Birdwatcher’s Diary No.43

Published on: 16 Aug, 2013
Updated on: 16 Aug, 2013

By Malcolm Fincham

After a full three weeks off  it was it was certainly a culture shock returning to work and trying to get back to ‘match fitness’.

Thursley Common.

However, with the weather remaining good for the most part and with temperatures cooling to mid to lower 20c, which made walking and cycling a far more acceptable pastime, I decided to focus mainly on local evening trips around the Guildford area.

Heather in bloom.

My most favourite areas to visit at this time of year has got to be our Surrey heathlands. Not just for the bird life, some of which featured in my previous report, but more for the vista. The views across the purple heather at this time of year contrasting with greens of the silver birches, pines and gorse can be quite stunning and even therapeutic, especially when sunlit early and late in the day.

Rowan berries.

Also, often seen growing on heathland are some of my personal favourite types of tree. The rowans also known as the mountain ash with their bright red berries now starting to ripen are adding even more colour to the landscape. None more so than on Whitmooor Common where a number of mature ones stand out – laden with colour.

Linnets on Whitmoor Common.

Often seen or heard by me on Whitmoor in recent times, apart from the usual small flocks of the regular types of bird such as linnets and long-tailed tits to name a few, have been the odd few non-indigenous ring-neck parakeets. This has usually been during winter months. I was surprised on one particular visit on Sunday, August 11, when a flock of 14 flew over.

A kestrel silhouetted in the sunlight on Thursley Common.

Previously that  day I visited Thursley Common. On this occasion while walking out along the boardwalk I only managed a distant sighting of a hobby. I did, however, get a picture of a kestrel silhouetted by the sun as it flew overhead and so have added a picture of a hobby I took in a similar pose a few months ago to compare the difference in their ‘jizz’.

Hobby.

Click here for definition of jizz (in ornithology terms).

With bird life at a minimum due while I was there, due to it being mid-afternoon siesta-time for them, and with just a few fleeting glimpses of stonechat and redstart and green and great spotted woodpecker across the heathland, I was limited to taking a few scenic pictures along the way.

Hornet robberfly.

I did get a few record shots of a couple of critters which I had never photographed before. The first was of a rather large stingy flying wotsit type insect which, with some asking around and a bit of research, guessed it to be  either a hornet robberfly or maybe a stiletto fly? Maybe a member of the ‘bug hunt’ team can help me?

Clouded yellow on Thursley Common.

The second critter was a clouded yellow butterfly – a migrant species and one I’ve rarely seen before. I  was pleased to get my first record photo of one.

Common blue butterfly on brambles with blackberries now ripening.

Other notable berries starting to ripen now are blackberries. And with what seems to be an exceptional amount of butterflies  this year in this part of the UK, as the dry sunny spells continue, it was nice to get a picture of another common blue – this time with some blackberries starting to ripen in the background.

Although many swallows can still be seen around in Surrey, one local group of our hyrundine species has certainly now left our shores. My last sighting of  our local band of swifts north of Guildford was a group of 16 or so high in the sky over the Stoughton area on August 6.

Swift.

Although a week later than last year, they are always renown to be the first to migrate back to Africa.

Two buzzards play-fight high in the sky over Guildford.

Also high in the sky a few days later close to Guildford town centre I was able to snatch a photo of two common buzzards displaying in a playful aerial dual.

Roe deer near Shamley Green.

South of Guildford while visiting Shamley Green and Wonersh I was really pleased to get some rather nice shots of a roe deer before it scampered off into the undergrowth.

Fox cub at Shamley Green.

Later in the day I photographed a young fox cub out hunting. My best moment of the day however had to be at an undisclosed location where I had been aware of a pair of common buzzards nesting. Having not visited the site for several weeks I was unsure how successful they had been.

Common buzzard.

To my delight when parking near by I could hear the distinct sound of a fully fledged youngster – now almost adult sized – nearby calling out to an adult. Undetected by the bird, I managed to sneak up (in ‘stealth mode’) and found a secluded spot with the bird in full view perched out on a branch. I was able get a  number of nice photos before retreating back to my vehicle leaving him totally unaware of my presence.

Juvenile common buzzard calls out to its parent.

I have also added a You Tube clip that although quite violent in nature (as nature can be) shows what ‘tough cookies’ they are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EaT8ZSKq_8

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