Gatwick Airport (1 Viewer)

Weirwood Reservoir

This is about 12 miles to the south east, fairly close to Wakehurst Place. The western end is a nature reserve, there's a hide and a small car park, but it's not very easy to view the reservoir from anywhere else. We last visited in August a year ago, when the water had completely disappeared and there was just a rather pleasant meadow in front of the car park. Yesterday evening when we went, we were pleased to see that there was very much more water. Obviously the recent rain we've had has had an effect.

We went over because I'd heard about the juvenile night heron that was easily viewable, and it really was, in a tree just over the nearest bit of water. Unfortunately, for most of the time we were there, it had its back turned to us, but just at the end it started to preen and turned its head so I could see its beak and eye. I have seen night herons before, at the Marquenterre reserve on the Somme last September, but they were in a giant cage and were captive birds, so the Weirwood bird was a lifer for me.

We didn't stay long last night because my chauffeur had had a long day at work and wanted to get home for his dinner :eat: . Other birdie highlights were at least seven grey herons, two Arctic terns (at least, I heard some other birders say they were, though I must admit I didn't look at them in any great detail) and a party of at least 12 long tailed tits that flew over us. There were also quite a lot of roe deer in the meadow off to the left.

Not been out very much the last couple of weeks, not been well enough, so on Saturday, we decided to make a quick trip down to Pulborough Brooks, where I could use the electric wheelchair. (Not exactly local, 30 miles sw of the airport, but using the motorway and dual carriageway as far as possible, it doesn't take long to get there.)

Anyway, it was a disappointing visit - low cloud, making everything seem grey. It was difficult to make out plumage details in most of the birds we saw - it was almost as bad as a bad January light. Still, it was nice to hear the whistling call of our first wigeon of the autumn. There was a kestrel perched very close to Netley hide, giving great views. In the field below the visitor centre was a large flock of goldfinches - in fact, this field and the one beyond it seemed like goldfinch heaven, so many thistle seeds etc - if they leave it like this all winter (and I'm sure they will), I would think there will be many more finches feeding there. On our way back up to the visitor centre, a number of house martins, with a few swallows amongst them were overhead.

River Mole at Gatwick - a very quick visit here yesterday, and there were 18 barn swallows sitting on the airport perimeter fence. A nice sight, don't often see them here, so I imagine these were migrants.

Holmethorpe Sand Pit

Today we walked all around Spynes Mere, right up to the motorway. It was very misty with a slight breeze, 13 degrees celsius when we set out, and we thought the conditions might be good for migrants, but surprisingly, there was very little around. Even on the water, there was very little until a couple of large flocks of Canada and Greylag geese flew in.

While we were at the motorway end, a large bird flew directly overhead. It looked like a wader, a large one, at least curlew size. It had us flummoxed, but as it disappeared quickly into the mist, we couldn’t come to any conclusions. We thought it was probably a cormorant, because there were a couple around.

Then we met a very rare species indeed - another birdwatcher, only the second we’ve ever seen here. He also thought conditions should have been good but was seeing very little (glad it wasn’t just us). But he did say that he’d seen the Sacred Ibis fly over earlier. Apparently, it escaped from Gatwick Zoo a few years ago. It wasn’t expected to survive, although quite obviously it has. When it first turned up at Holmethorpe, it used to fly round very high up making everybody think it was a spoonbill. Since we’ve been home, we’ve looked at videos of flying Sacred Ibis and are fairly confident that this was our mystery bird. Can’t be counted on any list, I know, but was rather fun.

On the sandpit to the west of Spynes Mere there wasn’t an enormous amount about. A large flock of lapwing, another large one of Canada Geese, 35 gulls landed, all black headed, and a bird that took me by surprise initially, but this was only because it was our first duck of the day - a tufted duck. In fact, apart from the three of them and one mallard, there were no other ducks around at all, which I found very surprising. Hopefully next time we come, there’ll be some winter ducks here.

Anyway, the bird watching might not have been the most exciting, but it was a very pleasant morning.

One hour 20 minutes, 25 species seen.

Horley

A noisy party (well, noisy in a cute, teddy-bearish sort of way) of long tailed tits passed through some nearby gardens today. It seems incredibly early in the season for them to be near the town centre, I usually only ever see them in harsh winter weather. Does this indicate that food supplies are running low in the countryside? In the last week, greenfinches and goldfinches have returned to the garden feeders after a lull of several weeks. And, although I've not seen one in my garden for a couple of months, last week a dunnock was in full song in a nearby garden.

I also saw two more house martins yesterday, a few miles east of the town.

