NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

What a dull, flat start to 2020 - the weather that is, although the birding wasn't much better. I chickened out of going coastal (couldn't stand the thought of joining the year-listing throng) so tip-toed along to Juniper Bottom to see in the year's first day-break. On arrival at the car park I was greeted by a veritable hoot-off comprising at least nine Tawny Owls that were positioned along the valley. I took up a viewpoint towards the summit of Juniper Top and awaited the dawn - and waited - and waited. It was still virtually dark at 08.00hrs and had hardly brightened an hour later. Little was happening, so I cut my losses and headed for the River Mole at Mickleham, where I walked along the banks to Leatherhead and back, then onto Westhumble. Undoubted highlight were at least seven Goosander (above), which included six males, 13 Little Egret (below) and a Kingfisher. There was very little else, no finch or thrush flocks and little activity in the pockets of woodland th...

Seeing that there seems to be so little about at the moment I thought that I would 'ring the changes' and do something completely different - but still within the uber patch. Hmmm, hardly different, is it Steve?... Parking up in Mickleham Village, and crossing the A24, found me on the banks of River Mole, at this point a narrow affair. I then walked northwards, carrying on through to Common Meadow, Leatherhead, no more than a couple of miles in length but longer when you add on the meandering. It was a walk that I had not completed as a whole, having dived in-and-out over the years at various points of entry, and mainly during the summer months as the area is quite good botanically. Highlight was a red-head Goosander (above), that fed happily in the water at Common Meadow (below) with the bird deciding, after ten minutes, that it had had enough of me, and flew on. At least two Little Egrets were seen (Mickleham and Common Meadow) plus 5 Little Grebe, a Cormorant, 8 ...