Godalming, Thorncombe Street and Unstead Sewage Farm

An afternoon with Ed Stubbs on his home turf starting with a Reed Warbler singing outside his Godalming flat.

At Thorncombe Street I finally saw a Hobby for 2019, though I still need the species for Sussex. Several Buzzards and the odd Red Kite were also on the wing, as were two Ravens. Two Cormorants and two Greylags flew over. Swifts, House Martins and Swallows were overhead. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was visiting feeders and a Bullfinch called. Bramley Mill Pond had a brood of flycatching Mandarin ducklings and a few Tufted Ducks.

Mandarin ducklings

Unstead Sewage Farm was visited out of curiosity. I never knew the site in its heyday but changes in management and a depleted birding following means it's generous to say that it is now a shadow of its former self. Singles of Reed Warbler, Bullfinch, Red-legged Partridge, Pied Wagtail and Buzzard were as good as it got...

Thorncombe Street and West Worthing

I met up with Ed at his Thorncombe Street patch this morning, finding a showy male Ring Ouzel at Tilsey Farm and enjoying a steady flow of Fieldfares and Redwings overhead. A couple of Mistle Thrushes and Meadow Pipits, a Red Kite, two Ravens and singles of Yellowhammer, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting were among the other notables logged during the visit. Taking in Bramley Mill Pond, another part of the Thorncombe Street recording area, we added two Mandarins, two Little Grebes, five Shovelers and a Gadwall. Back home in West Worthing, a late afternoon fly-over by three Pied Wagtails was notable for the garden.

male Ring Ouzel

Thorncombe Street

Up in Surrey for the records committee meeting in the afternoon, I spent the morning at Ed S's Thorncombe Street patch. My personal highlight came when a flock of five Bramblings alighted at The Ridge, but it was a pleasure to see a couple of Ravens and at least 10 Red Kites in the area. A Crossbill flew over and a flock of around 20 Lesser Redpolls was also at The Ridge, along with a Reed Bunting. Around 15 Meadow Pipits were seen.

Brambling

20-25th June 2017

Another varied few days. Developments at the patch include the opening of the new Banstead Woods 'nature reserve', although quite what this means remains something of an enigma. A couple of patch visits have revealed little newsworthy in ornithological terms, while I continue to somehow avoid the plethora of interesting butterflies on offer. An evening ringing session at Beddington with just one net produced catches of juvenile Chiffchaff and Whitethroat, along with two re-trap Reed Warblers. Surrey Ed gave we a tour of his patch, with highlights including Spotted Flycatcher, Firecrest, many Mandarins and a movement of Swifts, with a female Shoveler being of local/seasonal significance. A trip to the Harting Combe area offered up two each of Goshawk, Crossbill, Firecrest, Raven and Tree Pipit, along with an adult Mediterranean Gull, a Hobby, and a Marsh Tit of particular note.

adult Mediterranean Gull over Sussex downs

Raven over Sussex downs

Comma at Canons Farm