Birdwatcher’s Diary No.329

Published on: 17 Jun, 2025
Updated on: 18 Jun, 2025

By Malcolm Fincham

The weather remained unsettled as we moved into the first week of June with below seasonal temperatures ranging between the mid to high teens Celsius.

A westerly flow brought spells of rain, although a few dry spells did allow me some time out with my camera.

On a cool, breezy, but dry June 1, and in the company of Dougal, we decided to follow up on reports of a wood warbler that had been seen and heard singing on Bagshot Heath.

Wood warbler, Bagshot Heath.

Wood warblers were once known to have a small breeding population in Surrey until the turn of the century, which included areas about the Devil’s Punchbowl.

Previously taken photo of a wood warbler in song.

Alas with numbers having now greatly declined throughout the UK, these birds can only rarely be seen in Surrey, on passage from Africa.

My previous sighting of one in Surrey being on April 19, 2021 at Newlands Corner, and mentioned in one of my previous reports.

Their song is thought to resemble a coin spinning on a plate.

The following day we decided to visit the Knepp rewilding estate south of Horsham, in West Sussex.

Although some of the mapped routes open for the public to walk there are enjoyable, they are quite lengthy. Having achieved them on previous visits, we elected to cheating a little on this occasion.

As our main aim was to view at least one of the many white stork nests that can be found there, we chose to walk the shorter ‘yellow route’, then adopting part of the ‘red route’.

Viewing from the cover of the tree line across a field, a pair of the many white storks about the reserve had once again nested.

Nightingale, this one previously photographed at Pulborough Brooks.

Along the walk we were able to hear as well as glimpse several nightingales still in song as they skulked about the thickets close to the track.

Exmoor Ponies at Knepp.

While viewing across the field, we were able to add Exmoor ponies to our day’s sightings as they scampered in our direction from the far side of the field.

Eventually they gathered under a large oak where the white storks were nesting.

White Storks at Knepp,

Perched high in the tall oak, a white stork with at least two young could be viewed.

Fallow deer at Knepp.

Several fallow deer could also be seen on the far side of the field.

Mistle thrush at Knepp.

Adding a mistle thrush to our day’s sightings.

On June 8, I was back in the company of Bob and Dougal, once again making up our trio of the Three Musketeers!

But alas, these days more resembling characters from what was the long running TV series Last of the Summer Wine.

Winterbourne Downs, Wiltshire.

Stone curlew, Winterbourne Downs, Wiltshire.

Our visit, as at about this time last year, was to Wiltshire, first visiting Winterbourne Downs where we were once again able to get reasonable views through a ‘scope’ of a pair of stone curlews.

Corn bunting, Winterbourne Downs, Wiltshire.

Also adding corn buntings to our sightings.

Skylark singing, Winterbourne Downs, Wiltshire.

As well as plenty of singing skylarks.

Our only disappointment was not to see any marsh fritillary butterflies.

Rather tatty looking marsh fritillaries, seen last year on Winterbourne Downs, Wiltshire.

Having seen only tatty looking ones about this time last year, one could only assume they had come to the end of their reign earlier this year?

However, several new sightings of butterflies not seen last year could be added to this year’s firsts.

Meadow brown butterfly.

These included our first sighting this year of a meadow brown butterfly.

Small skipper butterfly.

Also adding a small skipper.

Marbled white butterfly,

And several marbled white butterflies newly on the wing.

Small tortoiseshell butterfly.

A pleasant addition was a small tortoiseshell. And this one looking in much better condition than the ones I had seen near Stoke Lake just a week earlier.

Painted lady butterfly.

Also finding a painted lady butterfly in much better condition than the one I saw on Pewley Down just a few weeks earlier.

After the visit we continued our ventures out on to Salisbury Plain.

Red kites over the farmlands on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.

Looking out across the vast landscape of farmed hills and valleys I was first surprised to view so many more red kites since our previous visit. Counting as many as a dozen on occasions drifting and circling the fields.

Whinchat previously photographed in summer plumage.

Once again we were able to briefly view a whinchat, as we did last year, that had perched up on a post to sing. Although disappointedly I was unable to photograph it on this occasion.

Yellow wagtail.

Several yellow wagtails could also be seen feeding in the puddles along the farm track.

Lapwings.

Always a delight to see were at least 15 lapwings flying over the hillside.

Great bustard.

Our target species birds of the day were completed when eventually sighting at least five male great bustards individually picked out across the fields.

Although quite distant to view, they are the largest and heaviest bird in the UK capable to fly. They are only outweighed by the South African Kori bustard, making it the second largest in the world.

Great bustard.

Even eventually getting a photograph of one in flight.

Unlike in Surrey, corn buntings are a common sight here in Wiltshire and can be regularly viewed perched up and singing along fence posts.

Back in Surrey, most of my time was spent attempting to photograph what I had seen on Whitmoor common during the first weeks of the month.

Tiger beetle, Whitmoor Common.

Out on the heathland a few tiger beetles were now about and could be viewed along the paths.

Broad bodied chaser dragonfly (female).

About the ditches still holding water, a few dragonflies could be seen on the wing.

Blue-bodied chaser dragonfly, (male).

And eventually, with some patience getting photos of a female broad-bodied chaser and male blue-bodied chaser dragonflies in flight.

Silver-studded blue, Whitmoor Common.

Surprisingly to me, having already seen my first silver-studded blue butterfly on Thursley Common on May 26, it wasn’t until June 9 that I saw my first few males starting to emerge on Whitmoor, counting at least five on the wing.

Kestre[, Whitmoor Common.

Out on the heathland a kestrel continued to be viewed, often perched up with its eyes transfixed, looking for any mammal or reptile movement in the heather. Thus allowing me a few closer photos without it perceiving my presence.

Linnets, Whitmoor Common.

A group of a dozen or so linnets constantly chattered about the heathland, with some of the males looking quite resplendent in varying stages of summer plumage, showing off their bright red chests.

Stonechat (female), Whitmoor Common.

While numerous pairs of stonechats had now been successful in producing their first broods of the year.

Stonechat fledgling, Whitmoor Common.

With fledglings still seen within their small family groups.

Dartford warbler, Whitmoor Common.

Resident Dartford warblers continued to be heard making their ‘scratchy’ calls on various parts of the heathland, with some even showing just long enugh for a photo.

Willow warbler, Whitmoor Common.

About the silver birch shrub a willow warbler continued to be heard singing.

Jay, Whitmoor Common.

Walking into the understory of trees, I was firstly attracted to the sounds of argumentative jays squabbling. Highly mischievous at this time of the year, looking for nests to raid of unsuspecting smaller birds about the woodland.