River Mole

Through a combination of illness and holiday, it's been a couple of months since we've been here to do some birdwatching (and more like four months since we saw anything really productive).

Anyway, we've just got back from a half hour walk, quite late in the morning, so I wasn't expecting much to be around. We didn't take the telescope, so weren't able to identify the three little birds sitting on the airport perimeter fence, against the sun, but they had thin narrow beaks, so I suspect were dunnock or meadow pipits.

Beyond them we saw a flock of about sixty birds flying round over the runway. It wasn't till they turned sideways on and we saw their broad wings that I realised they were lapwing, which I was pleased about because I saw hardly any last winter (not sure if there were any at all, in fact). Beyond them was a larger flock of about 100 birds, but they were literally just dots in the sky, so I don't know what they were. They were behaving like the lapwing flock, so maybe they were too.

There were also a large number of herring gulls around, about 25 in total, which was also unusual for this patch.

While we were on holiday earlier this month, a friend said that the thrushes would start singing this month. Frankly I didn't believe her because she talks a load of nonsense where birds are concerned, but when we got back to the car we both heard a song thrush singing it's repetitive song. I still wasn't sure about that my hearing was correct, but we were able to locate the bird in some bushes, so by local patch watching I've learned something new about bird song/behaviour.

Half an hour spent birding, 11 species seen.

Wakehurst Place

We had a lovely time here this morning, despite the lingering rain. I’d heard reports of two brambling, got here before the garden opened, wandered up to the fence around the car park and found four of them feeding with chaffinches. This was really exciting for me because the first, and only, time I’ve seen these birds before was at Titchwell in January.

In the flooded field just beyond the brambling was a flock of redwing, fieldfare and starling, bathing in the puddles.

Once through the visitor centre, we stopped to a large flock of chaffinches feeding, the ground seemed to be heaving with them. Scanning amongst them, we found three more brambling, though I can’t be certain they weren’t the ones we’d seen earlier, relocated after being disturbed by a noisy truck.

Down by the sequoia near the mansion, and also in the Winter Garden, there were a lot of goldcrest calling, at least five that we saw. They really are very noisy for such little birds.

We didn’t walk very far because the rain got heavier, but on our way out, I was just scanning the chaffinch flock again, had seen one of the brambling, when a sparrowhawk flew in and took one of the birds - I’m fairly certain it was a chaffinch and not one of the precious brambling.

We were here for one hour, twenty minutes, and saw 23 species of bird. The full list is:

Pheasant 10
Mallard 14
Starling 23
Jackdaw 18
Blue tit 11
Brambling 4 (possibly 7)
Chaffinch 82
Greenfinch 2
Redwing 25
Fieldfare 45
Robin 5
Green woodpecker 1
Goldcrest 5
Black headed gull 5
Great tit 4
Kestrel, on an oak tree in the winter garden.
Woodpigeon 5
Blackbird 3
Carrion Crow 2
Coal tit 3
Moorhen 1
Collared dove 1
Sparrowhawk 1

A Parakeet…

We spent an hour at the River Mole by Gatwick Airport at first light this morning. We had quite a good bird list of all the to-be expected species, but as we were sitting on the bench in the plantation, we had a surprise - a Ring necked Parakeet flew over - species no. 56 for the patch. I know they’re considered to be becoming something of a pest, and I don’t like the thought of them taking over woodpecker nesting holes, but it was a glorious piece of colourful exotica on a gloomy grey winter day.

…a Warbler…

And when we got home, it was to find our first blackcap of the winter, feeding on honeysuckle berries. I’d planted the honeysuckles in our hedge two or three years ago, specifically to attract blackcaps in winter. It’s lovely to do things for nature, and have nature respond in the way we want it to.

…and a Hedgehog

Last Tuesday, I glanced out of the bedroom window to see if anything was about (birdwise), and was surprised to see a golden orb on the lawn - a tiny little hedgehog, eating birdseed that had fallen from the feeders. After ringing up the RSPCA for advice, we brought it indoors, my daughter dashed to the shop for some cat food, and we enjoyed watching it eat two noisy meals. The St Tiggywinkles website said that it wouldn’t be viable if it was less than 600g, so we weighed it and it was only 328g. We weren’t sure what to do with it, we searched the internet, made phone calls to local wildlife centres (they wouldn’t be open for another eight days). Eventually I thought of our vet, who did indeed know of a hedgehog rescue centre just round the corner from us, and so we took our little one and it’s joined two others there. She said that lots of hedgehogs had had late third broods because of the mild autumn, but the babies just hadn’t had time to feed up before the winter and gain weight. If “our” hedgehog gains weight, he’ll stay at this rescue centre all winter and we can have him back in the spring . (If he doesn’t gain weight, he’ll be sent on to a specialist centre where they’re woken up to feed and kept under infra-red lights).

