CROYDON RSPB MEMBERS' GROUP - TRIP REPORT

A painless drive from Croydon saw us gathering soon after 10 am at the western edge of Thursley Common, near the Moat Pond. Other than a sizeable flock of mallards, all of the males in eclipse, the only birds on the pond were moorhens and coots and a single little grebe, the latter in its attractive breeding plumage. After so much recent rainfall, we had to pick our way carefully to avoid getting wet feet on the way to Pudmore Pond and the boardwalk crossing the peat bog. This is usually an excellent area in which to see a range of dragonflies, including some rarities. This morning was distinctly cool, however, and with quite a breeze blowing too, only a few commoner damselflies were identified. There were half a dozen common lizards distributed along the length of the board walk, seemingly rather sluggish in the low temperature and quite reluctant to move at our approach. We were also able to study the insectiverous sundew plants which were growing in some profusion alongside our path. Three Canada geese were feeding out in the middle of the bog and a very bright male reed bunting was delivering its simple little song from nearby low bushtops.

Moving from the bog to the dry sandy soil of adjacent heathland, we were watching linnets on a gorse bush beside the path ahead when the first Dartford warbler of the day flitted past in the background. Approaching with caution, most of us managed to obtain reasonable views of the bird, some even having time to train their telescopes on it. Thereafter, the most obvious birds in the more open heathland areas were stonechats, one or more of which seemed to be constantly in view. As the morning warmed up, a few butterflies started taking to the wing and we spent some time trying (unsuccessfully) to find a silver-studded among the common blues as they alighted upon the heather blooms. A low pile of logs provided a convenient dry seat for lunch and as we made our way over to it, attention was diverted by family parties of coal and great tits, whitethroats carrying food to young, scolding songs of more Dartford warblers from a heather and gorse thicket, and suspected crossbill calls from nearby conifers.

After lunch we made our way through a fringe of woodland to scan the Hammer Pond - foliage around the water's edge was so luxuriant that we had trouble finding a clear viewpoint, and then a few tufted ducks and more mallards, coots and moorhens were our only reward. We walked on for quite a while through conifers and birches without seeing a single bird, then suddenly stumbling on a sizeable mixed flock consisting mainly of tits and chaffinches but also including at least one goldcrest and one treecreeper. The flock vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Pressing on, we had to don waterproofs twice as brief showers passed over but were thankfull to have avoided the heavy downpours we could see in the distance. Reaching the Mound - actually an ancient tumulus - we encountered more birds : a small flock of woodlarks taking off just ahead of us and landing near trees where a family of green woodpeckers was feeding, while meadow pipits and tree pipits were still performing song flights out over the open boggy areas to the north. The Mound is traditionally a good vantage point from which to watch for hobbies hunting for dragonflies out over the bog but, although we watched for a while, none appeared today. The usual redstarts also eluded us.