27th May 2019 - Ferring Rife and Kingston Gorse

A birdless late afternoon walk with Dad at Ferring Rife/Kingston Gorse was made worthwhile with a good display of southern marsh orchids in the wet areas on the west side of the Rife.

Southern marsh orchid, Ferring Rife, West Sussex

26th May 2019 - The Downs

Less than ideal conditions for the slog up The Downs with Dad under threatening grey skies with a stiff southwesterly blowing. Despite the dry spring, there was a good display of burnt orchids poking up from the downland turf, always a delight to see. Also a pair of ravens tumbling in the breeze, a singing corn bunting and a lone Adonis blue. Less welcome were the large number of ticks that we were constantly brushing off our boots and clothes.

Burnt orchid, The Downs, East Sussex

25th May 2019 - Exploring Hampshire

News that yesterday’s squacco heron was still at Posbrook Flood at Titchfield prompted mine and Dads first twitch in a while. On arrival at the site we were told that the bird was still present but out of view. Fortunately we didn’t have to wait too long before someone spotted its head and neck sticking up from the dense vegetation in front of the pool. Over the next half hour or so it played hide and seek occasionally giving good views before disappearing again. Only my 2^th UK squacco and virtually a new bird for myself because I can barely remember the 2007 Crossness bird!

Squacco Heron, Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

Late May is the peak time for seeing orchids in the UK so rather than drive home, we set the ‘sat nav’ for Hen Wood (a well-known site for the scarce narrow-leaved helleborine) and headed inland towards Petersfield. We failed to find Hen Wood but ended up instead at Chappetts Copse, a woodland reserve to the east of West Meon managed by Hampshire Wildlife Trust. Here we saw both white and plenty of the far more showy narrow-leaved helleborine, plus a couple of diminutive fly orchids.

Narrow-leaved helleborine, Chappetts Copse, Hampshire

A single bee orchid in the usual spot in Shoreham on our way home.

Bee orchid, Shoreham, West Sussex

21st May 2019 - RSPB Dungeness and Pulborough Brooks

Sadly no sign of the whiskered tern or roseate tern early morning at Dungeness. However, some compensation in the form of a very smart singing male serin at Littlestone-on-Sea.

Later in the day I met up with Dad and we visited Pulborough Brooks. The pair of black-winged stilts was still present on the north brooks giving reasonable views from the Hanger viewpoint. Also an unseasonal pink-footed goose on the north brooks, 8 Egyptian geese, a hobby (at Westmead) and cuckoo (h). Although the stilts were seen mating (by ARK), they did not stick around, turning up at Wells in Norfolk the following day.

Black-winged Stilt, Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex

17th May 2019 - Arlington Reservoir

Seven common sandpipers on the dam at Arlington reservoir and a nightingale singing in scrub between the dam and the river.

16th May 2019 - Marine Gardens

With pomarine skuas on the move in the channel with several reports off Selsey throughout the day. I finally managed to find some time to go and get in on the action. I managed to see five which passed Marine Gardens at 19:15 albeit distant but a pleasure to see.

15th May 2019 - Steepdown

Another hike up Steepdown produced a single grey partridge, wheatear and common buzzard as well as 8 swift which passed through north and also the usual numbers of corn bunting and skylark.

8th May 2019 - Hove

An hour and a half’s seawatch off Hove in poor weather from 06:10 – 07:35 was quite rewarding despite the difficult conditions. Highlights were 3 pomarine skuas (2 close @ 06:17, 1 more distant @ 07:11), 2 Arctic skuas, 3 black terns in a pack of ‘comics’, 8 knot, 3 whimbrel, a grey plover and 5 common scoter plus a steady up channel movement of gannets.

7th May 2019 - Shoreham Arm and Pulborough Brooks

News of a pomarine skua past Selsey Bill at 14:59 prompted a dash down to Shoreham Harbour arm where an hour and half of staring at a largely birdless sea turned up 2 distant Arctic skuas and an even more distant pomarine skua @ 16:15 which was probably the same bird seen off Selsey.

After Shoreham, I quickly dashed up to Pulborough Brooks where I obtained distant views of the wood sandpiper on the North Brooks which was found earlier in the day. 

6th May 2019 - Waltham Brooks and West Sussex heathland

No sign of yesterday’s night heron at Waltham Brooks up until 06:30 although not too surprising given that it was last seen departing south down the Arun Valley. Cuckoo and nightingale both heard and a singing grey wagtail on Greatham Bridge.

Next stop was a chilly West Sussex heathland where a rewarding couple of hours under cloudless skies produced a noisy flock of ca. 20 crossbills, 2 singing tree pipits, 2 singing redstarts and a marsh tit plus both garden and willow warblers in song.

Cuckoo, West Sussex heath

4th May 2019 - Adur Valley

An early morning visit to to the Adur Valley in search of turtle dove was quite successful with two birds seen together and one heard ‘purring’ several times. Also lesser whitethroat, nightingale and sedge warbler heard singing, little egret, 2 pairs of lapwing, a peregrine perched on an electricity pylon, and 3 yellowhammers.

3rd May 2019 - Beachy Head

A quick dash over to Beachy Head with Max after university was very successful. Earlier that morning Nick Pope had found a singing Wood Warbler in Belle Tout Wood. Upon arrival there was a couple of others there, almost instantly it started singing and shortly after we obtained nice views. A quick walk around the headland after was quiet with just the usuals in Shooters Bottom.