Thursley advice

[htcdude]

Hi all,

I was wondering if you could help. I'm wondering where to take the family tomorrow for a walk, and seeing as I haven't been to Thursley before I have a couple of questions:

1) What exactly is there? Is it just a common? or woods, fields etc?

2) Is there anything that my nearly 2 year old would enjoy doing?

3) Where can I find the Great Grey Shrike that I often read of being there?

Thanks!

Nige

[aeshna5]

It's a National Nature Reserve with a mix of habitats- probably most important are the heathland + lowland bog (there's a boardwalk through this) but also pine woodland, a couple of small lakes (such as Moat Pond where many people park) + some scrub.

Probably fairly quiet for birding this time of the year but Great Grey Shrike is a winter regular (not sure where this year's bird is). Used to be goood for Dartford Warblers but these have virtually been wiped out by recent winters. You should find the odd pair of Stonechats, Goldcrests + Coal tits in the woods. Much better for birds in spring with breeding Curlew, Hobby, occasional Goshawk + Honey Buzzard, Nightjar, Woodlark, Tree Pipit + Redstart, occasionally Crossbills.

Spring/summer also good for heath flora , reptiles + invertebrates- top site for Odonata, Silver-studded Blues, Graylings, Bog Bush-crickets, many Hymenoptera, etc.

To be honest not much for small child apart from feeding the ducks at Moat Pond where there's picnic tables.

[htcdude]

Thanks for the reply, we decided not to go as the little-un probably would've got bored, so ended up at Marlow instead

But I will go before the winter is up for the Shrike, so thanks for your help

Nige

[Wild-Woman]

Yes I'd agree with aeshna5, not really best place for ankle-nibblers and like I said in the Thursley thread, no loos which can be a bit inconvenient.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Saw the shrike, eventually, today. It was in the are to the west side of Shrike Hill (unofficial name I think). From The Moat car park walk past the pond through the trees outr to the open heathland. Turn right on to the sandy path and head fro a couple of hundred metres to the 2nd boardwalk that crosses the bog and walk along this. Scan all the dead birches in this area as the bird favours this. Shrike Hill is the low hill at the end of the boardwalk and the bird can be anywhere from the hill to the telegraph pylons back toward the road to the west.

Grid Reference for where the bird was today SU 90175 41183

Cheers,

Adam

[htcdude]

Excellent many thanks for that Adam! I might try and get down there in the next couple of weeks.

Nige