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

2020 AGM postponed

Yellow Wagtail, Shackleford (E Stubbs).

In view of the likelihood that some restrictions due to the Coronavirus are likely to remain in place for several months, the General Committee has decided to postpone the AGM set for 26 June. You can find further information here.

Photo of Yellow wagtail by Ed Stubbs

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

Chiddingfold Forest survey

Photo: Nightingale, Shaun Ferguson

Following the further restrictions announced by the government on Monday 23 March, Surrey Bird Club and Sussex Ornithological Society have decided that the first part of the survey of the Chiddingfold Forest planned for this spring (a survey of Nightingales in late April and early May) will have to be postponed until next year.  It may still be possible to carry out the Turtle Dove part of the survey in mid-May to mid-July, but this will depend on the new restrictions on movement being relaxed.  If they are not, the Turtle Dove part of the survey will also be postponed until … Read more

Woking Peregrines

Peregrine, Woking, 19/03/20 (C Denford)

The popular Peregrine Falcons of Woking town centre have been successfully breeding since 2016. They now have four eggs and you can watch the live webcam here.

Photo supplied by Craig Denford

Field trips cancelled

In view of the latest government advice over the coronavirus / COVID-19 outbreak, all the field meetings up until the end of April have been cancelled. We anticipate that it may well be necessary to cancel subsequent field meetings but we will update this website to confirm the situation by the middle of April.

Photo Yellow Wagtail by Dave Harris

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

February 2020

Saturday 29th

Great Grey Shrike, Frensham Common (P Venables).
Great Grey Shrike, Frensham Common (P Venables).

Effingham Forest: Hawfinch (BirdGuides).

Frensham Common: first-winter Great Grey Shrike still at Vampire Flats; also 6 Goosander flew over at dusk (K Britten/F Hutchinson/E & P Hunt/R Seargent/G Simmonds/P Venables).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Water Pipit, Goldeneye and 4 Pintail (WWT).

Stoke Lake: Woodcock at dusk (M Kettell).

Tice’s Meadow: 2 Mediterranean Gulls (R Seargent).

Friday 28th

Frensham Common: no sign of first-winter Great Grey Shrike at Vampire Flats (BirdGuides).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Water Pipit, Goldeneye, 4 Pintail and 2 Shelduck (WWT).

Mitcham… Read more

January 2020

Friday 31st

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): 2 Great Northern Divers still; view from Molesey Heath (D Harris).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, 2 Water Pipits, Goldeneye, 2 Pintail and 2 Shelduck (P Carr/WWT).

Thursday 30th

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns, 2 Water Pipits and 2 Shelduck (WWT).

Wednesday 29th

Beddington Farmlands: 1st-winter Caspian Gull, Tree Sparrow, Raven and 3 Green Sandpiper (BFBG).

Esher: Green Sandpiper on River Ember (B West).

London Wetland Centre: adult Iceland Gull again; also Bittern, Water Pipit, Shelduck and 6 Pintail (WWT).

Pitch Hill: Woodcock early morning … Read more