Q1 2026 Bird Report: Sightings at Rosamund Community Garden, Guildford
- Alan Lobb
- Apr 3
- 6 min read
TL;DR: Spring is arriving at Rosamund! Q1 2026 brought exciting sightings to our Guildford community garden and the surrounding Pewley area, including rare Grey Partridges, an early Yellowhammer, and passing Wheatears. Here is your local birding update.
Crikey – it’s nearly the end of ‘Quarter 1’ – 3 months of 2026 is over. My sister-in-law came over for dinner last week and asked, in all seriousness, - “I know it’s a bit early but we do need to start thinking about Christmas?” – She didn’t get dessert.
As we contemplate things that really matter, Spring is ‘almost’ upon us and the signs of change, movement and activity are now noticeable. And in the last week things have really started to hot up in the “Pewley Bird World”. Be still your beating heart!
Winter Visitors: Owls, Redpolls, and Gulls
Before that though a quick review of the past few winter months. There was no sign, unfortunately, that we saw anyway, of the Barn Owl that patrolled the meadows and slept in the Rosamund loo during the winter before. That one was probably a young one that was looking for a place to breed and find a female. And not finding one, it moved on during last Spring. We wish it well.
On the upside however, it has become apparent that Rosamund is a “hotspot” for Redpoll over the recent winter. Redpolls are small, streaky little finches that are similar to Linnets in some ways – but smaller and they have a little, red cap and a pink blush on their chests. See then picture below. They like alders and spend a lot of time at the top of these trees in small groups.
Listen out: They have a very distinctive sound. Visit eBird where you'll see a picture of one - AND where you can listen to what they sound like. How cool is that!
Where to find them: They are still around Rosamund - especially in the morning - and so look out for them at Rosamund or in the gardens opposite. You'll hear them first.
Other winter birds that we have seen this year include:
Redwing, Fieldfare, and Siskin: And yes, you can click on those links too.
Firecrests and Goldcrests: These have been regular in the bushes and trees along Burgess Way and we think they must breed in and around us now. Firecrests used to be restricted to the New Forest but now they are almost as common as Goldcrests – which we also see.
Common Gulls: Gulls may not be the most exciting birds for everyone – they need a better PR company – they really are smart when you look at them closely. I can tell you that the field by the Chantries horse paddock holds the biggest winter flock of Common Gulls for miles around. They’ve all headed north now to breed but they are quite a lovely bird. And these ones don’t eat chips!
Rare Sightings on Pewley: Yellowhammers and Partridges
But the big news has been in the last 2 weeks. Firstly, a Yellowhammer made an appearance for the first time in around 10 years! Years ago, they used to breed regularly on Pewley – but then people started “tidying up”; hedges are flailed every year, or ripped out; seeds are no longer spilt in the way they were before; weedkillers are thrown about; farming practices changed etc. But a few days ago, we had a Yellowhammer – it didn’t stay long and it headed East over Rosamund – but still, a bit of a result.
And then a few days after that, 3 sightings caused a bit of a stir in the local birding community. Did you know that there are 2 species of Partridge in the UK?
Red-legged Partridge – or French Partridge: This one has red legs and is kind of funky looking. It was actually introduced into the countryside, by people who like to shoot at small defenceless birds. Those people fortunately, or unfortunately, did not manage to shoot them all and some then bred and now it is the commonest Partridge in the country as a whole and certainly in Surrey. You may have seen the pair that hang around Rosamund at the moment. They like to spend the night under the benches.
Grey Partridge: The native Grey Partridge is now very rare here. So, when 2 of them (pic above) appeared in the field just to the south of Burgess Way at the end of the row of gardens the birding community in Surrey and beyond went into overdrive.
These birds are so rare that at least 10 birders came from “miles around” – or at least the other side of Guildford – to try and see them. Have you heard of twitchers? Twitchers are people who chase around the country seeing birds that other people have found. By finding these Grey Partridge we caused a “mini-twitch” on Pewley. Some birders who have 40 years birding in Surrey have never seen one. Above are “your” Grey Partridges – the male is on the right, female on the left.
Harbingers of Spring: Wheatears and Bramblings
On the same day, moreover, 2 other birds turned up on the “main meadow” (3 fields down from Rosamund) which really are the harbingers of Spring. Wheatears. A beautiful male and either a female or possibly a young male. They spent the afternoon running up and down the short grassy area that the cows and sheep have created.
Only 2 days previously we were talking about how good that area looked for Wheatears who, when they can’t find naturally short grass, they are often found running up and down football fields. They spend the winter in Northern Africa and then migrate north to breed in moorland in the West of the UK, Scotland and further North. They are always the first summer visitors we see. (Swallows tend to arrive around 2 weeks later). Here is a photo of the male on main meadow.
And then, if all your beating hearts can take it - on top of all of that excitement – we then had a very rare visitor. A Brambling. These birds are basically “northern Chaffinches” and come to the UK for the Winter before heading back to Scandinavia and further East to breed. Well, one of them was wheezing away at the top of a tree down from Rosamund before it flew off East. We rarely see these guys on Pewley – maybe one a year? Well, we just had our lot.
Looking Ahead: The Most Exciting Time of the Year
So, heading towards the most exciting part of the year. All birds are either on the move, or they are displaying to attract a mate, and thus they are all coming into their best plumage. This is the time we see our summer birds arriving, our Winter birds leaving and birds looking their best.
What to look and listen out for next:
Look out for the Swallows which breed along Burgess Way somewhere.
The House Martins will soon be at the back of Rosamund.
You will be hearing the Greenfinches doing their nasally call.
Woodpeckers are drumming or "yaffling" - (the drumming is the Great Spotted Woodpecker, the "yaffling" is the Green Woodpecker).
The Warblers will be arriving. You can already hear the Chiffchaffs "chiff chaff'ing" all over the place - there is a Blackcap warbling away near the Rosamund greenhouse and shed.
Have a great Spring!
Frequently Asked Questions: Birding at Rosamund Community Garden
What is the difference between a Grey Partridge and a Red-legged Partridge?
The Grey Partridge is our native UK species, but it has become very rare in Surrey and across the country. The Red-legged (or French) Partridge was introduced to the UK years ago and is now much more common. You’ll often see the Red-legged Partridges hanging around under the benches at Rosamund, but spotting a Grey Partridge here is a rare treat!
When do summer birds arrive in Surrey?
The first summer visitors to arrive are usually Wheatears, which migrate all the way from Northern Africa to breed in the UK. You can spot them running around short grassy areas. Swallows typically arrive about two weeks later.
What is a "twitcher" in bird watching?
A twitcher is a bird watcher who travels around the country specifically to see rare birds that other people have discovered. When our two rare Grey Partridges showed up at Pewley, it caused a "mini-twitch," bringing in at least 10 birders from miles around just to catch a glimpse!
Where is the best place to see Redpolls in Guildford?
During the winter, the Rosamund Community Garden and the surrounding Pewley area become a bit of a hotspot for Redpolls. They love alder trees and often hang out in small groups at the very top. Your best bet is to listen for their distinctive call in the mornings.
What is a Brambling?
A Brambling is a beautiful winter visitor to the UK, often described as a "northern Chaffinch". They spend their winters here before migrating back to Scandinavia and further east to breed. They are a rare sight on Pewley—we might only see one a year!
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