A Birding Afternoon in Surrey

[gjfernandes]

I'll be visiting England for a brief time in early June and staying at the Penny Hill Park Hotel near Bagshot. I've managed to squeeze out one free afternoon and would love to do some birding in the local area. In order to make the best use of my limited time, I'd love to find a guide who is familiar with the local spots and species. Please let me know if you have any suggestions on a guide or places I should go. I'm currently holding the afternoon of 10 June available.

Thanks

[Stevie babe]

Hi Gjf

Can't help on the guides part but from googlemaps it looks like your hotel has close access to an extensive swathe of countryside, a mic of woodland and fallow style grasslands that look to be open (or well used) by the public. These seem to be some ponds around as well.

Go South West (London Road) to a minor cross roads and turn right along Park View. this looks to be the closest route in. Or, walk a bit further to Church Road (on the right) and then again, turn right onto vicarage Road. This should have a few opportunites to access the counryside.

Alternatively check up Lightwater country park about 2 - 3 miles away or Chobham Common about 4 -5 miles away on the internet.

I don't know of you will have the use of a car or what the public transport facilities are like - Of course the hotel will call up a taxi or two if you don't want to walk to get to these places

I am sure you are aware that afternoons can be a quiet time for birds but you ought to be able to get a list of a 30 - 40 species. Read up on British birds as best you can as there are a lot of look-a-likes. If you can get a bird song CD all the better (if no one comes forward as a guide)

Also worth noting is, in the places I mentioned, there could be dog walkers, lots of.

Having mentioned all the above please be aware that although I pass close by them most days I have never been to those sites. If you don't get any guides come forward I might try to get the afternoon off work for that day and meet you but not as a 'professional' guide. We can see about that nearer the time.

Do you have any target birds?

Steve

[gjfernandes]

Hi Gjf

Can't help on the guides part but from googlemaps it looks like your hotel has close access to an extensive swathe of countryside, a mic of woodland and fallow style grasslands that look to be open (or well used) by the public. These seem to be some ponds around as well.

Go South West (London Road) to a minor cross roads and turn right along Park View. this looks to be the closest route in. Or, walk a bit further to Church Road (on the right) and then again, turn right onto vicarage Road. This should have a few opportunites to access the counryside.

Alternatively check up Lightwater country park about 2 - 3 miles away or Chobham Common about 4 -5 miles away on the internet.

I don't know of you will have the use of a car or what the public transport facilities are like - Of course the hotel will call up a taxi or two if you don't want to walk to get to these places

I am sure you are aware that afternoons can be a quiet time for birds but you ought to be able to get a list of a 30 - 40 species. Read up on British birds as best you can as there are a lot of look-a-likes. If you can get a bird song CD all the better (if no one comes forward as a guide)

Also worth noting is, in the places I mentioned, there could be dog walkers, lots of.

Having mentioned all the above please be aware that although I pass close by them most days I have never been to those sites. If you don't get any guides come forward I might try to get the afternoon off work for that day and meet you but not as a 'professional' guide. We can see about that nearer the time.

Do you have any target birds?

Steve
Stevie

Thanks for your note. I'm dashing off for south Texas to a Nature Conservancy site and hope to get a few new birds. I'll post a more thoughtful reply when I return. In the meantime do you have any good suggestions for good field guides. I took a look in Amazon and didn't find anything that looked good.

[paulwfromtheden]

I'll be visiting England for a brief time in early June and staying at the Penny Hill Park Hotel near Bagshot. I've managed to squeeze out one free afternoon and would love to do some birding in the local area. In order to make the best use of my limited time, I'd love to find a guide who is familiar with the local spots and species. Please let me know if you have any suggestions on a guide or places I should go. I'm currently holding the afternoon of 10 June available.

Thanks

If you are in Bagshot, then I would head for Thursley Common. One of the prime Surrey Birding sites. I wont list the species you should see early June, but an evening trip will probably get you roding Woodcock and Nightjar.
Google Thursley Common and you will get much more info.

[Stevie babe]

Stevie

Thanks for your note. I'm dashing off for south Texas to a Nature Conservancy site and hope to get a few new birds. I'll post a more thoughtful reply when I return. In the meantime do you have any good suggestions for good field guides. I took a look in Amazon and didn't find anything that looked good.

Collins BIRD GUIDE (ISBN 0-00-711332-3) is one that many consider to be the be all and end all. It consists if illustrations rather than photographs but they are mostly pretty good and detailed and written descriptions, behaviour, habitat, well detailed a well.

However that is a bit bulky to carry around in the field but excellent guide to sit down and ponder over ID's once returned from a birding day. Cost around GBP 17.00

For the field I usually carry Birds of Britian and Europe - Collins Nature Guide (J Nicolai / D. Singer / K Worthe - ISPN 0-26-167402-1) which fits snugly into my back pocket. In spite of the title it is mostly UK birds whcih have a brief written description accompanied by photographs.Retals for about
GBP 8.00 but I picked up my copy for just half that so there should be some deals around.

Of course there are other guides around and no doubt other birders have their own preferences.


Steve