Nineteen stoutly booted members gathered at Pyrford Lock car park which was so covered by a layer of mud that it boded ill for the underfoot conditions on the afternoon walk. The meadow opposite held mainly jackdaws accompanied by two surprising rooks with a couple of Egyptian geese on the far side. Robins and great/blue tits flitted around while some of the group were able to glimpse a noisy nuthatch. Then a few restless redwings flew by. Moving across the road, several fieldfares could be viewed atop a distant oak in the company of some goldfinches and starlings similarly perched. A buzzard drifted by and three parakeets screeched past. The meadow opposite the lake was disappointing with only a blackbird and two song thrushes briefly in view. The lake itself initially offered numerous coots and black-headed gulls but soon a few great crested grebes and cormorants were sighted. A wren and a solitary long-tailed tit were perched in the waterside trees. Further around two common gulls, a grey heron, some mute swans and five pochards were on the water. The path leading to the farm was quiet though a few redwings and fieldfares caught the eye as one splashed in a small pool. A bucket high in an oak caused considerable puzzlement but a couple of members were pleased to have ticked an item on their bucket lists! At the lock a sparrowhawk gave a speedy flypast. Sightings across the water meadows were limited, a distant red kite and a call from a green woodpecker being the highlights. The hoped for barn owl did not appear discouraged no doubt by the chilly wind. So it was back in the dusk along the muddy river bank to the car park. An most enjoyable walk delivered a species list of forty.
Author: Tony Cummins
Riverside Park 1 January 2023
The sixteen members who attended the New Year walk in the middle of a very inclement spell of weather were delighted by a mild and dry morning. Immediately blue and great tits were seen flitting through the car park bushes while robins were in fine voice. A hovering kestrel came into view while a red kite soared around. The towpath was initially quiet with just a few mallards on the water. Then a few rusty singing voices were heard, first a wren and then a rather hesitant song thrush that was perhaps out of practice. Towards the lock a fine cock pheasant bellowed loudly and a grey wagtail sped away. Then in an alder a flock of about twenty siskins were spotted feeding, a sight enjoyed for several minutes. The pond beyond the lock held just seven shovelers and dozens of black-headed gulls with a single common gull among them. On the wires was a pied wagtail and high up on the pylons two cormorants. Along the river swam the only Canada goose of the walk plus two mute swans. A jay appeared near the boardwalks towards the lake and a Cetti’s warbler was heard. The lake itself offered few new species, tufted ducks, a great crested grebe, a lesser black-backed gull and a few herring gulls. From the high point back towards the car park a scan of a distant pool identified a few real and a couple of wigeon. A brief visit to Bowers lock followed. A great spotted woodpecker could be heard pipping and eventually it offered excellent views atop a dead tree. Three red kites were circling. A small flock of goldfinches fed in alders while a mistle thrush joined them. A productive and enjoyable walk resulted in a species list of 39.
Moor Green Lakes 3 December 2022
A group of nine set off in cold and overcast weather but were soon watching a green woodpecker flying from a silver birch into a field to feed and back to the tree. The first lake we visited was full of ducks, including pochard, wigeon, gadwall, and goosander. A flyover glossy ibis was seen by two of the group. Little egret, great egret, and grey heron were all flying around the lake.
We then headed out in the direction where the glossy ibis had frequently been seen in recent weeks but without luck. At the far end of the walk, we found a green sandpiper. feeding actively along the muddy edge of a lake.
On our way back at another lake, we saw a group of four male and four female goosanders. Walking back to the field near the car park. We were treated to the amazing sight of five species of thrush, song, mistle, redwing, fieldfare, and blackbird. One of the group optimistically hoped for a ring ouzel!
Back at the car park we had seen a total of 48 species, but quickly picked up nuthatch, treecreeper, and great spotted woodpecker to take our total over 50 species on a most enjoyable morning walk.