Wakehurst Place

Today we walked through the Pinetum down to the Himalayan Glade, which is a viewpoint looking out over one of the steeply sided valley. Nowadays, this area is popular with birdwatchers - people bring bird seed and put it on the fence posts, stand back a bit and watch many little birds coming in to feed. Obviously, there's masses of blue and great tits, robins, dunnocks and chaffinches, but it's wonderful when there are several nuthatches there at once, as there were today, happy to feed so close to you. There were also at least three marsh tits , and in the trees above, a party of long tailed tits passed through - this is only the second time I've seen them in the gardens.

When we were sitting at the Himalayan Glade a couple of weeks ago, five buzzards were circling in the sky above us at the same time.

On the way back from the Stables Cafe to the Visitor Centre, we stopped to look at the large chaffinch flock, and I was pleased to see there are still three brambling amongst them.

Hi Florall, I do enjoy reading your reports - more soon please! Ever had any joy with little owls at Wakehurst? I know they're supposed to be there, but I'm blowed if I've ever seen them. Sounds like you're a bit more regular there than me, so how about you?

Moonshake said:

Hi Florall, I do enjoy reading your reports - more soon please! Ever had any joy with little owls at Wakehurst? I know they're supposed to be there, but I'm blowed if I've ever seen them. Sounds like you're a bit more regular there than me, so how about you?

Click to expand...

Thanks for your kind comments - they're magical gardens to visit, aren't they?I would have thought there were tawny owls there as well - that I would love to see. I've only ever heard them before.

Funnily enough, we were talking about the possibility of little owls a few weeks ago. We thought the best bet would be to search through the trees in the parkland surrounding the gardens, for example, to the south of the car park. But we haven't actually got round to looking yet. If we have any success, I'll let you know - and please say if you see any.

Yes - that's where I reckon too - lots of knobbly old trees there, looks about the right sort of territory. Suppose I need to get there for a proper look when they're a bit more vocal (and having a quick peep over the car park fence when we get there at lunchtime is probably a little optimistic!). And yes, magical gardens indeed, could spend a long, long time there wondering around. Still haven't seen half of it either, let alone visited the Loder Valley nature reserve.

A gentle morning's birding. First of all to Weir Wood Reservoir, south of East Grinstead. Ever since we've been birdwatching (three and a half years), the water levels at the western (viewable) end have been very low. Now they're about as high as they can go, coming right up through the woods. It's good to see. Now all we need is for our aquifers to refill.

Not much about, quite a few pochard, and woodland birds on the feeders by the car park.

We then went on to Wakehurst Place for coffee. Moonshake, we had a good look for little owls - there seem to be a lot of oak trees lining what would have been the old entrance path, so I think these would be worth checking each time as well. Anyway, we didn't see any, and there wasn't any sign of the large chaffinch/brambling flock either.

Last winter, we used Wakehurst Place to learn our common woodland bird calls and songs. There was a lot of calling going on today and we couldn't remember most of it, so we got our Geoff Sample cds out when we got home to try to jog our memories. Looks like we'll have to make many more trips here to relearn them.

New Year’s Day - Gatwick, River Mole

On Monday morning we arrived here at first light (7.30), mainly staying in the plantation near the car. The river was very high, in fact the highest we’ve ever seen it, starting to spill out of its channel. There was a shower just before we arrived, but as the morning progressed, the weather cleared up. It was 4.5 degrees Celsius at the start.

Half an hour spent, 12 very ordinary species.

Holmethorpe sand pits

We then came up here, concentrating on the Spynes Mere end. It was quite windy (as it often is, it’s quite exposed), so there was a bit of telescope shake at times. As many places in this part of England are finding, there are disappointing numbers of winter ducks because of the mild weather on the continent. However, we did see a couple of gadwall and 16 teal. Of all the other wildfowl, we could see them at any time of year.

However, on the First Island in Spynes Mere, I was looking along the shoreline with my telescope and counted a massive 16 snipe! I went back and recounted them because I couldn’t quite believe my eyes, and at the same time two other birders came up and one of them counted 22!

In the nearby trees we had good views of a treecreeper, and at the car a real surprise - a calling stonechat flew over. These three species are all new ticks for the patch.

One hour here, 23 species seen.

