11th August 2019 - Shoreham Harbour, Widewater, Brooklands, Goring Gap and the Adur Estuary

Shoreham Harbour failed to produce much but there was a Wheatear at the fort as well as two Common Sandpipers which flew across the harbour and headed up the River Adur. There were also two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls loafing along the beach near the western arm. Around the car park were several House Sparrows, Starlings and a Linnet.

A blustery Shoreham Harbour

Afterwards, I checked the beach opposite the Harbour Club which produced two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Great Black-backed Gulls, four Herring Gulls and seven Black-headed Gulls. There were also a few flowering plants of Childing Pink in the normal area however most were past there best. 

Childing Pink, Shoreham Harbour, West Sussex

Widewater Lagoon produced five Little Egrets on the eastern side and on the western side were an two Mute Swans (one adult and one juvenile) and 57 roosting Black-headed Gulls. Brooklands was a bit more productive with a Cetti's Warbler by the bridge and out on the lake were a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 15 Mallard, four Cormorants, six Mute Swans (two adults and four juveniles) and a Grey Heron.

Last stop was Goring Gap where it was pleasing to see that the crop had been removed by the farmer. In the roost field were 30 Turnstone, 15 Ringed Plover, two Great Black-backed Gulls and eight Black-headed Gulls. A short walk to the pumping station produced a Whitethroat and a Skylark.

Later in the day I met up with Mum and Dad and we went for a circular walk from the Toll Bridge to Norfolk Bridge at the Adur Estuary. We managed to find seven species of waders including 17 Ringed Plover, four Dunlin, five Whimbrel, two Common Sandpipers, eight Turnstone, three Oystercatchers and 20 Redshank. Also 16 Mute Swans, seven Little Egrets, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and five Sandwich Terns.