31st December 2019 - Patching

I went up to Patching to look for the Northern Treecreeper (form familiaris) found by David Campbell whilst I was away in Somerset. After a wait the bird eventually showed near the metal gate opposite the World's End Pub also of note here were 2 Firecrests. If accepted by the BBRC this will be the second record for Sussex with the previous being one trapped and ringed at Holywell on 27th September 1958.

Northern Treecreeper (form familiaris), Patching, West Sussex

29th December 2019 - Blashford Lakes, Hampshire

A fairly brief stop at Blashford Lakes on the way home from Somerset produced 2 Egyptian Geese, a Long-tailed Duck, 5+ Goldenye, 3 drake Goosanders all from the new Tern hide.

28th December 2019 - RSPB Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath, Somerset

Another dawn visit to Ham Wall to see the Starlings leave their roost was less successful than yesterday with only a handful departing the reedbed by Tor View hide. Also 2 Great White Egrets and, across the road at Shapwick Heath, 2 adult Whooper Swans from Noah’s hide.

27th December 2019 - RSPB Ham Wall, Somerset

Sophie and I joined Mum and Dad for a couple of nights in Somerset. First point of call were the 115 Cattle Egrets they had seen the day before. Sadly they were well down in number with only about 35 Cattle and still 12 Little still in the same field but still an amazing site! Ham Wall was predictably busy late afternoon being Christmas week but, having dodged the crowds, we were treated to a memorable performance from thousands of Starlings (750k to 1 million) as they congregated over the northern part of the reserve before going to roost. Also 2 Water Rails and a Kingfisher and probably 4 different Great White Egrets and a similar number of Marsh Harriers.    

22nd December 2019 - Cissbury Ring

Sophie and I had been out for the morning on a countryside walk in the Low Weald. Afterwards we joined Mum and Dad at  Cissbury Ring. This proved to be a successful venture with a couple of briefs views of the Great Grey Shrike prior to 3pm and then prolonged views at close range at dusk before it went to roost, much better than the other day! Also a Stonechat and 2 Yellowhammers.

Great Grey Shrike, Cissbury Ring, West Sussex

18th December 2019 - Cissbury Ring

Whilst surveying up on the River Thames in Essex I had a message through to say that the Great Grey Shrike had been refound up at Cissbury Ring near the flint mines/fenced off yew trees. I had to drop Mum off back home first in Southwick and then headed straight over and soon bumped into David Campbell. The weather wasn't very good and light was fading so we were losing optimism and then all of sudden David spotted it perched up on the scrub block near the western yew tree, it afforded brief views before dropping down and then we didn't see it again, presumably it had gone to roost. I was particularly pleased to catch up with this bird given that I had tried for the Ashdown Forest bird earlier in the year 3 times and missed it every time! This bird was the 221st species I have recorded in Sussex this year and it also made a lovely addition to my Worthing 'Uber Patch' list.

Great Grey Shrike, Cissbury Ring, West Sussex

16th December 2019 - Iford Brooks

A nice venture out onto Iford Brooks after work produced a surprise Brent Goose with 136 Greylags and 85 Canada’s. Also of note were 11 Wigeon, 6 Shoveler, 4 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Stonechat and singles of Raven, Green Woodpecker and Common Buzzard.

15th December 2019 - Swanbourne Lake

A nice walk around Swanbourne Lake with Sophie produced 2 Firecrest, Marsh Tit, Raven, 2 Mandarin, Grey Wagtail, 3 Shoveler, 5 Pochard, Common Buzzard and 2 Little Grebe.

14th December 2019 - Rye Harbour NR

The whole day spent at Rye Harbour with Dad walking 19km. A good selection of birds as always, the highlights being 30 Brent Geese on the saltmarsh by the new visitor centre, 6 Goldeneye (on Harbour Farm pools), the redhead Smew first reported on 4 Dec still in front of Denny hide, 8 Grey Partridge by Denny hide, a Great White Egret on the Narrow Pits, a Black-necked Grebe close to the bank at the west end of the Long Pit, 2 Marsh Harriers (including an adult male), 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Common Buzzards, a Peregrine causing havoc at Castle Water (where the hide was locked), a Firecrest in Rye Harbour village and a Stonechat.

Redhead Smew, Rye Harbour NR, East Sussex

1st December 2019 - Westdean Woods and Fishbourne Creek

Dad, Mum and I arrived at West Dean Woods at dawn and walked up to Monkton Farm in the half- light where a total of 41 Hawfinches were seen flying N from their roost in Winden Wood between 07:39 - 07:50. Apart from two over the flint barn, the remainder were further east over the tree tops resulting in distant and somewhat underwhelming views. Later there was a single Hawfinch and a Fieldfare in the apple tree by the sharp bend NW of Staple Ash Farm and two more Hawfinches in the tree tops on the far side of the horse paddock. Also of note was a Sparrowhawk, 3+ Red Kites, Peregrine, Marsh Tit, 100 Redwings, 6 Fieldfares and both Brambling and Siskin heard.

Next stop was Chichester Marina from where we walked north through Salterns Copse to the top of Fishbourne Creek and back. The Long-tailed Duck and 6 Goldeneye (3 adult drakes) were still mid-channel off Copperas Point south of Dell Quay, also 3 Spotted Redshanks, Sandwich Tern, Kingfisher and Peregrine but the Water Pipit seen by others eluded us. On our return two male Bearded Tits were pointed out to us in the reedbed from the hide at Chichester Marina but there was no sign of the Bittern reported earlier.

Long-tailed Duck, Fishbourne Creek, West Sussex