March 2025

Friday 21st

Black Redstart, London Wetland Centre (N Rutter).
Black Redstart, London Wetland Centre (N Rutter).

Beddington Farmlands: 2 Wheatears, Redshank and 4 Little Ringed Plovers (R Browne/G Howgate/R Walker).

Effingham Forest: Goshawk, 2 Hawfinches and 2 Crossbills at Dick Focks Common (P Davies).

London Wetland Centre: female Black Redstart; also Willow Warbler, Wheatear, male Bearded Tit, 5 Sand Martins, 2 Green Sandpipers and 2 Oystercatchers (S Fowles/D Panchaud/N Rutter/A Salmon).

Papercourt Water Meadows: Jack Snipe (T Matthews).

Little Bunting, Send (B Hayward).
Little Bunting, Send (B Hayward).

Send: Little Bunting at Prews Farm; also Great Egret north, 4 Bramblings, 500 Chaffinches and 200 Linnets (S … Read more

Heathland Bird Survey

The BTO is running a Heathland Bird Survey this year concentrating on Woodlarks, Dartford Warblers and Nightjars. However it is not just heathland that needs covering and survey squares include forestry plantation, other woodland/scrub habitat and some farmland.   The BTO has selected a  considerable number of 1 km squares in Surrey and these need to be visited 2 or 3 times between February and June. Please help if you can. What the visit requires is walking through any suitable habitat, in the square, whilst looking and listening for the species (and a few others as mentioned below). Squares need visiting … Read more

February 2025

Friday 28th

Alfold: female Ring-necked Duck on pond at Pallinghurst/Little Wildwood Farm (BirdGuides).

Beddington Farmlands: adult Mediterranean Gull, 4 Green Sandpipers and 2 Shelduck (A Dutta).

Downside: Goosander pair on River Mole (J Snell).

Effingham Forest: Goshawk, 4 Hawfinches and Brambling at Dick Focks Common (P Davies).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, Green Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatchers and 2 Shelduck (M Glon/A Salmon).

Mickleham Downs: 5+ Hawfinches (BirdGuides).

Newlands Corner: 20+ Hawfinches by boardwalk (I Williams).

Papercourt Water Meadows: drake Goosander over (E Sames).

Thursday 27th

Mediterranean Gull, Hersham GP (J Snell).
Mediterranean Gull, Hersham GP (J Snell).

Alfold… Read more

January 2025

Friday 31st

Frensham Little Pond: Bittern (S Peters).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Shelduck (C Dewhurst/D Panchaud).

Send: Little Bunting at Prews Farm (BirdGuides).

Tooting Common: 1st-winter female Ferruginous Duck on lake (BirdGuides).

Thursday 30th

Beddington Farmlands: 4 Shelduck and 2 Green Sandpipers (R Walker).

Effingham Forest: Brambling and 2 Crossbills (M Harrington).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern; also 2 Shelduck (C Aldridge/D Colledge/T Kasoar).

Long Ditton: 2 Great Black-backed Gulls (E & P Hunter).

Send: Little Bunting and 5 Bramblings at Prews Farm (P Davies/M Fincham/T Matthews).

Stoke … Read more

Seasons Greetings

Robin (Jon Hawkins - Tices Meadow)

Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year to all members and Surrey birders.

Photo: Robin – “Who ate all the mince pies ?” (Jon Hawkins – Tices Meadow )

December 2024

*If you’ve any outstanding 2024 rarity records to submit please do so by the end of the year*

Tuesday 31st

Battersea: 1st-winter Yellow-legged Gull on River Thames (A Dutta).

Beddington Farmlands: Bearded Tit, Jack Snipe, 2 Water Pipits, 3 Shelduck and 2 Green Sandpipers (M Bravery/G Howgate/R Walker).

Holmethorpe SP: drake Pintail at Spynes Mere (G Hay).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern on Main Lake; also Yellow-legged Gull (M Auger/A Salmon).

Send: 12 Bramblings and Yellowhammer at Prews Farm (M Fincham).

Tate Modern: Great Black-backed Gull (R Braddock).

Tooting Common: 1st-winter female Ferruginous … Read more

November 2024

Saturday 30th

Water Pipit, Holmethorpe SP (G Hay).
Water Pipit, Holmethorpe SP (G Hay).

Beddington Farmlands: 3 Water Pipits; also female Shelduck and 2 Green Sandpipers (M Bravery/G Howgate/I Jones/J Pettit/A Ramesh).

Bletchingley: 2 Green Sandpipers over golf club (G Hay).

Earlswood Lakes: drake Goosander (A Baldock).

Holmethorpe SP: Water Pipit at Chilmead Farm (G Hay).

London Wetland Centre: Avocet on Main Lake; also Bittern at Reservoir Lagoon and Great Black-backed Gull (S Alley/E Devlin/K Peacock/A Salmon).

Richmond Park: Avocet on Upper Pen Pond (D Brasier).

Tooting Common: 1st-winter female Ferruginous Duck on lake; origin suspect (BirdGuides).

Wandsworth: … Read more

Elstead book sale

Book sale flyer

The former Surrey County Recorder, Jeff Wheatley, died a couple of years ago and, sadly, his wife Jean died last year. Together they had a large collection of books which included books on birds both from the UK and around the world.  They also had other natural history books.  There are volumes of antiquity as well as newer volumes

A sale of these books is taking place this Saturday 2 November at Elstead United Reform Church. The proceeds will go to Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice and Elstead URC.

October 2024

Thursday 31st

Beddington Farmlands: 2 Water Pipits and 2 Green Sandpipers (M Bravery/N Gardner).

Capel: 2 Hawfinches south-west (W Attridge).

Chipstead Downs: 4 Hawfinches at the Nuttery (BirdGuides).

Effingham Forest: 2 Hawfinches at Dick Focks Common (BirdGuides).

Puttenham Common: 5 Hawfinches south (BirdGuides).

Tulse Hill: Hawfinch south-west (S Patmore).

Winterfold Heath: 12 Hawfinches over (R Stride).

Wednesday 30th

Great Black-backed Gull, Island Barn Reservoir (D Harris).
Great Black-backed Gull, Island Barn Reservoir (D Harris).

Banstead: 7 Hawfinches west (S Gale).

Beddington Farmlands: Yellow-browed Warbler with mixed tit flock; also female-type Black Redstart by South Hide (S Thomas/G Walker).

Haslemere: … Read more