Saturday 21 February 2009

Cetti's Warbler at Stoke Lake

Today's Surrey Bird Club meet was a walk at Riverside Country Park, including Stoke Lake & River Wey led by Jeremy Gates. Four people turned up and we were later joined by Steve Chastell.
The most interesting find was a Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti) first located moving through a bramble bush then it flew into the bottom of the reeds along side the lake. This is considered a rare winter visitor and passage migrant. As this individual made no effort to utter its usual explosive song Jeremy believed it was a female. This is only the 2nd record for Stoke Lake, the previous record, also a female, was trapped and ringed by JG on 5th May 1998. Near Stoke Lock we also found 5 Chiffchaffs plus the resident pair of Grey Wagtails. Siskin were often heard but difficult to locate high up in the Alders. Back at the wet meadows were the usual Canada & Egyptian Geese plus one Greylag Goose, a single Common Snipe & at least 6 Meadow Pipits. Lots of Black-headed Gulls but only a single Herring & Lesser Black-backed Gull.
After a quick chocolate fix back at the car I decided to follow the tow path for about a mile and a half towards Send. There wasn't very much activity apart from locating a Nuthatch and a pair of Rose-ringed Parakeets but I enjoyed the peaceful solitude plus a chat with a local lad who was fishing and had just caught and was returning a Brown Trout into the river.

So today's sightings are as follows (in no particular order): Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Cormorants, Great-crested Grebe, Little Grebes(4), Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Gadwall(6), Tufted Ducks(5), Shovellers(3), Greylag Goose, Canada Geese (14+), Egyptian Geese(8), Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, CETTI'S WARBLER, Robin, Blackbird, Goldcrest(3), Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Jay(3), Magpie, Green & Great-Spotted Woodpeckers, Skylark, House Sparrows, CHIFFCHAFF(5), Grey Wagtails(2), Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Treecreeper, Siskin, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gulls, Meadow Pipits(6+), Common Snipe, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Rook, Woodpigeon, Starlings, Wren, Pheasant, Nuthatch, Rose-ringed Parakeets, Teal [heard], Reed Bunting [heard] and Water Rail [heard]. A total of 52 species.
Mallard Preening


9 comments:

  1. The Cetti's was good Frank, but we do need Spring to hurry up now and come along so that we may observe a few more different species.

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  2. Wow, what a day you had Frank! That is quite the list. Love your pretty Mallard preening. I have some to post for tomorrow. Have a great day!

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  3. Nice record, the Cettis. A good list of other species too, one more than I got!

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  4. ...sounds like a fantastic day birding. I would love to see that little parakeet. ...hope your chocolate break was good. It does seem to "fix" most things :-)

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  5. Hi Frank,
    A good sight this Cetti's warbler and a nice birding too.. 52 species!!! I only did that once in Iceland... We went out today and only saw 20 species.... but one tick for me, the king eider!! So it was a great day...

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  6. Roy - Don't wish your life away, spring will arrive soon enough.

    Jayne - I was surprised by total no. but not unusual for this mixed habitat.

    Warren - Thanks. Sorry your'e lagging behind!

    Kelly - What would a day be without chocolate?

    Chris - King Eider, now that's one I would love to see. Hope you will show us me some pics.

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  7. A great birding day, a Cettis and chocolate - sounds like heaven to me :D

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  8. Tricia, I'll try to remember to bring some to Holmthorpe on the 8th March.

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  9. Oooh thanks Frank :D (It's looking good so far)

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I hope you enjoyed your visit and I always appreciate your comments and feedback.

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