Willow Or Willown't?

No don't worry, the title makes little sense to me either.

It had been the sort of day that made dishwater look bright with next to nothing on show. I was coming back through the top of Willow Wood when a little bird popped out in front of me. Just as I got it in the bins it flew but it was very obviously either a Marsh or a Willow Tit. Very frustratingly I had got nothing on the bird, from what little I saw it just wasn't right for Marsh Tit but equally I got nothing to stand it out as a Willow. It didn't call and I gave it 15-20 minutes before it became clear that it wasn't coming back. Worse still, I would've got positive on the bird but I was checking my pager when it turned up and so by the time I got out my bins etc I had almost no time to view the bird. If I hadn't been checking I would have been able to call it one way or another. Bloody hell. I twas an area in which I hadn't seen Willow Tit and as with everywhere, they're bloody rare and elusive, therefore I have to err on the side of Marshie because there's little else I can do. Typical.

More Migrants Missed

Inspired by Devil Birder, I have decided to pay a lot more attention to Cow Field (more detailed, better patch map coming soon). I scanned back and forth about eight times in the hope of a Wheatear which absolutely has to be on there, the habo is so good. I couldn't pick one out but I'm sure it just evaded me. There was still a Chiffy about and the Red Kite overhead. I also notched 22 Lapwing, up on yesterday and at least 10 different birds were displaying.

Up on the Airfield I picked up another Red Kite high up but I reckon it was the same individual and yesterday's fem Brambling but otherwise it was quiet.

Just as I got home, I got a call from Aaron saying he had four Swallows over Blackmoor but I decided not to go for them, I'll wait for them to come to me.

My camera seems to be just about dead, it managed to take a photo today but focus seemed unheard of.

Welcome Home

I was fortunate enough to be paid a visit by David 'Devil Birder' Campbell of Canons Farm fame (see the link on the right of this page). The hope was for the first WALBOC summer migrants, especially Wheatear. We staked out Sparrow field first and had top views of over 100 Yellowhammer and a decent mix of Chaffinch. We moved on through Rhodey Woods where DB heard a Siskin, the second of the year and as we were going between the Birch trees we hear a very familiar song. Shortly enough, a Chiffchaff popped out and performed - welcome home.

We next headed for Cow Field where we counted 20 Lapwing, a decent count for this late in the year. There were also huge numbers of Buzzard and a cuple more Chiffys were heard. The best bird though, was a mega. Two records. Just two, since 2008. Oh yes, a Grey Wagtail, DB found it, as he recognised its call and we instinctively looked up to find a Grey Wagtail heading north. An excellent find around here, cheers DB.

Up onto the Airfield where we had a quick check for Tree Sprog - nilch and then moved to Finch Field for a raptor stake out with the hope of a late Brambling appearing. There were countless Buzzards, a couple of Sprawks and a Kestrel. DB had a very distant Red Kite, probably last week's bird (it stayed for four weeks last year) which I failed to locate before it moved out of view. A female Brambling then alerted us to its presence by calling and was soon located. It was a female and soon began flycatching which was very good to see!

Cheers DB for a good day's birding and a good find! Hopefully you'll be back soon.

But, still no Waxwing.

WALBOC Patchlist: 92
WALBOC Yearlist: 78

Kite Delight

It was a perfect day for raptors, with clear skies etc. so I resolved to do a raptor-watch up on the Airfield. The Airfield must be one of the best watch-points in Surrey, purely because yoou can see for miles in every direction meaning lots of raptors are seen. Loads of them were about, with seven Buzzards, multiple Kestrels and a Sprawk but not the hoped for Red Kite so I moved on. There was plenty elsewhere with Teal and Tree Sparrow being the picks. Frustratingly an LSW was drumming in Hookwood but I couldn't find it despite plenty of searching.

I was on my way back, satisfied at having recorded over fifty species, a decent haul and was going past Wisley farmhouse when I noticed a large raptor high up, directly above where I had sat for three hours. Before I'd looked through the bins and seen the tell-tale fork I knew it was a Red Kite. I watched it for ages, as it circled above with the compulsory corvids coming and going. I spent ages trying to get a decent pic but it just wasn't happening and laughably the bottom pic here represents my best effort. It is visibly a Red Kite but an awful pic. There will be more though, which I'll need to photograph to redeem myself.

Hitting 76 without a single summer migrant is a healthy total round here, leaving me in little doubt of seeing 100 by the end of the year. So now there is now limit but just a question of how many I can see.

