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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale
@stevewg.bsky.social
600 followers 410 following 630 posts
Surrey-based naturalist on the edge of Greater London with a particular interest in bird migration, lepidoptera and botany. A liking for searching the under-recorded parts of the North Downs. Football will also feature! northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 19h
Congratulations!
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 20h
Man of leisure yet Tony?…
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 1d
Yellowhammer and Little Owl still holding on - just! Goshawk now resident between Box and Colley!!
stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 1d
Both Ian, although mostly around Buckland Farm. The field north of the railway line (where Lapwings still breed) is the largest.
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 1d
‘Evil’ as in the strips are only present because of the released game bird biomass on the farm - result being some of the farmland is comparatively nature rich…
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 1d
The farmer has created plenty of game cover strips throughout Buckland which, while botanically interesting, is also a magnet for inverts. Mainly fodder Radish, Phacelia, Flax, Millet, Buckwheat. A necessary evil?
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 1d
Box Hill to Reigate Hill and back, Surrey (21.3k walked): quiet. 1 Peregrine, 250 Red-legged Partridge (recent release, many with Chukar heritage), 250 Pheasant, 6 Redwing, 60 Goldcrest, 6 Firecrest, 1 Marsh Tit, 50 Siskin, 1 Yellowhammer
Dribble of pipits and finches overhead west
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#UKBirding
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 2d
I’ve been there but come out the other side Kev!
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 2d
Good man!
stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 2d
Tomorrow’s itinerary: dawn skywatch from Box Hill, walk along ridge of downs to Colley Hill, down to hill base then back along the flat, via River Mole bank, then back up to top of Box Hill. I’m lucky that after 50 years of birding such modest plans find me excited to go and full of hope! #UKBirding
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 2d
Banstead (Surrey) full of ‘em
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 4d
Epsom/Walton Downs, Surrey: still 24 Stonechats present with accompanying Whinchat #UKBirding #LowCarbonBirding
Whinchat, Walton Downs, Surrey 5 October 2025
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 4d
My kind of afternoon Steve. You can also find some interesting colonising plants at these lower league grounds.
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 4d
Ah, I knew somebody would pick that last line up Allan. It is very much a Dungeness song from my youth. Happy memories.
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 5d
You’re on a roll Les. I should have switched the MV on…
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 5d
Chocolate chip mint ice cream as well
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 5d
Shut down vismig for us modest birders…
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 5d
Returning later in the autumn Peter?
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 5d
I scroll past so many moth images but this one stopped me in my tracks. Superb image Andy.
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 5d
Agreed Ian, when the sky fills it is a task to make a sensible judgment on numbers.
stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 6d
Having a look through the Trektellen database the record day Redwing movement is of 900,000 birds, at De Puinhoop, Netherlands on 21 October 1995. Puts my 26,013 over Banstead on 13 October 2021 into perspective. But then I’m reminded of an apt saying:

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Too true.
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 6d
49 years ago today I saw my first Red-breasted Flycatcher (at Dungeness, Kent.) It was a bird that sprinkled magic dust over that time, a realisation that my birding experience was going to be blessed with such delicate apparitions. You just didn’t know when. 49 years! Who knows where the time goes?
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 6d
Too right Kev. That Dutch, Belgian and French coast line wipes the floor with us for bird numbers. And habitat. And the overall experience.

Comme toujours…
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 6d
According to Trektellen plenty of Chaffinches moving along the Dutch and French coastline. Remember one of my rare forays to Cap Gris Nez one October when we had 60k Chaffinch and 1.5k Brambling on the move. We could see Dungeness, which that day had just a couple of hundred. So near yet so far…
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stevewg.bsky.social
Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 6d
I knew I’d wear you down eventually - thar’s gold in them hills!!
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