January 2023

Tuesday 31st

Jack Snipe, Beddington Farmlands (I Jones).
Jack Snipe, Beddington Farmlands (I Jones).

Beddington Farmlands: Jack Snipe, Green Sandpiper and 4 Shelduck (I Jones/A Wilkinson).

Bisley: male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (A Clifford).

Effingham Forest: 7 Hawfinches at Dick Focks Common (BirdGuides).

Holmethorpe SP: Mediterranean Gull on Water Colour Lagoon 2 (N Hadden).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Water Pipit, female Goldeneye and 2 Shelduck (M Bravery/C Dewhurst/A Wilkinson).

Monday 30th

Cutt Mill Ponds: 2 drake and 2 redhead Goosander (D Smith).

Effingham Forest: 4+ Hawfinches at Dick Focks Common (M White).

Frimley: Hawfinch briefly by community centre on … Read more

December 2022

Saturday 31st

London Wetland Centre: Bittern on Main Lake; also Jack Snipe and 2 Shelduck (A Salmon).

Friday 30th

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns on Main Lake; also Water Pipit, Jack Snipe, Pintail, Goldeneye, Brambling and Dartford Warbler (R Dunne/A Salmon).

Sutton Place: 3 Jack Snipe at Triggs Lock (C Badenhorst).

Thursday 29th

Mediterranean Gull, Papercourt GPs (R Clark).
Mediterranean Gull, Papercourt GPs (R Clark).

Beddington Farmlands: Water Pipit and drake Shelduck (Z Pannifer).

Chessington: Jack Snipe at Rushett Farm (A Quinn).

Effingham Forest: 4 Hawfinches at Dick Focks Common (S Portugal/C Smith).

Leatherhead: drake and redhead Goosander on … Read more

November 2022

Wednesday 30th

Brent Goose, Beddington Farmlands (D Warren).
Brent Goose, Beddington Farmlands (D Warren).

Beddington Farmlands: Brent Goose on North Lake; also Shelduck (S Thomas/D Warren).

London Wetland Centre: Dartford Warbler on Wader Scrape; also female Goldeneye (M Wheeler/A Wilkinson).

Papercourt Water Meadows: Water Pipit in fields off Tannery Lane (J Hobden).

Worcester Park: Little Bunting briefly near stables at Lower Morden Equestrian Centre at 12:00 but no further sign by 13:10; 10th Surrey record pending acceptance (C Northwood).

Tuesday 29th

Beddington Farmlands: Shelduck on North Lake (D Warren).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 7 Goosander (5 drakes and 1 redhead on … Read more

SBCRC decisions

The latest batch of decisions from the Surrey Bird Club Records Committee can be read here.

BBRC decisions: Oct 2022

The remaining 2021 BBRC decisions for Surrey have been published.

The Thorpe Park Ferruginous Duck, found by J Snell on 25 November 2021 and present until 31 January 2022, has been accepted. This marks the 38th record for the vice-county.

The other two accepted 2021 records were published earlier this year, namely the Crooksbury Common Two-barred Crossbill and Thursley Common Black Stork (see here).

The remaining three 2021 BBRC records were deemed non-proven.

October 2022

Monday 31st

Holmethorpe SP: 2 Green Sandpipers at Spyne’s Mere (G Hay).

Tice’s Meadow: 2 Dartford Warblers in meadow (BirdGuides).

Wimbledon Common: Dartford Warbler (J Reeves).

Sunday 30th

Great Egret, Tice's Meadow (M Fincham).
Great Egret, Tice’s Meadow (M Fincham).

Beddington Farmlands: 1st-winter Ring Ouzel in south-east corner of North Lake; also 4 Water Pipits, Pintail and 7 Green Sandpipers (N Gardner/J Pettit).

Hook: Swallow over (G Barter).

London Wetland Centre: 6 Black-tailed Godwits over; also Jack Snipe, Dartford Warbler and Pintail (M Fowles).

Thursley Common: 4 Crossbills (J Hobden).

Tice’s Meadow: 2 Great Egrets and Green Sandpiper (J Cooper/M Fincham/R … Read more

September 2022

Friday 30th

Addlestone GPs: Green Sandpiper (J Snell).

Beddington Farmlands: Ruff flew south-mid morning; also Brambling south, Water Pipit, Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Pintail on North Lake, 7 Green Sandpipers and Common Sandpiper (A Dutta).

Box Hill: Redstart (S Gale).

Frensham Outlet Pond: Great Egret mid-morning then flew south-west at 09:58; 6th Frensham record (S Peters).

Holmethorpe SP: Common Sandpiper at Spyne’s Mere (G Hay).

Island Barn Reservoir: 180 Barnacle Geese and 2 Wheatears (T Quinn).

Wimbledon Common: Wheatear (Jon Reeves).

Thursday 29th

Cranleigh: Curlew flew over Vachery Lane at 11:25 (D McKenzie).… Read more

Young birders walk

A walk for young birders, organised by the BTO, is taking place at Beddington Farmlands on Wednesday 24 August – and there are still spaces available.

Arjun Dutta will lead the walk which starts 9.30 am, finishing at 3 pm. The event is open to under 25-year-olds only, with a focus on 11–24-year-olds. Participants under 18 will need to fill in a consent form with their parent(s)/carer(s) and send this to BTO before the event.

Come prepared for any weather in appropriate clothing (no shorts – it’s tick season!) and footwear, and bring some water and lunch. Don’t forget a … Read more

August 2022

Wednesday 31st

Osprey, Cobham (J Snell).
Osprey, Cobham (J Snell).

Brockwell Park: Yellow Wagtail (S Patmore).

Cobham: Osprey flew north-west over Downside Walk at 10:04; also 2 Yellow Wagtails (J Snell).

Eashing Fields: Osprey flew west at 10:45; also 2 Yellow Wagtails (E Stubbs).

Holmethorpe SP: Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper at Spyne’s Mere (G Hay).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Redshank, Wheatear, 3 Common Sandpipers and 4 Green Sandpipers (M Andrews/W Newnham/M Parker/S Parr).

Richmond Park: 6 Whinchats (I Rowe).

Whitmoor Common: Wheatear (M Fincham).

Wimbledon Common: Whinchat (J Reeves).

Tuesday 30th

Whinchat, Fetcham (J Snell).
Whinchat, Fetcham (J
… Read more

July 2022

Sunday 31st

Island Barn Reservoir: 2 Common Sandpipers (J Snell).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Garganey on Main Lake (W Newnham/M Parker).

Tice’s Meadow: Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers and 2 Common Sandpipers (K Britten/K Duncan).

Saturday 30th

Oystercatcher, Island Barn Reservoir (J Snell).
Oystercatcher, Island Barn Reservoir (J Snell).

Beddington Farmlands: juvenile Garganey on North Lake; also 11 Green Sandpipers (R Dennis/N Gardner).

Island Barn Reservoir: Oystercatcher and 2 Common Sandpipers (J Snell).

London Wetland Centre: female Garganey on Main Lake (A Salmon).

Newchapel: Green Sandpiper at British Wildlife Centre (K Noble).

South Norwood CP: Oystercatcher flew north-east … Read more