Empty?

Birding in the Surrey hinterland, particularly during the winter months, can be hard work. Frustrating. Soul sapping. Even depressing. Today was one such day, when a combination of drizzle and a lack of birds turned me from an enthusiastic birder to a crumpled heap within an hour.

I was walking across Walton Heath when it occurred to me that not only could I not see a single bird, I also couldn't hear one. I stood still and looked harder. I made my ears work overtime. Nothing. For maybe 20-30 seconds (it seemed like an hour) there was not a single avian tickle to be felt. And then four Wood Pigeons flew into view. Followed a further thirty seconds later by a Carrion Crow. And then a Herring Gull. I could have predicted those three species, the 21st century birders staple diet of pigeon, crow and gull. 95% of the Surrey bird biomass is made of that triumvirate I can confidently claim. It wasn't it always like this - or was it?

When I returned home I picked up my notebook from February 1977, when I knew that I had visited Walton Heath (dipping on a Great Grey Shrike). Did I see more back then - well, sort of... I recorded 2 Stonechats (missing today), 2 Willow Tits (extinct in the county now) and a flock of 50+ Redpolls (none today). My species list was still poor on that day 38 years ago but undoubtably I had seen more. Was that the proof that I needed to laud the past as better for birding? Not quite. My notebook reveals that a return visit a fortnight later was pants - no Stonechat, no Willow Tits (but a single Marsh) and only one Redpoll. Maybe my past is being viewed through rose-tinted glasses.

PS: I hope that the title of this post is not a true prediction of my garden MV haul tonight. The trap is on, the night is cloudy and mild and my expectations are for a handful of moths. Any species will do...

Comments

Warren Baker said…
Yep - I certainly have had a few days like that !!
Steve Gale said…
Kent hinterland no better then Warren... :-(
Unknown said…
I too have the trap on in hope but have so far consoled myself with a few trichoceridae and a cranefly.

Should have gone to the woods I think.
Steve Gale said…
The woods are always a better bet at this time of year, but our gardens are so convenient
Derek Faulkner said…
As someone who has lived on the marshes of Sheppey in Kent all his life and brought up with large flocks of waders and wildfowl all the time I have to say that my regular visits to Surrey to see my girlfriend are always very disappointing wildlife wise. I walk my dogs round the huge expanse of Hawley woods and heathland at Yately and always find them frustratingly quiet bird-wise.
Steve Gale said…
Which, Derek, may go some way to explain why I need to get down to Dungeness now and again.

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