Birdwatcher’s Diary No.325

Published on: 18 Apr, 2025
Updated on: 18 Apr, 2025

By Malcolm Fincham

High pressure continue to dominate the UK during the first weeks of April bringing with it some warm sunshine.

Although a north-easterly breeze during the first week kept the air feeling somewhat cool. For the most part daytime temperatures remained in the mid teens Celsius, falling to low single figures at night.

Taking full advantage of the pleasant and mostly sunny days that followed, I was once again out with my camera visiting some of my local haunts.

Swallow, Britten’s Pond.

On April 1 I saw my first swallow flying around Britten’s Pond, having seen my first two of the year at Unstead Sewage Farm just a few days previously.

Blackcap, Britten’s Pond.

A few blackcaps had started singing about the pond.

Nuthatch.

While nuthatches were constantly calling.

Dunnock.

And dunnocks continued to sing.

Female mallard with chicks, Britten’s Pond.

On April 9 a female mallard could be viewed on the pond with its clutch of six chicks, a first on the pond this year.

Egyptian goslings. Family portrait, Britten’s Pond.

While the four Egyptian goslings were still looking healthy and rapidly growing in size as they posed for a family photo on one of the islands.

Mute swans, Britten’s Pond.

The pair of mute swans were attempting to breed once again, having failed in their endeavours last year.

Grey wagtail (male), Britten’s Pond.

About the outlet stream and occasionally seen flying over the pond the resident grey wagtails also allowed me a few photos.

Great spotted woodpecker, Britten’s pond.

While a great spotted woodpecker could be seen and heard drumming in one of the surrounding trees.

A visit to Unstead Sewage Farm, near Godalming, on April 5 added surprisingly very little to my year’s sightings. However, it was memorable and worth the trip just for the prolonged views of two water rails.

Water rail, Unstead Sewage Farm.

These usually very secretive birds were feeding in a shady pool on what was a sunny afternoon.

Most of my visits during the first weeks of April were to the Riverside Nature Reserve where I was also able to add a few new sighting for the year, especially in the way of butterflies.

Locally in recent years small tortoiseshell butterflies have declined greatly in number, only personally seeing less than a handful in the past year or two.

Small tortoiseshell butterfly.

It was a bonus for me therefore to see one near Stoke Lake on April 2, although only getting a record-shot.

Male orange-tip butterfly on meadow sweet blossom. (cuckoo flower), Riverside Nature Reserve.

About the marshy areas of the reserve, meadow sweet, also known as cuckoo flower, was coming into blossom. And by April 4 the first orange-tip butterflies were starting to emerge and could be seen feeding on what are their main food plants.

Female orange-tip butterfly on meadow sweet flower, Riverside Nature Reserve.

Female orange-tips could also be seen on the wing.

Green-veined white butterfly also feeding on meadow sweet blossom. (cuckoo flower).

Also joined by green-veined white butterflies.

Small white butterfly, Riverside Nature Reserve.

And a few small white butterflies.

Brimstone butterfly on meadow sweet flower, Riverside Nature Reserve.

Brimstone butterflies continued to be viewed feeding on the meadow sweet blossom.

Holly blue butterfly in yew trees at St Mary’s Churchyard, Perry Hill, Worplesdon.

Adding my first sighting of the year of a holy blue butterfly. And getting a photo of one in flight just a few days later as it buzzed about the yew trees in Worplesdon churchyard.

Chiffchaff.

As the days progressed more birds could be heard breaking into song, with chiffchaffs constantly calling.

Blackcap, Riverside Nature Reserve.

By the end of the first week at least five, or maybe more, blackcaps could be heard in full song about the reserve.

Cetti’s warbler, Riverside Nature Reserve.

Several Cetti’s warblers had also broken into their occasional, but abrupt calls. Even catching a glimpse of one as it skulked through the brambles close to the water’s edge on the other side of the river.

Greenfinch.

Along the towpath a few greenfinches could be heard as they perched up making their ‘wheezing’ calls.

Red kite over the Slyfield recycling centre.

Looking across the river in the direction of recycling centre, at least five red kites could be viewed during my visits, flying among the large groups of circling gulls.

Grey wagtail, flycatching by Stoke Lock.

At Stoke Lock, a pair of grey wagtail flitted back and forth across the river feeding on flies over the water.

Sedge warbler singing in the blackthorn by Stoke Lake.

On April 8 I heard my first sedge warbler in song. It was in a clump of blackthorn near Stoke Lake. Eventually, and with much patience, getting a photo as it briefly poked its head out of the now dense foliage.

Female mallard with chicks on the River Wey, by the Riverside Nature Reserve.

While on April 12 a female mallard could be viewed displaying its clutch of eight chicks along the River Wey.

Reed bunting, at Riverside Nature Reserve.

