Birdwatcher’s Diary No.317

Published on: 3 Dec, 2024
Updated on: 2 Dec, 2024

By Malcolm Fincham

Some long awaited sunshine reappeared for several days during the latter weeks of November allowing me to add of a bit of colour to some of my photos.

Sunshine along the boardwalk at Stoke Lake.

Some brief cold Arctic weather pushed away the dark grey skies of recent weeks, and descended across the UK bringing snow to more northerly parts, but just low single figure temperatures and night-time frosts and a few bright spells to south-eastern counties.

In Surrey, and in the company of Bob and Dougal, I visited Prews Farm, at Papercourt, Send on November 17 to follow up on recent reports of large flocks of ‘finches’ that had been seen in the area as the transition to cooler weather began.

Speckled wood butterfly, Prews Farm.

In the sunshine on our arrival a late in the season speckled wood butterfly could still be seen on the wing.

Ring-necked parakeets, Prews Farm.

The constant squawking of ring-necked parakeets could be heard as they perched up overhead as well as in the treeline that bordered the fields.

Fields of sunflowers at Prews Farm.

The fields were full of acres of sunflowers which must have looked quite impressive when in flower.

Sunflowers with rotting seed heads at Prews Farm.

Alas on close inspection many of the seeds appeared to be rotting in their seed heads.

Wood pigeons feeding on sunflower heads at Prews Farm.

This didn’t appear to be a problem to flocks of wood pigeons feeding upon them.

Ring-necked parakeets feeding on sunflower heads at Prews Farm.

Neither was it to the flock of more than 100 ring-necked parakeets also feeding on the sunflower heads.

Walking the path alongside the fields we noticed other crops that had been grown between the sunflowers. Seemingly like the ‘three sisters companion crops’ first practised by native Americans.

In this case, allowing them to seed from the various plants to feed wildlife and to help keep nutrients in the soil.

This idea is apparently part of an ongoing government re-wilding project there, ironically in this case doing a great job feeding the non-indigenous parakeets.

Flocks of more than 150 finches, as well as similar sized species, could be viewed during our short visit.

Although less number, it reminded us of the large flocks of of linnets, chaffinches and bramblings we had seen feeding in February 2022, near Reigate. https://guildford-dragon.com/birdwatchers-diary-no-249/

Chaffinch, Prews Farm.

My attempts to photograph some of the species as they perched up along the treeline beside the fields included large numbers of chaffinches.

Linnet, Prews Farm.

Also a good number of linnets.

Greenfinch, Prew’s Farm.

Also a few greenfinches.

Goldfinches, Prews Farm.

As well as goldfinches.

Reed bunting, Prews Farm.

Several reed buntings.

Brambling.

And even at least one wintering brambling could be viewed.

Fieldfares, Prew’s Farm.

I was also able to photo some of the six wintering fieldfares that posed a while in one of trees along the track.

Redwing, Prews Farm.

As well as a redwing that perched up briefly.

Stoke Lake.

A visit to the Riverside Nature Reserve on November 20 didn’t offer anything beyond the usual in the way of wildlife, but it was uplifting to continue to see some blue sky and sunshine after the drab first weeks of the month.

Gulls lined up on roof at the Slyfield recycling centre.

From the River Wey towpath looking toward Slyfield, the usual large abundance of gulls circled over the recycling site. While others lined up on the depot’s building.

Red kite feeding while in flight at Slyfield.

Among the activity, at least six red kites could be counted weaving between them, occasionally even stealing food from the gulls while in flight.

Kingfisher, Stoke Lake.

Viewing from the picnic tables by Stoke Lake, a kingfisher flashed passed the island, briefly perching up and then flying from view.

Great crested grebe, Stoke Lake.

A great crested grebe now in winter plumage had tucked itself away by the island.

Tufted ducks, Stoke Lake.

While a raft of 18 tufted ducks, mostly males, could be counted out on the water.

Cormorant, Stoke Lake.

Regular visits from cormorants continued both in and over the lake.

Red kite, Stoke Lake.

And a red kite drifted in from the direction of the A3 and glided across the lake, gifting me another photo.

Teal by the boardwalk, Riverside Nature Reserve.

I also had my first autumn sighting of a pair of teal that had arrived back to winter in the marsh area under the sallows by the boardwalk.

Once remembered by me as inclement weather, but now recorded by the Met Office in terms of registered storms with names arrived on November 22. This one, Storm Bert, passed through bringing a weekend of wet wild windy weather with gusts of 60mph in south-eastern areas of the UK.

Temperatures turned mild as the Atlantic flow brought winds up from a south-westerly direction.

Dabchick (little grebe), with fish, Britten’s Pond.

Although two dabchicks had been reported at Britten’s Pond on November 21 by Clive, one of the many friendly anglers, it wasn’t until November 25 did I had the opportunity to return for several visits.

Britten’s Pond.

By then just one dabchick could be seen, while sunshine had returned for the most part although daylight hours were by now rapidly receding.

Black-headed gull, Britten’s Pond.

Black-headed gulls in their winter plumage continued to visit the waters.

Carp beaching the water at Britten’s Pond.

An opportunistic moment also allowed me to capture a photo of a carp breaching water on the far side of the pond.

Rooks, Britten’s Pond.

Perched up in the tall oaks at the back of pond a group of rooks gathered.

Red kite, Britten’s Pond.

While a red kite could be regularly be heard and occasionally seen above the treeline during the last week of the month.

Nuthatch, Britten’s Pond.

A circular walk around the pond revealed several sightings of nuthatches.

Dunnock, Britten’s Pond.

Numerous dunnocks could be heard and observed.

Long-tailed tit, Britten’s Pond.

And the usual sounds of long-tailed tits continued as they revealed themselves making their contact calls as they worked their circuit in a tight group around the pond.

Egyptian geese, Britten’s Pond.

A pair of Egyptian geese regularly visited the waters.

Greylag geese, Britten’s Pond.

And the wintering pair of greylag geese were ever-present.

Mute swans, Britten’s Pond.

As were the resident mute swans.

Grey heron, Britten’s Pond.

And the grey heron.

Cormorant, Britten’s Pond.

While from time to time a cormorant would gracefully glide in and land on the water.

Kingfisher, Britten’s Pond.

The female kingfisher continued to be viewed on most of my visits, but remained elusive and trying my patience to photo.

Robin on my camera lens, Britten’s Pond.

To the contrary, the robins were most confiding, especially when I paused awhile or sat on any of the benches to observe across the pond. Always a pleasant distraction as they perched up beside me. And even on my camera!

Firecrest, Britten’s Pond.

By the last few days of the month a firecrest had made what seems to be in recent years its annual winter visiting site in the holly bushes at the back of the pond.