29th June 2020 - RSPB Pulborough Brooks

A Temminck's Stint was found on the North Brooks early evening. Sophie and I were eating dinner when the news filtered through and I managed to convince her to come along and have a look. We bumped into Matt Phelps in the car park on arrival, who was just getting back, he informed us that there was no sign of it. We took a stroll along the trail out towards The Hanger which was very quiet apart from a singing Chiffchaff and three flyover Greenfinches. Upon arrival there was another birder also looking who hadn't seen it. A careful scan of the North Brooks produced a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plover, a Redshank, the Avocet family, seven Black-tailed Godwits, a female Mandarin and six Egyptian Geese. Roughly around 30 Sand Martins were hawking all over the place with a few Swifts thrown into the mix and a Buzzard made a brief appearance. We stayed up until around 9pm and disappointingly never managed to find the Stint.

Sunsetting at RSPB Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex

28th June 2020 - Knepp Estate

A walk around Knepp with Sophie produced the nesting White Storks, a single Purple Emperor and a flyover Red Kite being the notable things we saw. Also lots of Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and Red Admirals on the wing and the expected usual suite of common breeding birds on the estate.

Nesting White Storks, Knepp Estate, West Sussex

Red Admiral, Knepp Estate, West Sussex

27th June 2020 - RSPB Dungeness

I had nice views of the Gull-billed Tern at Dungeness today on the ARC pit. Initially distant from the road/causeway but a walk past the viewing screen and over the railway line to the other side of the pit allowed for much better and prolonged views of the bird. It was happily feeding up and down the northern bank of the pit and at times came really close although the very strong wind made photography very challenging. On the way back to the car park the Black-winged Stilt was showing nicely near the viewing screen although I had seen on twitter that others had waited 2 hours for it to show! Also noted was an impressive movement of Swifts overhead which were all heading purposefully South presumably shortly about to head out into the English Channel?

Gull-billed Tern, Dungeness, Kent

Black-winged Stilt, Dungeness, Kent

Afterwards I headed to Rye Harbour where it was even windier than Dungeness!! The best I could find here was seven Dunlin, a Grey Plover, an Avocet and a Little Tern.

26th June - Widewater Lagoon

A local walk around Widewater Lagoon produced very few birds other than the usual Little Egrets, Mallards and Mute Swan family. Of particular interest was the carpets of the scarce Sea Heath around the borders of the western lagoon and also a few flowering plants of Biting and White Stonecrop.

Carpets of Sea Heath, Widewater Lagoon, West Sussex

Biting Stonecrop, Widewater Lagoon, West Sussex

White Stonecrop, Widewater Lagoon, West Sussex

20th June 2020 - Hampshire and Thorney Island

I ventured into Hampshire today and was delighted to find some Musk Orchids. This was the first time I have seen this species. Also on show were some lovely Chalk Fragrant Orchids and the usual Pyramidal and Common Spotted Orchids.

One of 50 odd Musk Orchids, Hampshire

On my way home I called into Thorney Great Deep where there were six Cattle Egret with the cattle on the eastern section viewable from Eames Farm gate.

11th June 2020 - Mile Oak and Beeding Hill

I went up to Mile Oak to look for the other Red-footed Falcon however there was no sign of it despite a thorough search. 

Feeling energetic, I walked from Mile Oak through to Beeding Hill to have another look at the Red-footed Falcon I had seen the previous day. I approached from Thundersbarrow Hill and whilst walking up the path was greeted by about 20 birders opposite me who were all watching the bird at close quarters. It was perched on a bush beside the path and showed very nicely for a prolonged period. It eventually had enough of sitting around and went for a quick fly around before settling in the sheep field and again showing very nicely. Also noted was a Red Kite. 

2cy male Red-footed Falcon, Beeding Hill, West Sussex

10th June 2020 - Beeding Hill

A nice find by Richard Fairbank mid-morning of a 2cy male Red-footed Falcon on The Downs above Shoreham. Living close to the site, I managed to get up shortly after it was found and obtained nice views of it along the fence line. I had taken two days off work this week and amazingly this bird decided to turn up on my days off, perfect!! Also a Cuckoo there.

The previous evening there had been a report of another Red-footed Falcon on The Downs above Mile Oak, it turned out that there were two different birds only about 2 miles apart from each other as the bird flys!

2cy male Red-footed Falcon, Beeding Hill, West Sussex

8th June 2020 - West Sussex

I was very pleased to find a couple of flowering plants of Meadow Clary in West Sussex this afternoon. Also a few Pyramidal Orchids were a nice added bonus.

Meadow Clary, West Sussex