Thursley and Frensham

A different trip this weekend, checking out the heathland of Frensham and Thursley with Graham.  It was a fun day.

Early Saturday morning, all news related to scarcities were scattered around our English coastlines so we decided to make the relatively short trip south into the heart of Surrey.

There was early success.  Frensham Common looked a fantastic site with at least three singing Tree Pipit there, and three Dartford Warbler seen scratching away within the gorse.

A Cuckoo flew low through before settling on one of the many dead trees scattered around the reserve.  A male Common Redstart sang from the woodland, and a Woodlark was heard but not picked up from somewhere across the heathland.  Stonechat were seen regularly during our walk round, a couple of Red Kite soared overhead, and Common Buzzard were thermaling on the warm breeze.

The highlight of the day for us both were the pair of Common Redstart breeding in the woodland just beyond the Moat Car Park at Thursley.  The radiant male flicked through the woodland, actively scavenging for food, dropping to the ground, scurrying through the bracken, flying to and from the nest-site, posing from nearby vantage points.  We were both infatuated.

Nearby, a Treecreeper attended its young within the crevice of a pine.

There was plenty of wildlife on the reserve.  Dragonfly were abundant, with many just emerging.  Broad-bodied Chaser were present in good numbers, and a couple of Emperor were zipping around. 

There were around fifty stalks of Early Marsh Orchid in bloom by the pools.

A female Roe Deer lazily passed through.