October 2020

COVID-19: please continue to follow the latest government guidelines on social distancing and exercising outdoors.

Saturday 31st

Green Sandpiper, London Wetland Centre (WWT).
Green Sandpiper, London Wetland Centre (WWT).

Beddington Farmlands: Yellow-browed Warbler heard-only; also 4 Water Pipits and White Stork (BirdGuides).

Godalming: House Martin (P Osborn).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): Goldeneye (C Turner).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Crossbills flew west; also Pintail, Green Sandpiper and Shelduck (WWT).

Thursley Common: Little Bunting still by west end of Pudmore late afternoon though elusive and mobile; also 3 Crossbills (D Brassington/B Briggs).

Tice’s Meadow: Long-eared Owl flushed from path adjacent to … Read more

September 2020

COVID-19: please continue to follow the latest government guidelines on social distancing and exercising outdoors.

Wednesday 30th

Beddington Farmlands: Red-crested Pochard, Pintail, Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper (A Dutta).

Chobham Common: no sign of Olive-backed Pipit though Spotted Flycatcher present (BirdGuides).

Leith Hill: 13,302 House Martins flew south-east between 06:30-11:00 (Surrey record count); also 3 Hawfinches and Brambling south ad 73 Crossbills about (W Attridge/R Stride).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern (J Klavins).

Priest Hill: 2,200 House Martins flew south (S Gale).

Richmond Park: Jack Snipe at Upper Pen Ponds (BirdGuides).

South Norwood CP: … Read more

August 2020

COVID-19: please continue to follow the latest government guidelines on social distancing and exercising outdoors.

Monday 31st

Yellow Wagtails, Island Barn Reservoir (C Turner).
Yellow Wagtails, Island Barn Reservoir (C Turner).

Badshot Lea: Great Egret at Badshot Lea Ponds (J Hunt).

Beddington Farmlands: Red-crested Pochard (I Jones).

Birtley Green: Whinchat at Bonhurst Farm (E Stubbs).

Cranleigh: 3 Whinchats at Holdhurst Farm; also 3 Spotted Flycatchers at Uttworth Manor and Redstart at Great Garson (R Stride).

Crooksbury Common: Spotted Flycatcher and 20+ Crossbills (P Bamford).

Dorking: Tree Pipit over Milton Court Farm (M Davis).

Holmethorpe SP: 2 Whinchats at The Moors; … Read more

July 2020

COVID-19: please continue to follow the latest government guidelines on social distancing and exercising outdoors.

Friday 31st

Great Egret, Tice's Meadow (J Hunt).
Great Egret, Tice’s Meadow (J Hunt).

Capel: 2+ Crossbills flew over (W Attridge).

Chelsea & Lambeth Reservoirs: 14 Green Sandpipers (C Turner).

Thursley Common: 16 Crossbills flew over (D Brassington).

Tice’s Meadow: Great Egret still; also Greenshank, Dunlin, 8 Green Sandpipers and Common Sandpiper (K Britten/J Hunt).

Weyburn Meadows: 5 Crossbills flew over (E Stubbs).

Thursday 30th

Greenshank and Green Sandpiper, Tice's Meadow (S Ferguson).
Greenshank and Green Sandpiper, Tice’s Meadow (S Ferguson).

Leith Hill: 16 Crossbills over tower (M Davis/M Phelps).

Newchapel: 2 … Read more

June 2020

COVID-19: please continue to follow the latest government guidelines on social distancing and exercising outdoors.

Tuesday 30th

Tice’s Meadow: Oystercatcher flew over and Redshank in The Workings (J Brough).

Monday 29th

Beddington Farmlands: Redshank (A Wasley).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Dunlin, 2 Oystercatchers and Common Sandpiper (WWT).

Sunday 28th

Black Redstart, Epsom Downs (K Lelliott).
Black Redstart, Epsom Downs (K Lelliott).

Epsom Downs: juvenile Black Redstart (K Lelliott).

Thursley Common: 2 Crossbills (P Osborn).

