Birdwatcher’s Diary No.314

Published on: 19 Oct, 2024
Updated on: 19 Oct, 2024

By Malcolm Fincham

The first days of October continued to see a mass exodus of house martins moving south over the skies about Surrey.

House martin over the sewage works by Stoke Lock.

While increasingly unsettled weather bestowed itself upon us in the south-eastern regions of the UK during the first weeks of the month. Although a spell of northerly air flow briefly brought some bright spells and cooler temperatures toward the end of the first week.

By October 12 the first substantially large flocks of redwings as well as other wintering thrushes from Scandinavia were starting to be reported over Surrey by local observers.

Redwings in flight.

I had my first sightings of a few small groups flying overhead while on my afternoon walk about Whitmoor Common, although overcast conditions and showers of rain made for ridiculously poor quality photos.

Britten’s Pond on one of the sunnier days in early October.

Sticking to some of my local patches on the northern side of Guildford, I made a number of visits to Britten’s Pond, often allowing me a short distance to the shelter of my car during days of inclement weather. These visits turned out to be the most rewarding for my photography.

Recent sightings of a female kingfisher, which will hopefully be wintering there, continued to viewed about the pond.

They can be incredibly difficult to spot at times in spite of their brightly coloured plumage, sometimes needing keen eyes, especially while trees are still in leaf.

Kingfisher, Britten’s Pond, on the floating platform, on October 4.

Fortune fell my way, however, on October 4 when I spotted her perched out in the open on the floating platform, near to the ‘beach swim’.

Kingfisher, Britten’s Pond, hiding among the willows on one of the islands, October 4.

And later that afternoon finding her again, this time hiding among the willows on one of the islands.

Kingfisher in the overhanging branches by the ‘beach swim’ at Britten’s Pond, October 7.

Further sightings and photos were obtained on October 7 when she thought she was out of my sight, as she perched within the sallows overhanging the water to the right of the ‘beach swim’.

Kingfisher perched up over the silt pond beside Britten’s Pond, October 9.

And again on October 9 when she could be viewed through the foliage, perched up over the silt pond adjacent to the main pond.

Daubenton’s bat, Britten’s Pond.

A surprise sighting for me there late in the afternoon on October 5, and a first for me in the way of getting photos, was to see a bat hunting over the water. Later having it confirmed to be a Daubenton’s bat.

Daubenton’s bat, Britten’s Pond.

Daubenton’s bats are also known as the ‘water bat’. They have large feet, (for bats) and use them to assist in catching insects from the water’s surface, scooping them up with their large, hairy feet or with their tail membrane, bringing them forward with their head down and back to grab the insect in their mouth.

Daubenton’s bat, Britten’s Pond.

They spend most of their time close to ponds, lakes or rivers and are usually seen an hour after sunset, circling over water. They often fly in straight lines rather than the erratic flight-paths of pipistrelles.

Daubenton’s bat, Britten’s Pond.

Although having seen bats out hunting during daylight hours in the past, I was becoming increasing concerned for its welfare. Although appearing opportunistic and feeding well, long before the other bats came out to feed, it would likely eventually become vulnerable to a daytime predator, such as a sparrowhawk.

Daubenton’s bat roosting.

Opportunistic in my nature, it was a real “Brucie bonus” to also get some photos of it as it settled on the bark of an oak tree beside the pond, continuing to be seen roosting there for several days thereafter.

Daubenton’s bat showing its substantially sized feet.

They have shiny, red-brown fur with a pale underside and a pinkish, round face with a pink, hairless patch around their eyes.

Bank vole, Britten’s Pond.

Also adding to my sightings during my visits there was my first ever sighting of a bank vole, achieving a record-shot photo as it ran across the path.

Grey wagtail, Britten’s Pond.

Looking from the bridge into the water flowing into the outlet stream, a pair of grey wagtails continued to be viewed.

Song thrush washing in the outlet stream, Britten’s Pond.

On one occasion a song thrush had joined them, washing itself in the water as it flowed downstream.

Treecreeper, Britten’s Pond.

While a treecreeper could picked out by its call as it crept up one of the nearby oak trees that line the eastern side of the pond.

Long-tailed tit, Britten’s Pond.

Several small flocks of long-tailed tits were never far from sight or sound as they passed through trees overhead.

Cormorant, Britten’s Pond.

Out on the pond a cormorant could regularly be viewed fishing.

Grey heron, Britten’s Pond.

The resident grey heron continued to be seen.

Greylag geese, Britten’s Pond.

And the pair of greylag geese seemed settled and ready to spend another winter there.

Common buzzards over Britten’s Pond.

And on several occasions as many as three common buzzards could viewed circling over the pond.

Goldfinches, Whitmoor Common.

Back out on Whitmoor Common, a group of 20 or more goldfinches could now be seen flying about the heathland, stopping off together in silver birch trees, seemingly of random choice to feed on the seed cones.

Kestrel, Whitmoor Common.

While a kestrel perched up, surveying the heather below for the movement of a small mammal.

Coal tit, Whitmoor Common.

A small group of coal tits could be seen and heard as they fed on the cones in one of several pine trees.

Great spotted woodpecker, Whitmoor Common.

And several great spotted woodpeckers attracted me by their sound, allowing me a few photos.

Jay, carrying an acorn.

Jays continued to traverse the heathland, often seen carrying an acorn in their peaks.

Dartford warbler, Whitmoor Common.

A pleasant surprise for me was a sighting and photo of a Dartford warbler as it perched up before me on a dead branch among a clump of gorse bushes, allowing me to achieve my closest view of one for a while.

Green woodpecker in old horse paddock, Whitmoor Common.

Out in the old horse paddock adjacent to the Salt Box Road-side of the common the ‘yaffling’ sounds of green woodpeckers could be regularly heard, with a few seen feeding within the field.

Dunnock in old horse paddock, Whitmoor Common.

And a dunnock showed itself on a small clump of brambles.

Fox in the old horse paddock, Whitmoor Common.

Taking refuge for a while as another shower of rain passed through, I continued to observe, seeing a sly fox as it slinked across the field within the view of my camera.

Rainbow over the old horse paddock, Whitmoor Common.

Roe deer in old horse paddock, Whitmoor Common.

As well as a small gathering of roe deer on the far side of the meadow.

Several small birds across the field could be viewed, at distance from one of the dilapidated horse shelters I was taking cover in. They intrigued me as they perched up on the stems of ragwort.

Stonechat (male) in the old horse paddock, Whitmoor Common.

And so as soon as the rain had passed through, I took the opportunity to investigate. The first bird I recognised to be a male stonechat.

Stonechat (female) in the old horse paddock, Whitmoor Common.

The second bird following him was a female stonechat.

Loosely associating with the two stonechats was a third bird that I was certainly not expecting this late in the year.

Whinchat in the old horse paddock, Whitmoor Common.

A very late, and what must be my latest of sightings in Surrey, of a returning whinchat stopping off, probably due to the inclement weather, on its journey back to its winter home in sub Saharan Africa.

Similar in shape and size to the stonechat, now, in autumn plumage, and most notable by its supercilium (line above each eye) compared to the female stonechat.