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UMA Day 31 Canons Farm & Dungeon Hill, Surrey Apart from 10 Stonechats really poor. We go again tomorrow.

Everyday is a school day. In 1967, 8-year-old me fell in love with ‘Itchycoo Park’ by the Small Faces. I cannot hear it without being catapulted back to that shimmering summer. Only today have a learnt that the word Itchycoo was referencing the Stinging Nettles that stung the songwriters legs.

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 14h

Having just seen a Jimmy Hill meme it reminded me… Back in the 70s and 80s, whenever anybody claimed something that was far-fetched, we would stroke our chin repeatedly and say “Reckon” “Chin rub” or “Jimmy Hill” Just me? Was it just a ‘London’ thing?

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I cannot think of a better photo that sums up the juxtaposition between our natural world and London. Taken by the late Mark Davis, who was standing at the top of Leith Hill Tower (Surrey) looking north. The straw-coloured patch is the Box Hill lookout. I’m standing half-way down slope from there.

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

UMA Day 29 Westhumble to Leatherhead, Surrey: a walk along the River Mole and a check on Fetcham Pond was most productive with 4 Little Egret, a drake Pintail (Uberpatch gold!), 4 Goosander, 1 Water Rail, 3 Kingfisher, a very late Nightingale (possibly county latest ever) and a Cetti’s Warbler #UMA

Drake Pintail asleep, Fetcham Pond, 29/9/26

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Dungeness, Kent: 45 years ago today Ray Turley and myself found a flock of three Tawny Pipits close to the bird observatory. Just the one today would be big news such has their status changed.

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

UMA Day 26 Epsom Downs, Surrey 5 Common Buzzard, 11 Skylark, 52 Robin, 23 Stonechat, 1 Blackcap, 25 Chiffchaff, 1 Robin. Blue skies, calm, warm and, except for those mentioned above, practically birdless. 6 Clouded Yellow #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Banstead Athletic 0 Stansfeld 1 Bone hard pitch. Rutted. Playing surface a thing of anti-beauty. Away team tamed it more efficiently. Red Kite did its best to drag my attention away from this lacklustre 90 minutes. And I thought this game might prop up a poor morning’s birding…

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

UMA Day 25 Denbies Hillside, Surrey 5 Red Kite, 1 Peregrine, 20 Skylark, 25 Meadow Pipit, 44 Stonechat, 245 Robin, 22 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 120 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, 105 Great Tit, 80 Blue Tit, 3 Marsh Tit, 15 Raven. 11 hours of combing the slopes and hedgerows revealed the birds. #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Banstead, Surrey: the garden’s second ever Clifden Nonpareil graced the MV last night - not the pristine moth that the first was (23/08/17) but welcome all the same #TeamMoth

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

UMA Day 22 Reigate Hill to Dawcombe, Surrey Undoubted highlight was the large number of Robins along the scarp slope with 190+ : 100 in the Colley Hill area alone. Wistful autumn song today’s soundtrack. Also: 12 Stonechat, 35 Blackcap, 50 Chiffchaff, 1 Marsh Tit + 18 Clouded Yellow, 2 Vestal #UMA

Colley Hill, base of scarp slope 22/9/26

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Colley Hill, Surrey: coffee break from birding the steep scrub. Love the plaque on the bench I’m sitting on

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

UMA Day 21 Denbies Hillside, Surrey 5 Red Kite, 40 Common Buzzard, 8 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 90 Meadow Pipits, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Stonechat, 9 Blackcap, 30 Chiffchaff, 28 Jay (inc 18 high movers W), 11 Raven + 11 Clouded Yellow (1 helice form), 1 Vestal, 1 Vernal Shieldbug #UMA

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Reposted by Steve Gale

Dungeness Bird Observatory @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Come join us for the Big Kent Bird Migration Day at Dungeness Bird Observatory, it is only a week away! There will be plenty with a guided walk, migration watches, seawatching and bird ringing if the weather allows. Today is full of Meadow Pipits with hundreds overhead and 101 ringed #kentbirding

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

UMA Day 20 Epsom Downs, Surrey Watched a female Merlin arrive from the north, in over the grandstands and steadily come towards me, feet over my head as it departed south-eastwards; a good county bird. First show of Meadow Pipits (60+) and a single flock of 190 House Martins. #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

UMA Day 19 Little Woodcote, Surrey A morning that had been planned as a search of the paddocks and small holdings to the N and E of Banstead ended up as a sky watching session being mesmerised by pulses of migrating House Martins - 2440 SW in total. Also: Yellow Wagtail + Firecrest #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

UMA Day 18 Canons Farm, Surrey A morning nursed along by a modest trickle of hirundines that included several large pulses to boost numbers : 6 Red Kite, 12 Com Buzzard, 3 Hobby, 950 House Martin, 120 Swallow - little else moving. A definite fall in House Sparrow numbers locally. Worrying. #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

UMA Day 16 After the feast of yesterday came the famine. Denbies (Surrey) from dawn provided hardly any vis-mig whilst the scrubby lower slopes on the southern side of Box Hill (Surrey) could only cough up a Lesser Whitethroat of note. “You remember your good days because of your bad ones” #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Banstead, Surrey: an Hibiscus plant in the garden is now crawling with these - final instar Southern Green Shieldbugs.

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

UMA Day 15 Denbies Hillside Birds! A big hirundine push with a s-w passage of 4700 Swallow, 610 House Martin & 40 Sand Martin. Also, 15 Red Kite, 22 C Buzzard, 1 Hobby, 16 R-L Partridge, 80 Stock Dove, 3 Wheatear, 7 Stonechat, 2 Whitethroat, L White, Garden W, 16 Blackcap, 80 Chiff, 28 Raven #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I really do have a short memory. I wrote this three years ago and obviously have not heeded my own words! northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2023/09/a-re...

northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com

A reckoning

It goes with the territory. If you are an advocate and an exponent of 'low-carbon' birding, of being green and of leaving the car in the dri...