Friday 5th, Gatwick, River Mole

We had a very glutinous walk this morning, staying fairly close to the plantation. We got here later than on Monday and saw more birds in the same length of time. I’ve thought this before, that the birds here are fairly late risers. Even as we got out of the car, I was able to see or hear seven species of bird, the most exciting of which, and ones I’ve not seen since last spring, were four bullfinches, showing so clearly in nearby trees. Wonderful. I’m fairly certain this is only the fourth time I’ve seen them here, in two and a half years of visiting. We heard a pheasant several times which is surprising - they’re more often seen and heard on the farmland over the road. I also had a good view of a green woodpecker - something I hear often but only see infrequently.

Half an hour, 16 species

Yesterday, we had planned to go a little bit further away to look for two firecrests that have been around for a few weeks. However, once it started raining heavily, we couldn't get any enthusiasm up for wandering round somewhere we didn't know looking for a tiny bird in such horrible conditions, so we ended up back at Wakehurst Place. The highlights were two brambling still by the visitor centre with the chaffinches, and a tree in The Slips (an area where the stream starts to tumble downhill dramatically and scenically) which had 29 redwing in. In fact, in just ten metres of walking near the front of the mansion we saw or heard four species of thrush - redwing, fieldfare, song and mistle thrush.

In the evening we went up to Redhill (five miles to the north) where there is a famous rose ringed parakeet roost. We've never been before, and though it was like the monsoon while we were there, it was well worth going to see at least 600 birds come in to just a couple of trees in this residential area. Quite an amazing sight.

Hi Florall, we were back at Wakehurst again today too! Two brambling still around by the visitor centre, one male and one female. Didn't see that much else, but again, another very pleasant afternoon just pottering about. No parakeets for us though (squeak, squawk)...

I had a quick visit this morning before the rain started (the river is incredibly high. I would love to be able to make daily visits this week to monitor how high it eventually gets - I think we could be in for a record height).

Anyway, most of the walk was across the fields towards Charlwood (a bit dryer underfoot) where there were two song thrushes in full song, trying to compete with each other, and a group of five fieldfare - the first of this winter here. An unusual sighting on the fields were a couple of pied wagtail - I've never seen them here before, and by the river, I'm fairly certain was a grey wagtail which flew past me. I tried to get relocate it higher up the river, and I could still hear it calling, but I couldn't see it to confirm the sighting. Would have been a patch tick had I been successful.

Half an hour, 12 species seen.

Wakehurst Place, Monday 22nd January

I managed to spend an hour and a half here yesterday morning, walking past the Mansion, through the Pinetum to the Himalayan Glade. There the birds were all waiting for us, with masses of tits poking their heads out of the surrounding rhododendrons, wondering what treats we had bought for them.

As we went back up through the Pinetum, we kept hearing a regular call, that I described to myself as "Yick.....Yick". Eventually we located the bird - a Great Spotted Woodpecker at the top of a very tall fir tree. (Surprisingly, this is my first ever GS Woody at this site.) I looked it up in Collins, and it does indeed make a "Kick....Kick" call, at one-second intervals. I never knew that before. So we've learned a new bird call again at Wakehurst Place. I must remember this one, because I'm fairly certain I've heard it once or twice at the River Mole.

As normal, we stopped for a drink at what could be called "the hide". In reality, it's called The Stables Restaurant. A couple of years ago, they remodelled this and put floor to ceiling picture windows at one end. We love sitting at one of the tables here watching the birds, and we've seen some great birds here. I've not seen one for a while, but we have watched a treecreeper several times on the large oak just outside the window. Yesterday, we watched a nuthatch in the same tree. And for the second time, I saw bramblings feeding on bark under another tree. This is birdwatching in extreme comfort, warmth and a hot drink at your elbow.

I always put my birdlists on to Birdtrack. I was interested to see that I've only ever seen 44 species of bird at Wakehurst, but 57 species at the River Mole, which, quite frankly, is a much less promising area. Looking at the table of my visits to Wakehurst, I realize I've only ever made one birdwatching visit here in Spring/early Summer, so have probably missed out on many singing migrants. For example, there isn't a single warbler on my list! I must obviously try to remedy this this year. Just out of interest, here is my complete list for Wakehurst:

Greater Canada Goose
Mallard
Pheasant
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Kestrel
Moorhen
Black headed gull
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Swift
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Swallow
House Martin
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Fieldfare
song Thrush
Redwing
Mistle Thrush
Goldcrest
Spotted Flycatcher
Long-tailed Tit
Marsh Tit
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Brambling
Greenfinch
Goldfinch.

I was wondering why I had 57 species of bird logged onto Birdtrack, but I've only listed 56 here. I've just checked and the species I missed, ages ago, was: No. 57 Feral Pigeon. Exciting.