Birdwatcher’s Diary No.184

Published on: 7 Apr, 2019
Updated on: 7 Apr, 2019

By Malcolm Fincham

I can never refuse a trip to Farlington Marshes near Portsmouth. The chance to visit there on two occasions during March was a real bonus.

It gave me the opportunity to observe some of the subtle changes taking shape along the south coast as the spring equinox approached.

Distant view of a spoonbill among other waterfowl at Farlington Marshes.

Having added a record shot of a distant spoonbill across the marsh on my first of the two visits, the second visit had to be the most productive in the way of photographs.

Having seen plenty of brent geese early in the month, their numbers had dwindled considerably. Many of the birds there were beginning to “colour-up” into their summer plumages.

Common redshank.

Common redshanks seen previously in their dull grey winter colours.

Black-tailed godwit at Farlington.

Black-tailed godwits now starting to moult from their winter grey.

Black-tailed godwit coming into summer plumage at Farlington Marshes.

Although more colourful in their summer bronze plumage, these feathers provide a cryptic camouflage in the habitats in which the birds nest.

Med gulls at Farlington Marshes.

Mediterranean gulls were now looking very smart in their breeding outfits.

Pintail ducks at Farlington Marshes.

Pintail ducks, although now in fewer number, looked rather dapper, ready to depart to their northern breeding grounds.

Wigeon at Farlington.

Along with the wigeon that still remained feeding on the grassy banks, also soon to depart.

Avocets at Farlington.

Avocets becoming lively. Having seen them there at the start of the month, often motionless out on the main lagoon.

Little egrets at Farlington Marshes.

A group of four little egrets were a bit of rumpus as they felt the spring air flowing through their veins.

Lapwings at Farlington.

It also was a joy to watch the acrobatic lapwings, with their slow, irregular wingbeats in flight and their shrill wailing cry.

Oystercatchers at Farlington.

Other sightings included oystercatchers, seen gathered on the shoreline of a receding tide on my first visit.

Cetti’s warbler at Farlington Marshes.

The frequent explosive sound of several elusive Cetti’s warblers could be heard on both visits. It wasn’t until the most recent visit that I had the rare fortune of actually photographing one as it perched, partially undercover in a bush, still only just coming into leaf.

Cetti’s warbler flying from bush at Farlington.

I even forgave it for interrupting my lunch break as I sat on the bench by the visitor hut, as it eventually gave itself up and flew out allowing me an in-flight photo.

Woodlark on Thursley Common.

Back at my local haunt around the Surrey Hills, spring was evolving too. On Thursley Common at least two woodlarks could be heard singing their delightful song. One perching up on a dead branch, crest up, and singing.

Dartford warbler on Thursley Common.

While Dartford warblers could be seen and heard as they perched up and posed for my camera.

Treecreeper on Thursley Common.

The sound of a treecreeper alerted me to a dead tree where two could be seen displaying, looking for a place to nest.

Palmate newt on Crooksbury Common.

A rare visit to Crooksbury Common, a heathland location in Farnham on March 24, with Bob and Dougal, we noted a palmate newt had come out of hibernation. Unlike smooth newts, they have more of a preference for ponds on acidic soils, found on heathland.

Palmate newt males have a filament at the tip of the tail and develop webbing on their back feet, neither of which are present in smooth newts.

Brimstone butterfly, this one seen at Farlington Marshes.

The warming sunshine had brought a few butterflies out on the wing too, mostly brimstones.

Peacock Butterfly on Crooksbury Common.

Although a few peacock butterflies could be seen there too.

Comma butterfly on Crooksbury Common.

Even adding a photo of a comma butterfly to this year’s sightings.

A coal tit could be seen, collecting moss to line its nest.

Dartford warbler on Crooksbury Common.

Dartford warblers were in good voice here too. Adding a few photos of them to the day’s photos.

However, the woodlark heard and briefly seen in flight there, eluded my camera lens.

Ring-necked duck, female, at Frensham Great Pond.

