Thursley (31 May 2025)

Saturday 31st May saw 19 members congregating in the Moat Pond Car Park at Thursley National Nature Reserve, an earlier than usual meeting time of 09.00 necessitated by the smallish car park at this ever-increasingly popular site, as well as being better for seeing and hearing the birds.

As we left the car park a very vocal Wren was singing and both Chiff Chaff and Coal Tit were heard. We then had to wait a while before seeing our first bird, a singing Tree Pipit perched on the overhead wires. Often, it’s a bird that can be tricky to catch up with on Thursley (last year we only saw one) so we were very pleased to see one so early in the walk. As it transpired this seems to be a relatively good year for Tree Pipits at Thursley as we saw several more during the walk. Whilst admiring the Pipit through various scopes, Goldfinches and Stonechats, both adult and juvenile, were also seen. Moving on, a distant Common Buzzard was noted and three Swallows lingered on the wires. A party of Blue Tits moved through, a small flock of four Linnets circled overhead and a second Tree Pipit, showing off extremely orangey legs, was singing from a small tree. A Woodlark was very briefly heard but couldn’t be located and the first Willow Warbler song of the day caught our ears. The Willow Warbler song was traced to a bird sat on the wires which sat still, occasionally singing, enabling everybody to have good views. Another distant small passerine sat on the wires was initially confusing but was resolved to be a Woodlark, again occasionally singing. This was the only Woodlark that we saw which was unusual as they are generally quite easy to see here. A couple of Dartford Warblers were also seen in the low scrub although they could be frustrating to get good views of as they were quite mobile.

Further along a pair of Dartfords played hide and seek with us in the bushes and a third Tree Pipit was watched as it parachuted into the top of a tall tree. It was only about 10 meters from the tree that we saw the (only!) Tree Pipit last year so there was some speculation as to whether it could be the same bird.

Moving on to the small wood near the parish field, of Colin the Cuckoo fame, the shade was quite welcome as it was a very warm, sunny day. Eyes were peeled for Common Redstarts as this is one of the best spots for them but initially just a Great Spotted Woodpecker could be found. After a 10 minute wait a male Common Redstart was seen flitting between the tree trunks but it was very mobile and ended up in the tops of the tallest trees directly overhead, providing some limited views, stretching everybody’s neck muscles and testing their balance! A Garden Warbler gave a brief snatch of song but didn’t show itself. Moving through the wood we went past the area where the Redstart had been and then stopped and looked back at the area from the other side. It then proceeded to show itself on and off and eventually everybody was able to get good views of it. As we waited for the Redstart we became aware of some young bird calls emanating from a hole in the tree trunk beside the path so we beat a hasty retreat. But despite watching the tree from a safe distance we didn’t see any birds flying into the hole so didn’t establish whose nest it was although merlin suggested Great Spotted Woodpecker. The Garden Warbler gave another brief snatch of song but remained out of sight and as we were leaving the wood a Hobby was briefly seen over the distant treetops but was only seen by a few people.

Heading towards the board walk another singing Willow Warbler allowed for good scope views, another pair of Dartford Warblers showed quite well but intermittently, and several Stonechats were seen. Curlews could be heard calling but were never seen, Thursley being the only site in Surrey where they breed, and a distant Cuckoo was also heard. Arriving at Pudmore Ponds a huge number of dragonflies, mainly Broad Bodied Chasers with a few Emperors, were in evidence but Hobbys were sadly lacking until two were spotted high overhead. With further strain on the neck muscles these were watched for a couple of minutes before they drifted off. The ponds also provided a pair of Teal, three pairs of Tufted Ducks and a Moorhen whilst a Skylark was heard and a distant Red Kite was seen. The only Common Lizard of the day was seen at the junction of the two boardwalks.

We then returned to the car park having seen most of the heathland bird specialities that we’d been hoping for although Cuckoo was only heard and the Hobbys were very high up. After the heat of the open heath the shade of the car park was a welcome relief.

by Andy Roberts