Birdwatcher’s Diary No.313

Published on: 5 Oct, 2024
Updated on: 5 Oct, 2024

By Malcolm Fincham

A high pressure system remained over the UK as we moved into the third week of September.

Its cyclonic nature briefly drawing in an easterly flow, at the same time bringing in a sprinkling of birds from the continent.

Locally, this included a yellow-browed warbler that had been reported at Papercourt water meadows at Send.

A previous sighting of a yellow-browed warbler in Surrey.

I briefly heard and glimpsed it while visiting there on September 22, but was unable to get a photograph.

Peregrine falcon, Papercourt water meadows.

The best I could photo that day was a distant peregrine falcon that drifted over the meadows from the direction of a renown nest site among the towering buildings of Woking town centre.

Daytime temperatures remained in the low to mid 20c for the most part between the 15th to 20th of the month, and several species of butterflies could still be seen on the wing at the places I visited.

Brown argus butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

Revisiting the old horse paddock on Whitmoor Common included photos of a brown argus butterfly.

Common blue butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

A common blue butterfly.

Small copper butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

And a handful of small copper butterflies still attracted to the remaining sprigs of ragwort that were in flower.

Red admiral on ivy flower, Whitmoor Common.

While a few red admiral butterflies were now taking advantage of the ivy blossom.

Hornet, Whitmoor Common.

A few hornets could still be found, although looking a little lethargic, coming to the end of their season too.

Green woodpeckers in old horse paddocks, Whitmoor Common.

The “yaffling” sounds of green woodpeckers continued to be heard with several still seen about the field, as well about the heathland.

Great spotted woodpecker, Whitmoor Common.

And the “kik-kik” sound of great spotted woodpeckers could be heard about the surrounding woodland.

Starlings, Whitmoor Common.

A small flock of starlings fed on the remaining blackberry crop in the area of thick brambles across the field.

Female blackcap, old horse paddocks. Whitmoor Common.

While a female blackcap allowed me a brief sighting within view of my camera lens.

Spotted flycatcher, Whitmoor Common.

What will almost certainly be my my last sighting of a spotted flycatcher this year also made an appearance in the trees that lined the field.

Red kite, Whitmoor Common.

And adding to my sightings a red kite appeared inquisitively observing me as it drifted overhead.

Elsewhere, and now found locally across southern regions of the UK since the turn of this century, and at this time of the year, are ivy bees.

Ivy bees, seen locally on my mother-in-law’s front lawn.

As suggested by its common name, ivy is the main plant used by this bee for pollen. They nest in loose, light or sandy soil on southern-facing banks and cliffs with ivy nearby for foraging.

They are solitary bees, but when conditions are suitable, they may nest in large the same area.

Their sting, if able to penetrate a delicate part of human skin, is said to be no more than that of a stinging nettle.

By the last week of the month winds turned briefly from the north, with daytime temperatures falling into the lower teens centigrade, while weather conditions, once again, became more unsettled.

Night time was also now starting to outstretch daylight hours as we passed through the autumn equinox.

Parasol mushrooms, Whitmoor Common.

On Whitmoor Common damp conditions had begun to encourage a variety of fungi to flourish. These including parasol mushrooms.

Fly agaric mushroom, Whitmoor Common.

And my first findings of fly agaric mushrooms of this autumn.

Roebuck, Whitmoor Common.

Another encounter of what was probably the same buck roe deer as I photographed in my previous report came my way, although this time remaining more elusive among a clump of silver birch saplings.

Stonechat, Whitmoor Common.

Out on the heathland stonechats continued to be viewed.

Meadow pipit, Whitmoor Common.

Also, I got my first few photos of a handful of meadow pipits that had returned.

Stoke Lake, Riverside Nature Reserve.

At the Riverside Nature Reserve near Burpham during the last week of the month, a few butterflies could still be found on sunnier days.

Green-veined white butterflies.

These including several green-veined white butterflies.

Small white butterfly, Riverside Nature Reserve.

A small white butterfly made an appearance.

Speckled Wood butterfly.

As well as a few speckled wood butterflies.

Kestrel, Riverside Nature Reserve.

A kestrel continued to be viewed hunting over the meadows to the southern end of the lake.

Jay, Riverside Nature Reserve.

And jays were now starting to get active, regularly seen collecting acorns about the reserve.

Goldfinch, Riverside Nature Reserve.

A small charm of goldfinches continued to feed on the thistles within the meadow.

Stonechat, Riverside Nature Reserve.

While a pair of stonechats continued to show their presence.

Meadow pipit, in flight, Riverside Nature Reserve.

And the sight and sounds of a few meadow pipits could be added to the day’s sightings.

Kingfisher, Stoke Lake.

Viewing from the lakeside, a kingfisher could be seen as it flew across the water past the island.

Cormorant, Stoke Lake.

And a cormorant could be seen taking flight across the water.

Tufted duck (female), Stoke Lake.

Out on Stoke Lake, just a couple of tufted ducks had so far made a return.

Song thrush and blackbird feeding on rowan berries, Riverside Nature Reserve.

And a lone rowan tree there was already attracting a song thrush and blackbird to its fruits.

House martins over the sewage works by Stoke Lock.

While visiting the area on September 27, as many as 30 or more house martins could be viewed actively hunting insects over the sewage works, across the canal by Stoke Lock.

They were stopping off to feed up prior to their long flight back to their winter homes in Africa.