Bird spotting on the Heath 🐦⬛🌿🔭
The morning air is crisp and the Surrey Heathlands are officially waking up. With Spring now in full swing, there is no better time to head outdoors and listen to the bird song as the landscape changes. 🎶
In our latest episode, Phil is joined by local birder and talented photographer, Mark Leitch for a dawn walk across the iconic Horsell Common. The mission? A friendly “bird watching challenge” to see and hear how many bird species can be detected on the heath this month. Beyond the competition, Phil and Mark take a moment to reflect on the wider wildlife activity we’ve spotted across the Surrey Heathlands throughout the season.
Who takes the crown? 👑
Was it Phil’s keen ears or Mark’s photographer’s eye that spotted the most birds? Check out the episode below to find out. How many did the pair spot?👇🏼🏆
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Enjoyed bird spotting in the common with us? Please like and subscribe to our Surrey Uncommon YouTube channel. It means a lot! 🩷🔔 Missed the latest episodes of Surrey Uncommon? Don’t worry! Catch up here and see you all on Episode 6.
FAQs
Usually, during the Spring months, most birds are active (and vocal) during the first few hours after sunrise. As Phil and Mark demonstrate in this episode, the “dawn chorus” is the magic window.
While every walk is different, the heathlands are notably famous for species like the Stonechat, Dartford Warbler, and the Woodlark. Keep your ears open for their songs!
You don’t need much to get started! A decent pair of binoculars and a local field guide (or a bird ID app) are perfect. As you’ll see in this episode, patience is key.
