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| Brambling on the Ridge |
The Finch/Bunting flock on the Ridge is getting seriously big. More than average numbers of Reed Buntings, Greenfinches and Goldfinches were present, as well as a decent haul of 12 Bramblings, particularly vociferous today. I took some rubbish shots of a male, so the picture used is courtesy of Dave Carlsson, who visited a couple of times last week, producing some fantastic images, which I've placed in the photos section. Yellowhammer numbers were also high, 16 being my highest count of the year, and there were even a couple males singing. Sadly, this delightful, countryside melody is a rare treat for Surrey ears these days.
After a fairly quiet session in Furze Field I decided to head to Upper Bonhurst, and was rewarded with a patch tick, albeit a Category C one, in the shape of a Barnacle Goose. It was with 9 Canada Geese and a terrifying Canada X Greylag hybrid at Birtley House Pond, and is likely the same bird that was present intermittently between 7th March and 16th April of last year. Where it's come from, and where it goes, is a mystery. Beware - a Barnacle x Canada hybrid was present on occasion last year and the two can be confused from distance. On the way back a calling Little Owl, near the Res, was only my second of the year.
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| Sky-watching for raptors |
Later in the morning I met up with Matt Phelps, and we visited a few sites in the county throughout the rest of the day. At our first destination we enjoyed the crisp, bright weather as we waited patiently for raptors, and we were rewarded in the shape of numerous Red Kites and Buzzards, as well as both Accipiter species, and a calling Little Owl. Lesser Redpolls and Siskins were vocal, the former a bird I have not seen many of this winter.
After a few hours we were on the move again, this time to Witley Common. What a disappointment it proved to be. As a kid I have vivid memories of running around the heath, and traipsing around the visitor centre, but upon arrival today it became clear things had changed. The road to the centre had been removed, and the former heathland was alarmingly overgrown, predominantly with Birch, and some Willow. Dogs and their walkers outnumbered birds, of which we counted a measly 15 species, the best of which were Siskin. I find it hard to imagine Woodlark and Dartford Warbler residing here despite both species having been reported at Witley this year. It seems the National Trust run site is in some serious need of habitat management, and I will have to go elsewhere for my first Woodlark of 2016.
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| male Reeve's Pheasant, near Grayswood, 26/2/2016 |
To round off the day we decided to investigate a sighting I'd seen, online, of 2 Reeve's Pheasants in farmland near Grayswood. These Chinese endemics have a small, but apparently increasing population in the Brecks of East Anglia, with a tiny number in West Sussex. They are thought to outnumber Golden Pheasants in this country, which are on the British list, so it's perhaps not unreasonable to think Reeve's may one day make it on as a self-sustaining introduced bird.
This extreme southerly part of the county is remote, and unknown to Matt and I, and having driven north past Prestwick Farm I spotted an outrageous looking male Reeve's Pheasant, in a field east of Leith Copse. Having got out and taken some photos the bird disappeared over the hill. An odd bird to see (a first time for me), and the farmers at Prestwick said that none of the land owners from the Grayswood to Chiddingfold road release game, so its origins are unknown.