Tice’s Meadow: 2 Redshanks and Common Sandpiper (J Brough).

Saturday 27th

The Hurtwood: 5 Crossbills (J Gates).

Tice’s Meadow: 2 Redshanks and Common Sandpiper … Read more

Where to see Spotted Flycatcher in Surrey

Spotted Flycatcher has undergone a wretched modern-day decline, with Breeding Bird Survey data showing a breeding population drop of 39% between 1995 and 2016. This is part of a staggering longer-term decline of 87 per cent since 1970, a trend that is recognisable in the steady drop in numbers in Surrey. The results of initial research indicate that more Spotted Flycatchers are dying during the first year of their lives and that this increased mortality is likely to be behind the population decline.

Despite this rather bleak outlook, and the fact there has been a steady decline in the county, … Read more

May 2020

COVID-19: please continue to follow the latest government guidelines on social distancing and exercising outdoors.

Sunday 31st

Rosy Starling, Horley (E Stubbs).
Rosy Starling, Horley (E Stubbs).

Churt Common: Crossbill by Axe Pond (R Douglas).

Horley: female Rosy Starling in private garden in afternoon then flew off; 14th Surrey record (C Muir).

Papercourt Water Meadows: possible female Red-backed Shrike at Broadmead at 17:00 (P Stevens).

Peaslake: 2 Crossbills (W Attridge).

Saturday 30th

Beddington Farmlands: Shelduck (K Guest).

Hydestile: 4 Crossbills at Hydon Hill (S Jones).

Friday 29th

London Wetland Centre: 2 Oystercatchers on Main Lake (WWT).

Thursley Common… Read more

Wild White-tailed Eagle in Surrey

The first wild White-tailed Eagle to be seen in Surrey for 114 years was photographed yesterday [Monday 13 April] by Isaiah Rowe as it flew high south over his Worcester Park garden at 2.30 pm.

White-tailed Eagle, Worcester Park (I Rowe).
White-tailed Eagle, Worcester Park (I Rowe).

The extraordinary record comes following a reintroduction scheme on the Isle of Wight and this individual, an immature, was initially thought to be one of these birds – two have already flown through Surrey since 23 March, according to the data from their satellite tags. However, Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation – the organisation behind the project – have since … Read more

April 2020

Please follow government restrictions regarding coronavirus: do not travel unless strictly necessary and always practise social distancing.

Thursday 30th

Beddington Farmlands: Dunlin, Common Sandpiper and 4 Shelduck (G Spinks).

Chobham Common: Whinchat (E Sames).

Epsom Downs: Wheatear (K Guest).

Ewell: Dunlin sound recorded over garden at 03:52 (S Thomas).

Papercourt Water Meadows: 2 Whinchat (J Hobden).

Rotherhithe: Great Egret flew east over Durand’s Wharf in morning (R Page-Jones/R Bonser).

West End: Nightjar; Surrey first of the year (BirdGuides).

Wednesday 29th

Whinchat, Shackleford (E Stubbs).
Whinchat, Shackleford (E Stubbs).

Beddington Farmlands: 2 Greenshank, Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, … Read more

March 2020

Please follow government restrictions regarding coronavirus: do not travel unless strictly necessary and always practise social distancing.

Tuesday 31st

Little Ringed Plovers, Holmethorpe SP (G Hay).
Little Ringed Plovers, Holmethorpe SP (G Hay).

Farncombe: Oystercatcher flew over at 22:36 (sound recorded); also Swallow flew south (E Stubbs).

Holmethorpe SP: 3 Little Ringed Plovers on Spyne’s Mere (G Hay).

Unstead SF: 2 Swallows (A Barker).

Monday 30th

Beddington Farmlands: Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Green Sandpipers and 9 Shelduck (G Jones).

Tice’s Meadow: presumably reintroduced White Stork flew over (R Horton).

Unstead SF: Swallow (eBird).

Sunday 29th

Godalming: Water Pipit on Lammas Lands … Read more