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I didn’t realise that you’d moved from Kent Andy - thought you were on an extended holiday. All the best in your new home.

50 years ago today. Bluethroat trapped at Beddington SF, Surrey. The teenage me could scarcely believe it… Mike Netherwood extracted it from the mist net, Ken Parsley ringed it, I gawped on from the sidelines. A special day that has never lost its allure. October 10th always remembered.

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UMA Day40 Leatherhead and Fetcham area, Surrey Undoubted highlight was a calling YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER in riverside wood/scrub near the town (only my 3rd in the county). Also: 4 Little Egret, 14 Gadwall, 1 Pintail, 3 Goosander, 2 Red Kite, 2 Water Rail, 2 Stonechat, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Firecrest.

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

I went to their old ground on a Friday evening in 1978 to see them play Watford - old Div 4! Random fixture due to birding nearby…

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UMA Day39 Banstead + Malden Rushett, Surrey Morning pulses of Redwing west, in modest groups no larger than 25, totalling 370 early doors (B) plus a further 240 (MR), the latter site being where two WOODLARK S were the headliners. All birds low. A scatter of Chaffinch and Goldfinch W as well.

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

I love these threads Kevin. I knew Dav quite well back in the day. He was a one-off…

Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Defunct? Still available to comb for gems though!

Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

UMA Day38 Colley Hill, Surrey An early morning male RING OUZEL west with various other thrushes inc 46 Redwing & 9 Mistle. Chaffinches also on move (337 w). Hobby south. Clear out of Robin, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Crackerjack, Jamboree Bags, Parka coats, stack shoes, joss sticks, jubblies, Disco 45, Monty Python, power cuts, High Chapparal, Kojak, double headliners at the cinema, flair footballers, Alf Garnett, Steptoe… I could go on David!

Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

My kind of day. You can keep your sibes and yanks…

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

UMA Day36 Colley Hill + Mogador, Surrey. MARSH HARRIER (1 imm from S at 15.00hrs), HAWFINCH (2e 08.45hrs) Light w passage first thing - Chaff, Song Th, Redwing, Mistle Th, Skylark. 80 Skylark & 50 Mipit on stubble. 90 Robin around. 10 Clouded Yellow (inc 1 helice), 2 Vestal. Above the fog…

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I’m feeling similarly hard done by here in Surrey David although my bar isn’t set as high as yours. Keep going!

Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

UMA Day 34 Canons Farm, Surrey. High pressure, blue skies, unseasonal warmth. Empty fields, empty hedgerows and silent heavens. T-shirt and shorts. Sun hat and squinting eyes. Remembering the leaf fall, chill and bird-filled Octobers of my youth. Please come back! Not moaning, just reporting.

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

UMA Day 33 Colley Hill + Mogador, Surrey 1 Peregrine, 75 Skylark (on stubble), 30 Meadow Pipit, 7 Stonechat, 2 Redwing, 75 Robin, 79 Chaffinch (west to south in a late-morning movement). A lot of huff and puff for morsels of reward.

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Chipstead, Surrey: SHEERWATER! Well, Sheerwater FC, away at Chipstead FC in the Combined Counties Premier League. I do love a bird-themed footy team. Even if misspelled. Kick off at 3. Teams warming up.

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Makes Surrey appear to be ‘birding central’ Peter!

Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

UMA Day 32 Epsom Stew Ponds + Malden Rushett, Surrey The farmland has been tidied up a bit but is still productive. 3 Red Kite, 50+ Skylark, 133 Meadow Pipit (mostly south), 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Stonechat, 50+ House Sparrow. Surrounding yourself with the burbling of cavorting Skylarks is restorative

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Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

North-east of Banstead - on the edge of Woodmansterne

Neil Young reference noted!

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

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That’s the third differing suggestion Pete!

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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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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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From where Mark was standing to the tallest buildings is approximately 26 miles. To Box Hill is 5.5 miles.

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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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Thank you David - I should sign you up as my agent!

Thank you kindly! Ashford possibly one of the most sizeable towns not to currently have a relatively successful club

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

Hi David. Goosander bred here this year (first time in the county). How much longer are you going to watch the hedge?

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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 · 29/09/2026

I spent three days there in early-April a few years ago Mark. Absolutely magical.

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

Surely you hadn’t been born then Nige?

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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That last species should read Raven

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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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Be interested to hear what you are recommend Paul. My SX70 might go the same way soon.,,

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

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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They are Geoff, but I think that they are most probably regular counts if only birders went off piste a bit more and covered areas that are mostly neglected.