Worthing and Thursley Common

  An early morning seawatch produced a Bonxie, seven Common Scoters, a Great Crested Grebe, a Teal, four Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 27 auks, 21 Gannets and 20 Dunlin off Grand Avenue in an hour early morning. A Sparrowhawk flew over on the way home.

Thursley Common with Phil delivered good views of a flock of 14 Crossbills, heard-only encounters with four Dartford Warblers, three Fieldfares, 11 Redwings and a few redpolls. Several Red Kites were entertaining as they whistled and tusseled overhead.

Later, a Peregrine was near the shops back home in Worthing.

Goring and Thursley Common

A Whimbrel, an Arctic Skua and a Shelduck were season-firsts at Goring Gap this morning. A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull flew northwest over the fields and 18 Mediterranean Gulls included seven juveniles. Some were moving purposefully, including a flock incorporating two adults and six juveniles. Two adult Common Gulls and three juvenile Pied Wagtails were seen. Other birds noted included 14 Swifts, seven Gannets, four Swallows east, two Sandwich Terns and three Oystercatchers.

juvenile Yellow-legged Gull over Goring Gap

 

Herring Gull family at Goring Gap

In the late afternoon, as I was in the area, I called in at Thursley Common. Thanks to a bloke along the boardwalk for giving me directions, and thanks to another bloke just leaving the Belted Galloway enclosure, I knew I was looking in the right place. Sure enough, after about 15 minutes, the splendid male Red-backed Shrike materialised on the perch that bloke 2 had described it as frequenting. It showed very nicely indeed for half an hour or so, sitting calmly and making occasional brief sallies to catch a large insect before returning to its vigil. Other highlights included a Crossbill, a Siskin, a family of Stonechats, Willow Warbler, Meadow Pipit and a Teal.

male Red-backed Shrike at Thursley Common

A sunny winter's day's birding

Today I enjoyed a productive day out in beautiful sunshine with Liam Langley. We planned to look for the Velvet Scoters at Island Barn but couldn't find a good viewing spot, so left for Gosport after seeing a Green Sandpiper drop in. In Walpole Park, Gosport, the Ring-billed Gull showed spectacularly; this was a first for Liam and the second individual I've seen. On the way back to the Banstead area we called in for the Great Grey Shrike which showed, albeit distantly, without much of a wait at Thursley Common (my first attempt for one in Surrey). After this we had another look for the Velvet Scoters, finding a viewing point but only seeing two Green Sandpipers, a Lesser Redpoll and a few Wigeons of any note (plus a heard-only Water Rail).

all above: Ring-billed Gull, Gosport

Great Grey Shrike, Thursley

Woohoo a local Hoopoe

Today's plans of a calm day of patching were smashed when news came through of a Blue-winged Teal at Thursley (though I did manage a pair of Tree Pipits before this). Johnny, who was with Dodge and Frank, very kindly altered his route to pick me up at Canons. Just before we set off, we heard that the duck had flown west. We pressed on anyway, in the hope of its return or relocation. After a bit of time spent at Thursley we checked Frensham Ponds (the first obvious waterbodies in a westerly direction) to no avail and headed back home.


I hadn't been back on the patch more than two or so hours when David Hayes texted 'Still there now, lft of rd as u approach car pk, half way up' - I knew exactly to what he was referring as, being a Farthing Downs regular, I asked him on Monday if he knew anything further on the report of a Hoopoe on his turf (which he didn't). I called Johnny who let other Surrey birders know and I pelted it over to the Banstead Woods car park to meet him (fatally injuring my 5th trolley in the process).


We arrived and had a bit of trouble finding David but we tracked him down in the end and were soon enjoying the Hoopoe. The site was quite busy with dog walkers and it got flushed a couple of times but this allowed a good excuse for a few flight shots. A splendid bird; only my second in Britain and my first in London/Surrey for which this counts for both.

What's more, this is an uber local area tick - yipee!