Moving on to Frensham Great Pond, we were eventually able to pick out the female ring-necked duck, sleeping for the most part, among a group of tufted ducks.

Treecreeper at the Riverside Nature Reserve.

During the last week or so of March, treecreepers had become notably vocal, especially along the towpath at the Riverside Nature Reserve, near Burpham. Attempts of attracting a partner seemed quite successful as I watched a pair interacting in the trees bordering the River Wey.

Nuthatch.

Nuthatches could also be heard calling.

Dunnock by Stoke Lock.

A dunnock was also in good voice by Stoke Lock.

Common snipe.

A few common snipe were still present.

A few lingering teal at Riverside Nature Reserve.

And a few teal could still be seen, lingering.

Egyptian goose at Stoke Lock.

While a pair of Egyptian geese had appeared to have taken up residence, in an owl box, across the “scrape”.

Mute swans take flight.

A pair of mute swans flew overhead.

Four male mallards surround a female in flight.

And a group of four male mallard ducks took chase of a female, continually circling overhead with just one thing on their minds.

Long-tailed tit at the Riverside Nature Reserve.

Long-tailed tits had paired up and were busy nest building.

Chiffchaffs singing at the Riverside Nature Reserve.

While at least four or five chiffchaffs could be heard in full song.

Hedgerow of blackthorn blossom at the Riverside Nature Reserve.

As the month began to draw to a close, blackthorn was coming to the end of its flowering along the edge of the field at the southern end of the lake, and was now turning to leaf.

Springtime activities were taking place on Stoke Lake. What had been two resident great crested grebes seen there, had, on the afternoon of March 26, increased to five. Not able to recall having seen so many on the lake, I became absorbed in watching them.

Great crested grebes in springtime ritual.

Two of the pairs were showing signs of their renown mating rituals.

Great crested grebes in dispute.

Sadly, the fifth one was playing “gooseberry”, interrupting their display, finding itself being chased from one end of the lake to the other.

Peregrine perched on pylon at Riverside Nature Reserve.

Later that day as the evening sun was setting and the light began to fade, I noticed a bird of prey perched on one of the pylons closest to Stoke Lock. On closer viewing, I soon recognised it to be a peregrine falcon.

Peregrine takes flight as night falls, heading west.

As the light continued to transform into darkness it took flight, heading west. “Perhaps one of the Woking pair?’ I thought to myself, as it headed in the said direction.

Male orange-tip butterfly, previously photographed.

On March 28 I had the pleasure of catching passing views of my first male orange-tip butterfly of the year while on my travels around Wonersh, just south of Guildford.

Holly blue seen last year.

Also seeing that day my first holly blue butterfly. Although not getting photos of either, I was able to note their pristine condition.

Reports had started to come through of summer visiting birds arriving on our shores. It wasn’t until the last day of the month that I was able to get a picture of my first true African migrant, a wheatear – see further on in this report.

It was while on a Sunday afternoon walk around Staines Moor with Bob and Dougal.

Blackcap singing on Staines Moor.

Having already heard a blackcap in song more than a week before, I was at last able to photograph one of at least four singing that day.

Linnets in flight on Staines Moor.

Groups of linnets were very vocal too, feeding on the moorland grass, taking flight as we approached them.

Skylark on Staines Moor.

Several skylarks rose up into the sky, singing their melodic songs.

Meadow pipit on Staines Moor.

While meadow pipits were in good numbers there.

Water pipit on Staines Moor.

Along the River Colne that runs though the moorland, we even managed to pick out a water pipit on the shallow water.

Wheatear on Staines Moor.

It wasn’t long before the keen eyes of Bob picked out at least two wheatears, newly returned from their winter stay in Africa. On closer inspection we were able to pick out at least three, all males as they perched upright in various poses.

On our walk back to the car we stopped to listen to a little owl calling, though remaining hidden from our view.

Sheep with spring lambs.

Around one of the nearby reservoirs, just the other side of the tall railings where sheep are kept to keep the grass short on their steep banks, a few newly born spring lambs could be seen.