Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders (4 Viewers)

[JohnnyH]

Red Kite over Seale football pitch this afternoon.

John.

 

[JohnnyH]

Wheatear seen at Farnborough Airport whilst on a survey this morning.

John.

 

[Allan Hobbs]

12 Goldcrest in Ash Green Lane west

Allan

 

[Johnny Allan]

Hi there,

my 2011 Surrey year list has been progressing well and now stands at 194 species
as we enter the second winter period. So far it has been a fantastic bird-filled
year in this great county, with lots of surprises. My species list so far is
here:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=2083642#post2083642

Two more species will break the previous record of 195 and there are lot's of
possibilities. Birds I am still looking for are here:

http://www.diporglory.co.uk/page32.html

If you see or know of the whereabouts of any of these, I'd be pleased to hear
from you. My aim is to get to the round figure of 200 for the year !

Apart from those, I'm sure there is still plenty of time for more surprises.
I've seen Pom Skua in November and Spoonbill, Green-winged Teal, Gannet and
Great White Egret in December in Surrey in the past so you never know what may
turn up.

Many thanks for all the help and advice I've been given so far. I hope to see
some of you again over the next couple of months.

Good birding

Johnny Allan

http://www.diporglory.co.uk/

http://surreybirding.blogspot.com/

 

[Allan Hobbs]

3 Ring-necked Parakeet in our Ash Green garden yesterday on the peanut feeders.

Allan

 

[JohnnyH]

Wintering Chiffchaff along the River Blackwater this afternoon near Holder Road.

John.

 

[JohnnyH]

Chiffchaff still present today near the spill out from Aldershot SF. Also seen along the Blackwater - female Kingfisher, Goldcrest, Grey Wagatail, 6 Siskin, & 2 Fieldfare.

John.

 

[mattytheduke]

A male Blackcap in my Aldershot garden today, followed nicely by a low-flying Red Kite heading west at 16:20.

Matt.

 

[JohnnyH]

Nice one Matt, can't quite match a Red Kite but did have a prolonged visit by our neighbourhood Sparrowhawk. He posed for pictures in the Cherry Tree before despatching an unfortunate House Sparrow.

John.

 

[bbsbirder]

Wrecclesham Floods is well worth a visit. On the 3rd/4th there were 10 (ten) Little Egrets feeding together. There are four large fields flooded. For a quick/easy view drive along A31 towards Alton. Straight across Wrecclesham/Farmham roundabout past River Lane and then park in the entrance to the old sand quarry works. Two fields can be viewed from hear. Another field can be viewed from River Lane. Makes Tices Meadow floods look like a puddle. Not sure how quick they drain away but should last a while and at this time of year could attract any wader as they have in the past.

Well worth a look.

Kevin

 

[mattytheduke]

I thought I'd heard a Firecrest singing in the Leylandii trees in my neighbour's garden a couple of times this past week, and this morning my suspicions were proved correct as I picked up the bird singing in dense holly/laurel behind my house. I won't say exactly where, for obvious reasons, but I'm assuming a singing male present this late may very likely be breeding?

Matt.

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

Yes, very likely to be breeding.

Its quite a frequent species in the Haslemere area, particularly this year, where I seem to be bumping into them all over the place, so it doesn't surprise me that they are 'overspilling' into other areas.

 

[JohnnyH]

Almost a garden tick Red Kite early this morning as I was driving to Tices, drifted over Lower Newport & Newport Road.

John.

 

[bbsbirder]

Wrecclesham Floods is well worth a visit. On the 3rd/4th there were 10 (ten) Little Egrets feeding together. There are four large fields flooded. For a quick/easy view drive along A31 towards Alton. Straight across Wrecclesham/Farmham roundabout past River Lane and then park in the entrance to the old sand quarry works. Two fields can be viewed from here. Another field can be viewed from River Lane. Makes Tices Meadow floods look like a puddle. Not sure how quick they drain away but should last a while and at this time of year could attract any wader as they have in the past.

Well worth a look.

Kevin

With some migrant waders at Tices Meadow today Wrecclesham Floods could be well worth a look. If the flood is still present (not sure how long it lasts) it would be a bigger attraction than at Tices and undisturbed.

Kevin

 

[JohnnyH]

Still 40+ Waxwings at North Camp Station this morning.

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

Still 40+ Waxwings at North Camp Station this morning.

Visited twice this morning (c9:30 + c12:30), and nothing!

 

[JohnnyH]

More local Waxwings this morning, 21 in the top of the oak in Osprey Gardens as observed from my garden. They fly off shortly after 8am.

John.

 

[JohnnyH]

Still a few Waxwings hanging around, 12 in the trees outside St Josephs School this afternoon.

John.

 

[JohnnyH]

More Waxwings - min of 27 in Egret Gardens, Aldershot this lunchtime till 13:30 when they flew towards Badshot Lea Ponds.

John.

 

[bbsbirder]

More Waxwings - min of 27 in Egret Gardens, Aldershot this lunchtime till 13:30 when they flew towards Badshot Lea Ponds.

John.

Hi John,
Back in 2004 I used to live in Egret Gardens when there was another Waxwing 'year' I remember seeing them feeding along the railway embankment. During 2005 the owner of the house was off to buy a couple of trees and I persuaded her to buy a Rowan tree. Have always wondered if it is still there and how big it is.

Hope to see you soon at Tices.

Kevin