NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

I'm putting together an article on the current Hawfinch irruption in Surrey and thought you might be interested in the following numbers: 12,729 Total Hawfinch bird/days in Surrey since October 7th 6,094 My personal Hawfinch bird/day total since October 16th 600 Highest count - from Bramblehall Wood on March 13th 110 Number of locations in the county to have recorded the species And there's still April to come...

I've got an itch that I need to scratch. Something that is missing from my ornithological life. And that is getting involved with this 'nocturnal migration' malarkey. There are a band of brothers (and no doubt some sisters) who are sticking microphones out in their gardens overnight and recording the sounds of the night-time that would otherwise go undetected. It sounds like fun - it sounds like the sort of thing that I'd get involved in. I've investigated what is needed to get started, weighed up the pros and cons and... well, I haven't quite taken that final leap into the purchase of a recorder, a microphone, and the download of software - but we are getting near to that point. What's not to like, sifting through several hours worth of recording and separating the car alarms, aircraft and foxes from the calls of migrating waders, Coots and Common Scoters? I love nocturnal bird calls. I've spent an April night sitting on the moat at Dungeness and list...

Canons Farm was the place of choice this morning, where I teamed-up with Geoff Barter for a long chat and a wide wander around the fields and hedgerows. On first arriving it was obvious that there were a few more thrushes about, with up to a dozen Blackbirds (above), 65 Fieldfares and six Redwings. Other species flocking to get our attention included 40 Stock Doves, 200 Starlings and 100  Linnets. It is pleasing to find that 'our' Yellowhammers are still being site faithful, with four birds (three males) being found. Try as we might there was no summer migrant to remind us of the coming season, but we are patient souls if nothing else.

I arrived at Bramblehall Wood shortly after dawn and had to wait for a good 15 minutes before the first two Hawfinches arrived. It then went very quiet again and, whilst wondering whether or not the flock had finally broken up, a number of birds arrived high from the top of Ashurst Rough. All the subsequent morning's action - over the course of 90 minutes - took place at the northern end of the wood, where a 100m long bank of Yew trees were being favoured. As with previous visits, the birds helped me no end with obtaining an accurate count by slowly, bird by bird, small flock by small flock, fly from the Yews, across the field, and into the opposite woodland at the base of the footpath. 275 was the 'not to shabby' final total, but undoubtably down on my two previous counts here of 600 and 550 (on March 13th and 20th respectively). There was little in the way of additional bundles of Hawfinches flying in to join the main flock and calling was much subdued - it felt like w...

Maybe the Hawfinch bubble is starting to leak air, if not actually burst yet. This morning saw a check of sites west of the Mole Gap, and although I had many encounters with the 'big-bills', they were fewer in number, with the actual bird counts down as well. It is about time that the flocks should start to disperse, although the historical record does show that large flocks can be recorded well into April. My totals were: Dorking Wood (22), Chapelhill Wood (20), Bagden Wood (2), Freehold Wood (1), Polesden Lacey (1), Ranmore Common (6). I did pop onto the top of Box Hill for a crafty look but this could only muster two Hawfinches - again, down on recent days. This is nature's kind way of weaning me off of them...

The days are deniably drawing out, even if we have to share this daylight lengthening with bouts of 'Beasts from the East Parts 1, 2 and, apparently, 3'. To get us in the mood for those warm days, drowsy with the buzz of insects and perfumed via the waft of wild flowers, here's a selection of books - all highly recommended - that will only make us yearn all the more for their return. In Pursuit of Butterflies by Matthew Oates Matthew Oates has spent the past 50 years of his life in love with butterflies and has forged a career out of studying, counting and being enthralled by them. The book is autobiographical, but it is much, much more than a 'been there, saw that' memoirs. Each page is packed not only with anecdote, but also with information - information that is anything but dry. I have learnt so much about butterflies from reading this that when I now go out into the field I am looking at them in a very different way. No longer are they just colourful an...

It had been a week since I last visited Bramblehall Wood to count the Hawfinches, although visits had been made to outlying areas in the past few days that suggested good numbers would still be present. On arrival at 06.15hrs three Hawfinches flew over Whitehill car park and by the time I reached my viewpoint overlooking the wood quite a few were already perched up in the bare tree tops, favouring the northern end (taster video above - the BBC Natural History Film Unit has nothing to worry about). At least 270 were counted, and when these birds moved along the tree-line in a northerly direction I carried on southwards. More birds soon arrived, coming from the south and also off the top of Ashurst Rough, mainly heading to where the earlier birds had been - as in recent visits a steady passage helped me to obtain an accurate count. When I reached an additional total of 280, a mass of 300 birds came back along the woodland edge, swirling in front of me before bursting through the treet...