Barn Elms
A dull and drizzly morning greeted the eight members who assembled on the banks of the Thames in this showpiece WWT reserve. In truth the weather improved only slightly over the day but the ready availability of hides made for enjoyable birdwatching despite the conditions. First stop was the observatory; a limited number of birds were on show including a grey heron, several pochard, great crested and little grebes and a cormorant fishing close to the edge of the lake. The star sighting though was a female goldeneye that kept viewers on their toes with constant dives. Then it was off to the Dulverton hide where the goldeneye was topped by not one but two bitterns no more than a couple of feet apart on the edge of the reeds across the lake. Other species were limited with a startled flock of thirty-plus lapwings and a few common gulls being the pick. The feeders too were sparsely populated with just a handful of great and blue tits with single of chaffinch and dunnock. The Peacock Tower proved more productive; a juvenile sparrowhawk perched near the sand martin bank allowed excellent scope views. Numerous teal and gadwall grazed across the scrape in the company of shovelers and, surprising for the time of year, only four wigeon. The woodlands around the sheltered lagoon provided a great spotted woodpecker and a feeding flock of finches, mainly goldfinches but a few lesser redpoll too. Lunch near the entrance was enlivened by a flock of thirty redwings accompanied by a single greenfinch in the poplars. The wildside walk delivered a rare view of a Cetti’s warbler; typically several had shouted from concealed perches during the walk but this one recklessly forgot itself and allowed a glimpse of its chestnut plumage and upturned tail amid the bushes. The wildside hide produced final new sighting of lesser black-backed gulls and a green woodpecker on the grazing marsh. One last reward was waiting at the Headley hide; one of the bitterns was now showing there at closer quarters. It proved to be a most enjoyable day with a creditable species list of fifty.
Puttenham Common 19 November 2022
An initially damp and gloomy morning greeted the nine members who attended this local walk. Cutt Mill Pond was the first destination. It held a good selection of ducks with five drake mandarins really catching the eye with their extravagant plumages while a couple of females lurked in the fringes. Close by were a pair of goosanders, the first of the autumn for most. the complement of ducks was completed by handfuls of shovelers and mallards. One each of great crested and little grebes were spotted as was a grey heron perched high in the bordering trees. A visit to the far end of the pond paid off when a kingfisher flashed by in a blur of blue. Next stop was the tarns which added tufted ducks, coots and black-headed gulls to the day list but they were otherwise quiet. A stroll through the woods followed as did a considerable improvement in the weather. Sadly bird numbers grew in inverse proportion to the emerging sun. On the walk to the bronze age camp only a red kite was seen and the call of a nuthatch heard. The views from the top of the ridge were stunning but the dearth of birds continued through the heathland area until finally a solitary stonechat was seen in the distance, followed by the glimpse of a buzzard and the call of a green woodpecker. A couple of tits, blue and long-tailed completed the tally. A final list of 27 species was well below the norm for the location, leading to the reflection that the unseasonably mild weather was having a major effect on bird numbers.
West Wittering 13 November 2022
Eleven members attended the walk around East Head and Snowhill Creek/Ella Nore in good weather though the promised sun did not materialise until late morning. Some parts of the route were more productive than others because of weekend crowds with particular highlights being avocets, snipe and golden plovers. Other waders identified included black-tailed godwits, redshank, dunlin, greenshank, grey plovers, oystercatchers, curlews, turnstones and lapwings. Among the many species of songbird seen were greenfinches, meadow pipits, skylarks, linnets and stonechats. Brent geese were ubiquitous as usual and an unseen Cetti’s warbler made its unmistakeable presence known. Great amusement came from a harbour seal christened by one wag with the name of Bob, because of his action in the water.
Sheapleas 27 October 2022
The traditional autumn fungi walk took place in good weather and was well attended. There was a huge array of specimens to be found within easy reach of the car park and the list of those identified totalled over fifty. Perenial favourites such as fly agaric, turkey tail, amethyst deceiver and magpie inkcaps were greatly appreciated while considerable enjoyment was derived from the ingenuity of the names of less familiar species such as wood woollyfoot, hairy curtain crust, scurfy twiglet, blushing bracket and lemon disco. Particular interest was generated by one family that is carnivorous, attracting nematodes to sticky traps and growing through them to absorb proteins not available in rotting wood. Many specimens proved to be very photogenic as evidenced by the numerous excellent photographs subsequently circulated.
