, like a tame parrot, just feet away.

Colin the cuckoo, lands within feet of us in the Parish Field, Thursley Common.

So close, I had problems fitting him into the photos I took!

Silver-studded blue, Thursley Common.

It wasn’t until we reached the far side of the heathland, and saw the first few sprigs of heather breaking into flower, that we were rewarded with our first sightings of just three silver-studded blue butterflies.

Barney comes out to play near Bower’s Lock.

On June 5 fortune fell my way while on an evening walk along the River Wey towpath, near Bower’s Lock, Burpham.

Barn owl at Bower’s.

Having noted a barn owl in its day-time roost on numerous occasions since the start of the year, I decided on an evening visit in the hope that, with the short night-time hours at this time of the year, it might be tempted to begin its hunting before dusk.

Barn owl at Bower’s just before sunset.

Allowing me just enough time to catch the sun setting across the river on way home.

Viewing Stoke Lake from the field to its south.

By June 11 at the Riverside Nature Reserve near Burpham life was flourishing as fauna and flora continued to appear as well as rapidly grow.

Mute swans with cygnets by Stoke Lock.

A pair of mute swans paraded their cygnets by Stoke Lock.

Coot on nest.

On Stoke Lake, a coot I had photographed on its nest just a week earlier, was now parading four youngsters around the waters there.

Family of coots on Stoke Lake.

Moorhen with chick.

A moorhen could also be seen, now with three chicks in the pond by the boardwalk.

Sedge warbler with food for its young at the Riverside Nature Reserve.

Also from the boardwalk, I managed to capture a shot of a sedge warbler, collecting food for its young.

Reed warbler at Stoke Lake.

A few reed warblers could still be heard, although not so easily spotted, in the densely growing reedbeds.

Grey wagtail with food for its young at the Riverside Nature Reserve.

A grey wagtail feeding one of its young by the river.

Adult male blackcap with fledging.

An adult male blackcap feeding one of its young under a canopy of trees made life for me difficult to photo in the shadows.

Female blackcap.

Although the female, noted by its copper-brown cap, nearby, was an easier target, perched in the sunlight.

Common whitethroat.

Common whitethroats were still calling out their “scratchy” songs. One I captured perched on a blackthorn bush, occasionally dropping down into the unspoiled long grass, to the south of the lake.

Orchids by Stoke Lake.

I’ve been quite pleased that cattle have not been released in the area this year. If only for the sake of the delightful orchids that have had the opportunity to grow back around the lake-side, undisturbed.

Large skipper at the Riverside Nature Reserve.

The first few large skipper butterflies had started to emerge there by June 11.

Elephant hawk moth.

And a rather lucky find was an elephant hawk moth, a critter I hadn’t seen for a good few years.

Red admiral.

Quite astonishing, it wasn’t until early in June I saw my first red admiral butterfly of the year. Usually having seen them much earlier in year.

Stonechat on Whitmoor Common.

Stonechat fledgling on Whitmoor Common.

Several trips to Worplesdon’s Whitmoor Common during the first weeks of the month enabled me to discover a family of stonechats on the heathland, both parents looking proud of at least four fledglings.

Dartford warbler in flight, on Whitmoor Common.

Dartford warbler fledglings on Whitmoor Common.

More pleasing was to see at least two of the families of Dartford warblers had also produced young, although the exact number was hard to count, as they flitted about the heather, gorse and silver birch shrubs.

Willow warbler, Whitmoor Common.

A willow warbler sang from a silver birch in the evening sunlight.

Chiffchaff on Whitmoor Common.

While the similar looking chiffchaff could be heard making it namesake call close by.

Long-tailed tit with a small grub.

Groups of long-tailed tits, now with young, could be heard making their contact calls, as they worked their way through the silver birch.

Common whitethroat, Whitmoor Common.

And several common whitethroats could still be heard singing their “scratchy” song.

Silver-studded blue on Whitmoor Common.

Surprising to me, were a good amount of silver-studded blue butterflies among the heather there, a species I had only recalled seeing there in very few number before, or perhaps just my memory fading with age? “Could have saved myself that long walk at Thursley,” I thought, as I continued to explore for things to photograph.

Common buzzard overhead on Whitmoor Common.

A common buzzard circled, low overhead.

Cotten grass on Whitmoor Common.

Further down the low lying heathland, the ground was still damp underfoot, despite the long dry spell of weather. Here, an area of cotton grass grew.

Clouded buff.

Having seen an elephant hawk moth earlier in the month, I found myself becoming mildly interested in some of the daytime flying moths that I came across. (Although not wishing to entrench myself too deeply in that minefield of critter species). One of which, I’m informed, was a clouded buff.

Lime Hawk-moth.

More interesting, to my mind, was one I found there, of similar size to the elephant hawk moth. On looking it up I found it to be a lime hawk-moth.

Thoughts of those enjoyable outings there, turned to anguish, just a few days after my last visit on June 15. Reports came through on The Guildford Dragon News on Thursday, June 21 that about 30 acres of heathland on Whitmoor Common had been burned by a fire.

Concerned about the welfare of the birds and insects I had seen there, yet knowing nothing could be done, left me anxious on my return there in the evening of Saturday, June 23. A fire crew, in one of their tenders, passed by as the evening light faded, having completed their safety checks.

Assessing the fire damage. Fire crews manage to contain the blaze.

With just enough light left for a few photos and looking out across the scorched ground, I was in much gratitude and admiration for the fire fighters, having contained the blaze across the heathland.

Common whitethroat assessing the fire damage on Whitmoor Common.

A common whitethoat perched on the remains of a burnt bush, looking concerned.

Fortunately, the area of heathland I had previously visited, had not been spoiled by the flames. And having then observed that most of the young birds had already fledged, their wings should have, hopefully, carried them away from the fire.

As night fell, I soon realised the midges there, had also successfully escaped the event too!

Sunset at Whitmoor Common with a woodcock in silhouette.

As I watched the evening sky, a “roding” woodcock flew overhead and into the sunset.

Nightjar perches on a stump in the shadows, as darkness falls on Whitmoor Common.

Reassured by the “churring” sound of a nightjar as it perched, in silhouette on a post nearby, I made my way back to my car.

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