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

UMA Day 13 Juniper Top & Bottom, Surrey 1 Red Kite, 5 Common Buzzard, 1 Goshawk (award winning picture attached), 5 Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Tit, 2 Raven. ‘All Quiet on the North Downs Front’ is brought to you by somebody who should know better than to expect stardust whenever he lifts his bins #UMA

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Reposted by Steve Gale

Ploddingbirder @ploddingbirder.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Dungeness: Some highly cropped images of the fantastic Brown Booby, that was brilliantly picked out by @neilburt.bsky.social in among a large distant feeding flock of Gannets this afternoon off the fishing boats. Despite woeful phone signal at Dunge most the of the locals connected thanks to radio.

A highly cropped image of a Brown Booby viewed from the Dungeness fishing boats.

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Banstead, Surrey: to the MV - single Bordered Straw, Vestal and Orange Sallow (latter not quite annual) plus 4 Clancy’s Rustic (highest day total) #TeamMoth

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

UMA Day 11 Epsom & Walton Downs, Surrey Another day of virtually empty skies, fields and hedgerows. It would be easy to curl up into a ball and howl for what we have lost. However, we take what is offered… 2 Whinchat 6 Clouded Yellow 2 Vestal An active Hornet’s nest in a hay stack. Carpe diem #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

UMA Day 10 Banstead + Priest Hill, Surrey Domestic responsibilities have meant little time has been spent in the field in recent days with the odd hour here and there just underlining how quiet it is. However, a count of eight Clouded Yellow at PH was unprecedented for that site. #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Not being pessimistic, nor negative, but day 10 of staring into my north Surrey skies is revealing just how empty of birds they are. Am I surprised? Not really, it’s how things are now. I’m just waiting for that pipit and hirundine dam to burst…

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

UMA Day 9 Canons Farm. Quiet. 1 Wheatear, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Raven, 30 Linnet, 7 Yellowhammer #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Banstead, Surrey: this got me scratching my head for a while this morning - a mid-instar nymph of the Southern Green Shieldbug

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Reposted by Steve Gale

Dungeness Bird Observatory @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Come join us for the Big Kent Bird Migration Day at Dungeness Bird Observatory! There will be lots going on, with a guided walk, visible migration watches, seawatching and hopefully bird ringing if the weather allows. We hope to see you there! #kentbirding

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

UMA Day 7 Southern slopes of Box Hill - very quiet, with 2 Red Kite, 5 Common Buzzard, 1 Hobby, 9 Stonechat, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Raven. Also: 3 Lace Border, 5 Clouded Yellow #UMA #TeamMoth

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Banstead, Surrey: the inland migrant moth fest continues with 3 Vestal and 4 Small Mottled Willow. Two Barred Hook-tip were unusual and the recent run of regular Maiden’s Blush makes me wonder whether some may be migrants #TeamMoth

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Banstead, Surrey: 3 Delicate and a Small Mottled Willow to the MV. The SMW was the 100th individual to be recorded here - prior to this year there had been just the two! #TeamMoth

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

UMA Day 5 additional news: Canons Farm, Surrey - male Merlin dive bombing a Hobby by the light of the evening sun. #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

UMA Day 5 Banstead + Canons Farm, Surrey A day of staring into largely empty blue skies. 3 Red Kite, 3 Hobby, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Raven, 70 Linnet. #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

UMA Day 4 Epsom & Walton Downs, Surrey 1 Red Kite, 1 Common Buzzard, 30 Swallow, 2 Wheatear, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 9 Blackcap, 40 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

My first Swarovski eye cups were in good nick and 19 years old when they were replaced when my binoculars had a service. The current ones are just shy of three years old. Pitted and split on both…

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

UMA Day 3 Denbies & Ranmore, Surrey Honey Buzzard (ad male west), 11 Common Buzzard, 4 Red Kite, 1 Hobby, 1 GBB Gull, 250 House Martin, 25 Swallow, 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Yellow Wag, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Marsh Tit, 13 Raven, 80 Linnet Plus: Silver-spotted Skipper, Clouded Yellow, Vestal #UMA

Silver-spotted Skipper, Ranmore, Surrey 3/9/26

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

UMA Day 2 River Mole @ Box Hill & Mickleham 4 Red Kite, 6 Common Buzzard, 3 Hobby, 1 Kingfisher, 300 House Martin, 75 Swallow, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Common Redstart, 1 Whinchat, 11 Stonechat, 3 Whitethroat, 20 Chiffchaff, 1 Raven #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Uberpatch Meteorological Autumn (UMA) Day 1 Reigate Hill to Buckland Hills, Surrey 4 Red Kite, 12 Common Buzzard, 1 Hobby, 2 Whinchat, 30 Chiffchaff, 20 Blackcap, single Reed, Garden & Willow Warbler, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Marsh Tit - also 30+ Clouded Yellow #UMA

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Daughter’s friend: “Your Dad won’t be pleased, his team have just lost 2-0.” Daughter: “Oh, he’ll be alright - he’s used to it after a lifetime of supporting Spurs…”

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Step 6 League Banstead Athletic 0 Welling Town 2 A result against the run of play and what happens when you don’t take your chances and switch off at the back. A wet and squally afternoon that matched the home teams mood…

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Banstead, Surrey: 3 Vestal and 2 Small Mottled Willow were the migrant highlights to the MV. For context, yesterday saw the eighth Vestal recorded here since 1987. Three this morning only goes to underline how bonkers this summer has been. All time SMW total now 99 (two before this year!) #TeamMoth

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