Birdwatcher’s Diary No.173

Published on: 11 Nov, 2018
Updated on: 11 Nov, 2018

By Malcolm Fincham

A temporary change in the weather across Surrey on Sunday, October 14 brought a day of steady rain, dampening my hopes of birdwatching.

Black-headed gulls, teal on and a grey heron on the scrape by Stoke Lock. Click on pictures to enlarge in a new window.

By the following week, mostly, dry weather returned. It attracted a few black headed gulls, a few wintering teal and even a grey heron, on to the shallow pool called the ‘scrape’ near Stoke Lock.

Dunnock by Stoke Lock.

Along the towpath a dunnock perched up nearby.

Grey wagtail by Stoke Lock.

By the lock gates was a grey wagtail.

Kestrel being harassed by a magpie.

A resident kestrel was getting the usual harassment from the local “gangster” magpies.

Common buzzard being mobbed by crows.

While a common buzzard wasn’t getting it all its own way either as I watched it drift across the river, chased by two crows.

Robin at Stoke Lake.

Along the boardwalk a robin perched, singing its usual favourite song.

Grey heron on the island at Stoke Lake.

Another grey heron sat in its usual spot on the island at the southern end of Stoke Lake. On this occasion, however, “eyes bigger than its stomach” was an apt idiom (one I recalled being told in my youth), as I watched it attempting to swallow something that was, sure enough, making its neck bulge.

Cormorant flying across Stoke Lake.

Also renown for its greediness, a common sighting of a cormorant could be viewed as it flew across the lake.

Meadow pipit by Stoke Lake.

In a hawthorn, in the field at southern end of the lake a meadow pipit perched, as darkening clouds loomed to the north.

It wasn’t too long after that I was looking for shelter as a heavy shower passed through. In its wake a glorious double rainbow appeared across the lake.

Double rainbow at Stoke Lake.

Alas, although its rays could be seen touching the bank of the lake, as much as I tried, no leprechauns nor pots of gold could be seen there. My reward, however, was a worthy one.

Kingfisher flying low across Stoke Lake.

Flying low across the lake and glistening in the late afternoon light was a kingfisher.

Kingfisher at Stoke Lake.

Colours shimmering in opalescence and shades of shiny blues as it passed through the lengthening shadows cast on the water. Struggling to focus my camera as it sped across the water, I even managed what I felt were a few reasonable shots.

Kingfisher at Stoke Lake.

To my added delight, it perched up not far from where I stood.

Kingfisher takes a dive into Stoke Lake.

I patiently watched as its own gaze was fixed on the water. It then took a dive, giving me the opportunity of what I felt was my best photo.

Kingfisher having just caught a small fish.

On its return it had caught a small fish that it held in its beak.

Jackdaws at dusk.

As light began to fade I made my way home. Flocks of jackdaws were making their daily return from all points of the compass from their day’s foraging in the fields around Guildford.

Jackdaws coming in to roost.

Making their “tchaayk” sound from which they get their names, they descended into the sewage works just beyond Stoke Lock.

After a ritual of which sounded like they were catching up on conversations about the day gone by, they took flight in unison in a flock of over 700 birds; this time to go to their roosts nearby.

On October 24 as night fell, I felt duty-bound to pause for a few moments as a full moon rose in its eastern quarter of the sky.

Hunter’s moon rising.

Known as a hunter’s moon, the first moon after the harvest moon is so named as the preferred month to hunt summer-fattened deer. Like the harvest moon, the hunter’s moon is also particularly bright and long in the sky, giving hunters the opportunity to stalk prey at night. Probably because of the threat of winter looming close.

A visit to Newlands Corner, with my long suffering wife, allowed her to take in the wonderful views across the Surrey Hills, while I walked the short distance to checkout the feeding station, situated near the visitor centre. A variety of the usual garden birds can often be seen there.

Goldfinch at Newlands Corner.

These included goldfinches.

Blue tit at Newlands Corner.

As well as blue tits.

Great tit at Newlands Corner.

Great tits.

Chaffinch at Newlands Corner.

Chaffinches.

Nuthatch at Newlands Corner.

A couple of nuthatches also came to visit.

Marsh tit at Newlands Corner.

The stars of the show had to be the marsh tits that often make an appearance there.

Greenfinch at Newlands Corner.

A I made my return to the car I spied a greenfinch, perched a little way up a tree, posing for a photo.

Bullfinch.