WALBOC Patchlist: 92
WALBOC Yearlist: 76

Third Time Very Lucky

Headed down to the Yellow Marshes today with Aaron in the hope of finally pinning down a Woodcock. We sat for about an hour before things started moving, with a couple of Mallards then a Mandarin and finaaly three Wigeon over. It was very dark by this time but finally, I got my hoped for year tick, in the form of seven flyover Teal. Great to see and in the next hour over thirty moved over.

It was almost pitch black when the next tick turned up, two Geese flew over and turned out to be Greylag, something of a WALBOC mega.

However, Woodcock were still the target and none had yet turned up so we decided to move on and try some spotlighting. First up the Airfield where they sometimes occur. A Little Owl showed well but still no dumpy, cryptically-plumaged brown things. We decided to go down to the Eastern Fields where they always are but hug the woodland tightly so are tough to pick out. Despite this, upon arrival one, then two, then three Woodcock showed immediately! They are very handsome birds and always good to see. Roll on the migrants tomorrow.

In other related news, Aaron had a Peregrine over and up to ten Golden Plover today, two Grey Partridge last Saturday and the first Willow Tit of the year yesterday. All things I need to catch up with.

WALBOC Patchlist: 91
WALBOC Yearlist: 75

Change Of Tactics Reaps Rewards

There was shooting going on in the private areas today which meant I had to stay north of Wisley Airfield. I'm quite glad I did as I managed four year ticks. Wisley Airfield was busy, with 5 Buzzards and a few Brambling and Tree Sparrow. Lake Boldermere was the same, with plenty of waterfowl, a Cormorant, and a (nearly) summer plumaged GCG. However, the star was Ockham Common. I noticed a small bird fly into an old pine and 'binned' it. I was thrilled to find that it was a Woodlark, it always surprises me just how small theyare. It flew down onto a tree stump and I was even more pleased to find that there were two of them. I turned to my camera only to discover that, yet again, it didn't bloody work.

There was a lot about so I decided to position myself where I had the best view and just sit still. Almost instantly a 1st winter Stonechat popped up onto some gorse. It was great to finally catch up with this bird. Having seen what I wanted to I stayed on the Common but moved down to a roe of birch/alder trees. After about half an hour, I looked up to see a group of smallish birdsin a silver birch. I approached cautiously, trying not to flush them and confirmed their identity as Lesser Redpoll. Rarer still, a Siskin was accompanying them. The flock was extremely mobile and there was no chance to check for Mealies.

Four welcomed year ticks, particularly the Woodlark, top birds that are not common at all at WALBOC. Typically, they turned up on the day that my camera chose not to work. Please note, if you are thinking of having a look for these birds they were not found on the main Ockham Common but on what is referred to as Ockham Common south of Boldermere (see patch map)

WALBOC Patchlist: 89
WALBOC Yearlist: 72

First Winter Period

March has come, which means that Spring is here (in theory) and therefore the first winter period is at a close. So, how have I done?

My yearlist is at 68 which is five fewer birds than I had last year. The birds I had last year but have not yet seen this year are numerous: Woodcock (will come), Teal (will come), Bullfinch (will come), Firecrest (will come), LSW (should turn up eventually), Stonechat (how have I missed them), Hawfinch (luck of the draw), Woodlark (will come), Kingfisher (good chance), Lesser Redpoll (none around yet but should turn up), and Siskin (hard to get down here). That is quite a few. The birds I've got this year but missed at this point last year are not so numerous: Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Grey Heron, Golden Plover, Rook, Tree Sparrow and GBBG. A big difference, there is a lot of birding still to be done.

Ship Sunk

Had a brief meeting today with those concerned with all things WALBOC to discuss methods of improving the site for birds. Progress was made, we have installed a third Barn Owl nest box; set up a better system of nestbox monitoring in Hookwood (there are 50 nestboxes there so it can be tough); arranged a bird-ringing date; decided to get rid of the ridiculous boat that gives people access to top up the nuts in our Hawfinch feeder. That was a bloody pointless boat, our Hawfinch feeder is annually surrounded by water because of the lie of the land but this water is about two feet deep and four feet wide. Yet, for some reason someone decided to build a boat to cross this trickle of water rather than a bridge. It probably won't sound that annoying to you but when you have to get in a boat to cross four feet of water every time you try and see Hawfinch it is a bloody pain in the a***.

Also settled was what to do with the Yellow Marshes. Progress was made. We have decided to drain the pond and widen it substantially. We will remove the reed beds and put in some muddy fringes (that should hopefully attract waders). We will also flood the grass in the area to attract geese and swans and finally we will plant a birch/alder bank that shold attract Redpolls and Siskins in the winter.