Back in Surrey

Great Northern Diver at Papercourt GPs

I made my way back home from university yesterday afternoon to spend the weekend having a casual look around the local area. I stopped off at Papercourt Gravel Pits on the way and succeeded in finding the first-winter Great Northern Diver that showed well at times on the main pit; a flock of four Mandarins circling the lake was a decent supporting act. Rain stopped any further play and I waited until today to get back out. The plan was to check out Juniper Bottom (to see whether any Hawfinches had returned), then Banstead Downs Golf Course (to see whether any Firecrests had returned) and to finish up with a few hours at Canons Farm. My first venue didn't offer me any Hawfinches but threw up a nice surprise in the form of a Firecrest while a couple of Marsh Tits were present. It then started raining so I decided to briefly visit the golf course before sitting the deluge out in the hide at Beddington. It didn't take long to find two Firecrests along the usual wooded footpath at the golf course  - it's fantastic to see Firecrests back at this site for at least a sixth winter; I wonder how for how many years it was an undiscovered wintering ground before they were stumbled upon in 2008? Beddington was relatively uneventful, I failed in my quest to find any interesting gulls but enjoyed good views of a Water Rail and a couple of Tree Sparrows, while two Common Snipes flew over. Eventually the rain subsided and I could finally get to Canons, although it was nearly the end of the day and I didn't have long before dark so didn't find too much!

local winter birding

I did some (fairly) local birding with Phil Wallace today. Positive news on the pager of the Papercourt Black-throated Diver's continued presence coming up to 08:15 was encouraging and I was getting pretty excited about this showy Surrey mega.

We arrived at Papercourt GP's, a pleasant site, at about 09:40 after leaving at about 09:10. Teaming up with another birder, we walked the whole of the sailing pit where a handful of other birders that we bumped into it were having as little luck as we were. Failing on seeing the Diver, which was a huge disappointment, the only birds of any note were singles of Kingfisher, Egyptian Goose and Lesser Redpoll as well as large numbers of Great Crested Grebes and the odd Little Grebe here and there. An immature Cormorant flew over. We checked the small lake just south of the sailing pit but there was nothing other than Tufted Ducks, Shoveler, Pochard, Little Grebe and Mallard.

We chatted to some birders before we got into the car and headed over to Staines to have another look at the Shrike.

The path was an awful lot muddier than it was when I first went, probably due to being trampled by the boots of thousands of birders in the last two or so months! I now understand why Londonbirders keeps saying 'Wellies essential' in bold!

Just short of ten birders were present (with about ten encountered walking back on our way up) and we were soon on the BROWN SHRIKE. After a few minutes the bird showed really very well as it came to some of the closer bushes. Then, remarkably, it was feeding in the the reedmace on the river and perching atop stems, almost Penduline style! We also saw it feeding and hopping around on the ground! It then flew across the river and showed well in the bushes here. A birder walked past there and it didn't budge! The five of us left decided to give it a go to try and get closer views. I got within 30 or 40 metres and Phil walked up until he was about 20 metres away . . . then he took one step too far and it again fed in the reedmace patch before a noisy motorbiker roared straight past it, flushing it back over the river. We enjoyed views of it and pointed it out to a couple of newcomers for another half hour before heading back to the car and home. Also noted at Staines Moor: Water Pipit (heard), Cetti's Warbler (heard), 2 Little Egrets and 3 Egyptian Geese (a Cormorant flew over and a Rose-ringed Parakeet or two were at Hithermoor Road). Also large numbers of Fieldfares, Redwings, Linnets, Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Chaffinches were present as was a single Kestrel.