Birdwatcher’s Diary No.312

Published on: 20 Sep, 2024
Updated on: 20 Sep, 2024

By Malcolm Fincham

The start of September also introduced the start of meteorological autumn bringing with it an autumnal feel to the weather, although still mild.

Unusually northern areas of the UK were getting the better of the conditions while southern counties, including Surrey, saw overcast skies for the most part during the first week with heavy showers as well as longer spells of rain pushing up from southern Europe.

Although mostly overcast it remained dry for the first days of the month allowing several visits to Whitmoor Common, Worplesdon, with my camera in the usual hope of a few opportunistic photos of some of the wildlife that can be found in the more rural parts of Guildford.

The first opportunity came my way sooner than expected while walking through the understory of trees that lead from the car park towards the heathland.

Green woodpecker, Whitmoor Common.

The call of a green woodpecker lured me to the direction of its sound only to find it not far from view, attaching itself to the bark of a silver birch tree.

A few butterflies continued to be found in the more open areas about the common.

Comma butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

These included several comma butterflies.

Red admiral butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

A few red admirals.

Peacock butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

A peacock butterfly

Large white butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

And a few large white butterfly.

Grayling butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

A pleasant sighting on one of my visits was a grayling butterfly, having first seen one there about this time last year.

Common lizard, Whitmoor Common.

With temperatures still remaining in the low to mid 20c, a few common lizards could still be viewed basking in the warmth given off from the wooden boardwalk on the far side of the heath.

Slow worm, Whitmoor Common.

One of several slow worms that inhabit the common could also be found.

Hornet, Whitmoor Common.

And a few hornets could also be individually seen hunting insect prey.

Dartford warbler, Whitmoor Common.

Dartford warblers continued to be viewed, now mostly silent, although occasionally revealing themselves by their contact call.

Stonechat, Whitmoor Common.

Stonechats continued to perch up more visibly atop of shrubs and bushes and occasionally on the overhead utility lines.

Kestrel, Whitmoor Common.

While a kestrel continued to hunt about the open spaces.

Red kite.

And a red kite continued to be a welcome sight, flying just above the treeline.

The continuing call of a juvenile common buzzard heard in the woodland beyond the boardwalk during my previous visits in the last few weeks eventually tempted me to investigate during the first days of the month.

As of last year, the adults had nested in the area, and this year had raised just one youngster, who was still vocal and calling for the attention of its parents.

Juvenile common buzzard, Whitmoor Common.

Fortune once again coming my way as I captured a few shots as it flew below the treeline across an open field.

Wheatear in the old horse paddocks, Whitmoor Common.

While on September 6, finding my first returning wheatear of the autumn in the old horse paddocks adjacent to Salt Box Road.

By the second week of September the airflow turned northerly, conveying a much cooler feel to the air and bringing daytime temperatures down to mid, to to lower teens centigrade, with night-time temperatures dropping down to low single figures locally.

Skein of pink-footed geese arriving back to winter in the Highlands of Scotland.

In the Highlands of Scotland by September 11 the first skeins of pink-footed geese were being reported on their return by my fellow countryman friend now living in Aviemore.

Great spotted woodpecker, Whitmoor Common.

Continuing my venture on Whitmoor Common, great spotted woodpeckers could be heard out on the heath.

Nuthatch, Whitmoor Common.

A nuthatch could be viewed now joining up with a flock of tits.

Long-tailed tit, Whitmoor Common.

Families of long-tailed tits were also starting to join the gatherings.

Chiffchaff in old horse paddocks, Whitmoor Common.

A few chiffchaffs could also be heard making their contact calls.

Coal tit, Whitmoor Common.

Among the pine trees about the common small groups of coal tits could be heard calling.

Meadow pipits, seen last year, perched on the utility wires on Whitmoor Common.

And although not capturing any photos, the first few returning meadow pipits of autumn could be heard.

Jay, Whitmoor Common.

Jays had become more regularly seen as they flew about the more wooded areas as well as across the heath.

Blackbird feeding on rowan berries.

In the understory of the wooded areas a few rowan trees, dwarfed by the surrounding oaks, had begun to attract blackbirds to feed on their berries.

A return to the old horse paddocks where I had previously seen the wheatear allowed me the opportunity of a few more photos.

Roe deer in the old horse paddocks, Whitmoor Common.

As many as seven roe deer could be viewed feeding on this occasion, including a roebuck looking rather cool in its set of antlers.

Fox in the old horse paddocks, Whitmoor Common.

Across the field a fox could be viewed taking in the warmth of a spell of sunshine between the short sharp hail and rain showers.

Green woodpecker (adult) in old horse paddocks, Whitmoor Common.

At least half a dozen green woodpeckers, both juvenile and adult, could be observed feeding within short grassland between the ragwort, now going to seed.

Small copper butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

A few small copper butterflies could also still be found as well several white species of butterfly that still passed through.

Starlings in the old horse paddocks, Whitmoor Common.

While on the far side of the field a group of 20 or so starlings could be viewed feeding in the brambles on the reminding blackberry crop.

By the end of the second week daytime temperatures began to return to the seasonal norm. On September 13, and for a change of scenery, I visited Lydling Farm, Shackleford, near Godalming in the company of David Rose, an old school-time friend and editor for my reports.

Although not much revealed itself in the way of wildlife, it was nice to catch up on times past and present.