Farlington Marshes 8 October 2022
Superb weather attracted seventeen members who enjoyed unbroken sun and the lightest of breezes throughout the visit. Because of the rescheduling of the walk the tide was not ideal as water had already covered the harbour but the effect was helpfully to concentrate the birds. On the lake were spectacular numbers of redshank, dunlin and black-tailed godwits as well as greenshanks in double figures. On the fringes were two scarcities, a curlew sandpiper and a little stint that could be identified by its tiny size compared with the dunlin roosting next to it. Fortunately the sightings took place before first a sparrowhawk and then a peregrine caused a major rearrangement of the waders. Meanwhile bearded tits were pinging around the reeds and snipe were contending for attention with a water rail on the muddy fringes; the latter unusually took to the air at one point. Then a kingfisher put on a command performance, flying close, hovering, diving for fish and perching on several posts within range for photographers. On the circuit of the seawall a single island remained above the water level; it was packed with birds. A count of the curlews reached 130 and oystercatchers were similarly numerous. A couple of grey plovers and four golden plovers were also identified while increasing numbers of Brent geese swan on the harbour or flew in small skeins. A big surprise on the circuit came when a knot, apparently disorientated, suddenly landed on the path in the midst of the group. Lunch at the Deeps allowed time for leisurely scanning. This paid off with views of stonechats and a wheatear and the amazing sight of an osprey flying right overhead. Brief glimpses of a Dartford warbler in brambles were another surprise before a search of the ditch near the bunker yielded two green sandpipers, something of a disappointment for those who were hoping for a view of the vagrant spotted sandpiper reported at that location the previous day. The grazing meadows revealed four cattle egrets among the herd. The concluding walk across the marsh was productive with a little grebe, a few common gulls and excellent views of more greenshanks shining in the sunlight. Towards the end two yellow wagtails popped out from the feet of some cattle as a bonus sighting. A wonderful walk yielded a large species list of 70 birds.
Titchfield Haven 2 October 2022
A heavy downpour greeted the four hardy souls who defied the forecast of several hours’ rain. A scan of the shore and Solent did not improve the outlook as there was only a sprinkling of waders on the shingle. A handful of ringed plovers flitted around with a couple each of redshanks and turnstones among them. Two little grebes were an unexpected sighting at the edge of the sea while two great crested grebes could be seen further out. Some resplendent drake eiders were a cheering sight but after a fifteen-minute soaking a reviving cup of coffee beckoned. After the break the rain eased and from then the group was treated to a bright autumn day. Small numbers of ducks were seen at the river head including gadwall, shovelers and teal. The walk along the seawall to the west side delivered some nice birds, a common sandpiper, a rock pipit, a wheatear and eighteen recently arrived Brent geese. The Meon hide sported two curlew sandpipers that offered close views in good light. Redshanks, black-tailed godwits and dunlin pottered around in the mud while numerous lapwings indulged in their customary swoops. Several snipe were hiding in plain sight around the edges while a water rail scuttled briefly from cover. A flock of ringed plovers came off the sea with three sanderlings in their company. Stonechats were perched on the reeds and a yellow wagtail shot over. A lunch in the visitor centre (alas likely to be closed at the end of the year!) was followed by a walk along the east side. The river hide was unusually productive; two kingfishers were active, a sandwich tern flew along the river and swallow numbers increased markedly with the odd house and sand martin among them. Raptor contributions came from a sparrowhawk soaring above and a hobby hawking over the reeds. The meadow hide provided the final treat with three marsh harriers allowing prolonged views. It was a splendid walk with a list of 61 species.
The Burgh 24 September 2022
Despite a poor weather forecast of a chilly start, 40% chance of rain and frisky winds from the north, the group was soon taking off jackets and walking in near full sunshine for the rest of the day. The sunshine and warmth brought out a number of butterflies including wall, speckled wood, clouded yellow and large white. Near the dew pond there were several common darter dragonflies about.
Birds of prey included kestrels, peregrines (two jousting in the afternoon), buzzard (five wheeling in one thermal), a female marsh harrier quartering a field and putting up three grey partridges, numerous red kites, while a ring-tailed hen harrier gave brief views before drifting out of sight. Ravens were present, three seen and others heard kronking. Skylarks were singing and there were good numbers of swallows and house martins, often quite low.
Good views were had of yellowhammers, chaffinches and goldfinches with several flocks of linnet chattering overhead. A jay flew over and chiffchaffs were calling with at least one individual singing. The wooded areas revealed long tailed tits, wrens, robins, blackbirds, goldcrests, blue tits and great tits. A perched meadow pipit gave good scope views before it flew off and a green woodpecker was heard. As well as grey partridges there were red-legged partridges, outnumbered by pheasants.
Less flighty sightings included Arundel Castle, the expanding wind farms off Shoreham and the Butlins towers at Bognor. All this prompted the group leader to give a much-appreciated lesson on taking bearings at sea! A splendid walk produced 38 species identified.