1st February 2019 - Local Birding in the snow

I left home at 7am and headed straight for Ferring Rife. On route a Goldcrest was heard calling at the top of Sea Lane whilst a single female Sparrowhawk was seen over Ferring Football Club. When I arrived at the rife the horse paddocks at the Northern end held 15 Moorhens, 22 Black-headed, 2 Common and 2 Herring Gulls and a Pied Wagtail as well as a Kestrel hovering. North of the road bridge 2 Water Rails put on a fine display in the snowy conditions and a little further south 5 Chiffchaffs were actively feeding around the bushes. As I continued down the rife 16 Cormorants flew East overhead and a Common Snipe flew out of the rife and near the sea end a single Teal did the same.

Ferring Rife

Upon arrival at the sea, I decided to call in for breakfast at the Bluebird Cafe and had a delightful sausage sandwich which set me up nicely for further birding throughout the morning. A walk along Patterson's Walk to Goring Gap produced a feeding frenzy of c50 Gannets offshore and also 6 Brent Geese which flew East. When I arrived at Goring Gap, I bumped into David. We had a catch up and decided to go for another walk back up the rife. This was again successful with the first and only signs of any cold weather movement being noted with a flock of 35 Lapwing and 9 Golden Plover seen in flight and looking like they were going to pitch down on the fields to the west of the Rife. Also 2 Reed Buntings and a male Stonechat which were nice additions to the morning totals.

Goring Gap Beach

Back at Goring Gap there were 21 Grey and 20 Ringed Plover and 20 Skylark in the roost field and a single Redshank on the beach as well as a handful of Sanderling and Dunlin. However, despite a quick search we could not find the Snow Bunting. A quick walk through the plantation on my way home only produced a couple of Song Thrushes and 5 Blackbirds. Near the top end of Goring Gap near Goring Hall a Firecrest was heard but unfortunately not seen.