21st March 2019 - Birding in Shoreham

On my way to meeting Mum at Shoreham Fort, I had a quick look at the gulls on the beach by the harbour club. Nothing unusual but there was 3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls which made for nice viewing. Upon arrival at Shoreham Fort, Mum said she still hadn't seen a Wheatear this year so we walked out to the harbour mouth where we were greeted with at least 4 Wheatears, a female Black Redstart and a Rock Pipit - a good start! We had a quick scan of the wooden jetty but couldn't see any Purple Sandpipers but we did add Turnstone and another Rock Pipit.

1 of 3 Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex

Female Black Redstart, Shoreham Fort, West Sussex

1 of 4 Wheatears, Shoreham Fort, West Sussex

We moved onto Widewater Lagoon where there was 5 Teal, 3 Little Egrets, a Redshank, 2 Mallards and a few Mute Swans but surprisingly no Little Grebes. We moved onto the beach where we were delighted to find 5 more Wheatears (4 males and a female), they are so fantastic to watch, one of my favourite birds.

1 of 5 Wheatear, Widewater Lagoon Beach, West Sussex

After Widewater Lagoon, we had a quick walk around Adur Recreation Ground where the only birds of note were a few Greenfinch. Then onto the new path on the west side of the River Adur, where there was a pair of Oystercatchers, 5 Reed Buntings, a Rock Pipit and 5+ Skylarks in the long grass on the airfield.

Pair of Oystercatchers, River Adur, West Sussex

A lovely morning spent birding round the area I grew up - 37 species recorded all together.