Dartfords and Redstarts at Thursley Common

18th April 2026

Great to be back at one of my favourite sites where I spent many hours studying dragonflies back in the late 1990s, and despite being ravaged by wild fires recently looking in tip-top condition. A beautiful sunny Spring day with little wind so ideal conditions.

My targets today were Dartford Warbler and Redstart, but first a gentle wander to see what else was around. The boardwalks were beginning to warm up and were attracting Common Lizards to bask in the morning sun.

Their typical colour is dull brown but they can also be tinged with red, yellow, grey and green.

I kept on hearing the distant flutey song of the Wood Lark but not long enough to track them down. When I did manage to find one, instead of posing on a Gorse bush or Silver Birch sapling, it insisted on posing on the only power line crossing the site. Well, you can't win them all.

So now for the Dartford Warblers. In previous years I have found them to be hard work, but this year I came across them as soon as I left The Moat and saw more today than I have managed in all previous visits put together. However as normal it is a bit of cat and mouse game with some just peering out from a Silver Birch sapling.

On the other hand some were more flamboyant and would perch up on a more traditional Gorse bush...................

.........................and even pose for the camera!!!!

And some nearly got away.

And this one was clearly feeling left out of it and came and perched on a log just 12 feet away.

And finally the prime target for today, the Common Redstart. I found them in two locations today but this one was the most cooperative.

 

And even entertained me with a burst of song.

And we all have to get lucky some time. No pre-capture here!!!!

Well, what a great morning and now to do battle with the M25.