Birdwatcher’s Diary No.96

Published on: 31 Oct, 2015
Updated on: 31 Oct, 2015

By Malcolm Fincham

Staying fairly local as October drew to a close, I was able to take in some of the beautiful colours of autumn at my local birdwatching areas around Guildford. Please click on all pictures to enlarge in a new window.

Colours of autumn: walking the towpath back from Stoke Lock towards Stoke Bridges on the A320 Woking Road. Click on all pictures to enlarge in a new window.

It can, however, be quite a challenge to those of us with cameras, especially with decreasing hours of light as well as weather conditions, to get some good pictures.

This is especially the case for me when photographing wildlife as it can often leave the subject silhouetted by the sun as an only option and wishing ”If only I had the sun behind me!”

As seen from the last pictures of this report.

For the most part, however, the low sun at this time of year is often the best time for photography.

Adult great crested grebe with fish.

At Stoke Lake just one adult great crested grebe could be seen.

Juvenile great crested grebe.

While the juvenile, its only surviving youngster this year, although still looking quite different from its parent, was now becoming much more independent.

Black-headed gulls now in their winter plumage.

On the flooded area near Stoke Lock black-headed gulls had started to gather in their usual autumn numbers.

Drake teal.

Teal had also begun to return to winter there, counting 20 or more on some days.

Common snipe.

On closer inspection though binoculars, a few common snipe had also made a return.

At least two kingfishers could be seen at various locations around Riverside Nature Reserve.

A kingfisher perches by the water’s edge in some sallows.

With one in particular spending much of its time perched up at the edge of the lake.

Kingfisher in flight.

Or occasionally skimming low across the water.

A small ‘gulp’ of cormorants on the tern raft at Stoke Lake.

Cormorants now started to once again take advantage of the tern raft.

Blackbird enjoying a blackberry or two.

While blackbirds could be seen feasting on the last of the blackberry crop.

Approaching Bowers Lock as leaves begin to fall.

Walking out towards Bowers Lock, notable seasonal changes were aided by a flurry of leaves now beginning to fall.

Grey wagtail at Bowers Lock.

At Bowers Lock a grey wagtail welcomed my visit.

Thursley Common.

On October 27 my wife kindly dropped me off at Thursley Common, partly so that she could have a peaceful couple of hours shopping, but also to give me the chance of catching up with the great grey shrike that had made its winter return there.

It had been first reported on October 18 – just two days earlier than it appeared there last year. It was quite a surprise to me that a few days later a second shrike had arrived there. As being such a solitary wintering bird, it is quite unusual for two to be seen at the same location.

Autumn landscape at Thursley Common taken from ‘Shrike hill’.

Taking up a viewpoint on top of what is locally known as ‘Shrike hill’ I was able to get a good vantage point, giving me a good panoramic and scenic views across Thursley Common. Adding to my comfort was a bench that has now been placed at the top of the hill.

Dartford warbler- Thursley Common.

Dartford warblers could be seen flying low across the heather, perching up on gorse bushes.

Male stonechat on Thursley Common.

While both male and female stonechats could be spotted, along with numerous meadow pipit.

A small group of more than 100 fieldfares on Thursley Common.

A large flock of fieldfares gathered briefly in a tree before flying away into the distance.

Great grey shrike on Thursley Common.

It wasn’t long before I spotted what I had hoped to see. Perched high in a dead tree some distance away but standing out like a sore thumb, was the shrike. Keeping in mind the direction the sun was shinning, I took the shortest footpath to where it perched.

Great grey shrike on Thursley Common. Small numbers come to the UK in autumn and spend the winter here.

Although it was quite mobile in its movements, I caught up with it at the base of the hill close to the boardwalk. Surprisingly to me a couple of non birdwatchers walked right past it, without causing any disturbance, as I clicked away frantically with my camera.

Great grey shrike. As a rule they are solitary, and when several arrive simultaneously they speedily spread out, each establishing its hunting territory and reducing competition with others.

So pleased with some of the results I have included a few extra pictures, with a few fascinating facts about this kind of shrike.

Great grey shrike in flight.

The great grey shrike literally means sentinel butcher. Lanius is the Latin term for a butcher, while excubitor is Latin for a watchman or sentinel.

Taking advantage of some more sunshine the following day, I was treated to a trip to Farlington Marshes near Portsmouth.

Large lagoon and reedbeds at Farlington.

Arriving at high tide, many of the waders had been pushed up into the main lagoon, with redshanks and various other waders including a large pantheon of godwits all huddled up together.

A pantheon of godwits.

Black-tailed godwit.

Black-tailed godwits in flight.

Pintail at Farlington.

Also out on the lagoon a few wigeon, teal and even some pintail ducks could be seen.

Brent goose – one of many now arriving at Farlington.

Out in the fields a few brent geese could be viewed, having recently arrived on their 2,500-mile journey from their breeding grounds in Siberia.

Kestrel at Farlington.

While one of the resident kestrels was almost a guarantee to be seen hawking around the reserve.

Kestrel at Farlington.

Grey plovers.

Also on a small island just out to sea a group of grey plovers, now very much in winter plumage, could also be seen.

Grey plover.

My best sighting of the day was while walking the path across the field at the eastern side of the reserve. To my surprise, silhouetted by the bright sunshine and heading toward me was a short-eared owl.

Short-eared owl silhouetted by the sun.

With ‘heart in mouth’ I quickly raised my camera and snapped a few shots.

Short-eared owl lands close by.

Quartering the field for a brief spell, it made a plunge to the ground, in the hope of catching some prey. It then sat there for a good five minutes, just 50 or so yards away, watching me, watching him as I snapped a few more shots.

Short-eared owl at Farlington.

What a ‘top’ bird I thought out loud as I watched him fly away and what a privilege to encounter.

Short-eared owl at Farlington – ”If only I had the sun behind me!”

But if only… ! Well I’m sure I’ll get another chance ……

Autumn scene while driving back along the A3.

Grateful to my wife in remembering to pick me up, I couldn’t resist a picture or two as we drove back up the A3 (with the low sun behind us).

Picturesque Surrey looking north across the Devil’s Punchbowl.

Stopping off at at Hindhead was a fitting end to the day as we watched the sun go down over the hills on the western side of Surrey.

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