In a tree near a little higher up from the greenfinch a bullfinch was perched.

Brambling at Newlands Corner.

As I scanned the tops of the trees behind the visitors centre, I became aware of bird perched high up on the line of sky above. “Surely a brambling” I decided as I set my camera lens to maximum for a record shot.

There have been reports of a recent irruption of wintering bramblings from across the North Sea, with numerous sightings locally. It set me on a pioneering mission to Sheepleas the following day in the hope of seeing a few more.

Red kite.

It was another glorious day of sunshine although too late in the year to seek butterflies there. With the warmth of the sun on my back, as I watched a red kite glide over in the blue sky, for an instance it felt as though summer had returned.

Ring-necked parakeets at Sheepleas.

Breaking what was becoming a daydream, were three ring-necked parakeets, squawking as they flew overhead.

Marsh tit at Sheepleas.

The sound of several marsh tits could be heard, even catching a few photos of one.

Redwing at Sheepleas.

The “seeping” sounds of redwings could also be heard, catching fleeting glimpses of some of them as they flew through the canopy of trees that surrounded me. Eventually I managed to get a photograph of one as it perched in a tree, out in the open.

Fortune finally came my way while walking along a footpath, overhung by trees. In the shadows a small group of birds could be seen, feeding on the ground, among the fallen beech leaves. I counted at least four bramblings, a nuthatch and several chaffinches.

Attempting to get closer for better pictures, they took flight from the path. Fortunately, they hadn’t flown far.

Brambling at Sheepleas.

I was able to get some better pictures as they briefly perched up in a tree, just a little further down the track.

Chaffinch at Sheepleas.

Similar in size and shape to the chaffinch, the male brambling has a black head in summer, and an orange breast with white belly. In flight it shows a long white rump.

Fieldfare in flight at Sheepleas.

Adding to the day list was a flock of fieldfares that have also flown over the North Sea in good numbers to winter here.

On October 28 I visited Effingham Common with good friend Bob. The weather had turned much cooler by then. A breeze from the north, carrying cold showers of rain, passed through the Surrey Hills.

Walking down a wide track through the forest with tall pines either side of us, it wasn’t too long before we heard our first bird sounds. It was the “seep, seep” sound of redwings, flying overhead.

Although catching glimpsed views as they flew in a small flock over the treetops, they were too quick for my camera.

Another unmistakable sound could also be heard, a little distant at first, though heading closer. “A flock of crossbills” we called simultaneously as we wondered if, or when, the might appear.

Common crossbill in flight at Effingham Forest.

Captivated by the eventual sighting, we watched counting at least 20 as they flew overhead, continuing to make their “in flight” “glip, glip” sounds.

To our surprise and delight they dropped down on to the tops of the trees a little way down a slope, not too far away, and out in an open clearing in the woodland. Most of them had landed in several pine trees that stood out alone. Immediately picking off pine cones with their “evolutionary” adapted crossed-over bills, that assist them to prize out the seeds, and for which they get their name.

Common crossbill (male) at Effingham Forest.

Sexually dimorphic in colouring, the adult males are brick red.

Common crossbill (female) at Effingham Forest.

Whereas females tend to be a yellow or greenish colour.

Fieldfare at Effingham Forest.

Adding to the day’s list, was a group of fieldfares, nearby, feeding on yew tree berries.

Red admiral in flight.

I ended the month taking a walk for an hour or so along the top of Pewley Down. I recalled the brown hairstreaks I seen there on my previous visit, on what felt like just a few weeks ago. On this occasion the only butterfly I saw was a red admiral, braving the warmth of the sun on the hillside.

Kestrel perched on a yew tree on Pewley Down.

The rather confiding kestrel was still present, having seen it on numerous previous visits. Perched in a yew tree, it did not appear bothered by my presence. Accustomed no doubt to the volume of dog walkers, ever present.

Kestrel on Pewley Down.

No disrespect to the ones there that day as I too was walking my daughter’s rescue dog. However, the kestrel, fully aware of our presence, took a dive into the long grass in an attempt to catch its prey. Unsuccessful on this occasion, it returned to a tree nearby.

Looking north across Guildford from Pewley Down.

Looking out on the northern side of the downs, the lengthening shadows added a noticeable chill to the air. Cardwells Keep, formerly Stoughton Barracks stood out perceptibly among what appeared to be a surprisingly tree-clad Guildford landscape.

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