Along the boardwalk, a male reed bunting had made a return and could be heard calling.

Tufted ducks, Stoke Lake.

While on Stoke Lake a handful of tufted ducks were still present.

Gulls over Stoke Lake.

A large flock of gulls continued to visit the lake for a wash and brush-up, then returning to the recycling depot to rummage for food.

Shovelers, Stoke Lake.

And a pair of shoveler ducks briefly made an appearance.

Long-tailed tit, Riverside Nature Reserve.

A few long-tailed tits flitted around in the bushes by the lakeside.

Common buzzard.

While a common buzzard made an appearance over the lake, causing much anxiety to the pair of crows nesting in the tall trees on the island.

In the company of Bob and Dougal the best sighting at the reserve on April 6, was by Bob.

Drake and female garganey, on flooded scrape viewed from the towpath near Stoke Lock.

While he attempted to find the unusual leucistic coot, often seen out on the flooded scrape near Stoke Lock, instead he picked out a pair of garganey ducks.

Female garganey on the flooded scrape viewed from the towpath near Stoke Lock.

The garganey is a scarce and very secretive breeding duck in the UK, and our only summer migrating duck from Africa. It is smaller than a mallard and slightly bigger than a teal.

The male (drake) garganey.

The male is more easily recognised by its broad white supercilium.

Having spent several days dabbling out on the scrape allowing numerous local observers to view them, they were reported to have moved on to pastures greener – and possibly wetter?

Shoveler on flooded scrape.

Also out on the flooded scrape were several shoveler ducks.

Teal on the flooded scrape.

As well as a few wintering teal that could still be observed.

Little egret, Riverside Nature Reserve.

And on one visit a little egret could be viewed in flight, at the back of the field.

Leucistic coot on the flooded scrape.

The strange looking leucistic coot could also still be seen out on the flooded area.

Leucistic coot with partner on the flooded scrape.

On one occasion it could be seen attempting to form a relationship with one of the more regular-looking coots.

Mute swan on nest at the Riverside Nature Reserve.

On the far side of the flooded field, as at this time last year, a pair of mute swans were nesting.

Great crested grebes.

And at another part of the reserve a pair of great crested grebes were taking turn in brooding their young.

Thursley Common.

Once again in the company of Bob and Dougal, on April 12 we visited Thursley Common in the hope of adding to this year’s sighting a few more species that had recently been reported to have arrived back from their winter homes in Africa.

Daytime temperatures had increased temporarily in recent days, with a recording of 22 degrees Celsius, making it the warmest of the year so far.

Common lizard.

Enough to tempt a few lizards out to bask in the sunshine.

Common redstart, Thursley Common.

Out on the heathland common redstarts had made their return and several males could be heard singing from the higher branches of the pines.

Tree pipit.

A few tree pipits had also arrived back and could be picked out by their song.

Willow warbler, Thursley Common.

As well as spotting and photographing one of a few willow warblers singing in some of the various silver birch sapling-scrubs that grow about the heath.

Wheatear, Thursley Common.

At the foot of ‘shrike hill’ a wheatear could also be observed, adding it to our year’s sightings.

Dartford warbler.

Dartford warblers continued to be regularly seen as well as heard.

Stonechat, female.

Male stonechat on a gorse bush.

Both male and female stonechats continued to pose on the now flowering gorse bushes, themselves beginning to release a hint of the smell of coconut into the air.

Kestrel, Thursley Common.

While a kestrel could be viewed hovering over the heath.

Emperor moth, Thursley Common.

Also adding a rare daytime sighting of a male emperor moth that had settled within a clump of heather.

Woodlark.

A visit to the nearby heathland of Hankley Common allowed me a photo of a woodlark.

Hobby.

And also views of our first sighting his year of a hobby as it flew overhead.

Stopping off on our return home at an undisclosed location, we were able to add the sound of a nightingale in song.

Nightingale.

I even managed a few photos of it as it skulked through a thicket of hawthorn scrub.

As we moved into the middle of the month, the long spell of high pressure had broken down bringing the first shower of rain in well over a fortnight, releasing the sweet smell of petrichor into the air.

Temperatures dropped back into the low teens Celsius, bringing further rain showers as we approached the middle of the month. “Hopefully this might bring a few migrating birds temporarily down to feed,” I thought.

Certainly noticeable while visiting the Riverside Nature Reserve on April 14 were a few hirundines, the first for me there this year.

House martin, Stoke Lake.

They were feeding over the sewage works as well as over Stoke Lake. These included swallows as well as my first sightings of house martins this year.

Common sandpiper, Stoke Lake.

Also adding to the day’s sightings were two common sandpipers feeding around the edge of the island on Stoke Lake.

With many more outstanding opportunities of new sightings still to be seen and hopefully photographed, and with optimism in my heart, I will endeavour to keep readers informed in the weeks to come.