31st July 2020 - Chantry Hill

I had some spare time on my hands this evening so went up to Chantry Hill to look for the Hen Harrier which was seen there earlier in the day. Over an hours search didn't produce the goods but I did see two Ravens, a Kestrel and a Brown Hare. 

27th July 2020 - Rye Harbour and Steepdown

After visiting Rye Harbour NR last Tuesday for Mum's birthday, Sophie was keen to re-visit although this time to go for a look around the town as we didn't have time the previous week. We had an enjoyable visit taking in the lovely cobbled streets and medieval buildings. After finishing up in the town we headed to Castle Water in what were quite promising conditions for something unusual. The previous evening it had rained heavily and the weather during the day had been quite unsettled with periodic showers and strong winds. 

On our way out to the hide we enjoyed the profusion of the scarce Marshmallow Althaea officinalis and two noisy Ravens messing around in the sheep fields. As we were approaching the hide we got caught in a heavy rain shower which was not to Sophie's liking, I'm just grateful we were only a few hundred metres from the hide! Virtually the first two birds I set eyes on were two eclipse drake Garganey an increase in one from my previous visit. Waders comprised of five Black-tailed Godwit, three Common Sandpiper, two Ruff and 229 Lapwing. A Common Tern dropped in after a heavy rain shower. Almost continuously throughout our stay, hirundines were hawking over the water and were made up of 16 House Martins, five Swifts, and a cautious estimate of c50 Sand Martins. On our way back to the car we added four flyover Whimbrel and two Marsh Harriers were above the large expanse of reed beds. 

Eclipse drake Garganey, Castle Water, Rye Harbour NR

Marshmallow, Rye Harbour NR

On our way home we received a telephone call from Dad informing us of a ringtail Harrier Sp. which had been flushed off Steepdown by visiting Shropshire birder James Grundy. I wasn't too fussed as earlier in the day a Caspian Tern had been found at Fishlake Meadows near Southampton in Hampshire. The tern had done a disappearing act for much of the afternoon but had decided to reappear as I was home. Dad was keen to see it too so he came and picked me up and we set off but we got as far as Titnore Lane before turning round again on negative news. So Dad didn't have a wasted journey we headed for Steepdown to look for the Harrier Sp. 

Upon arrival at Steepdown the conditions couldn't have been worse. It was blowing a gale and the clouds had rolled in creating a very murky atmosphere and visibility was poor. From the Beggar's Bush car park we walked east towards Steepdown taking the lower footpath which gave us some protection from the wind, this footpath also provides a good viewing platform for the cereal fields that are situated just to the north/north-east of Steepdown. We got to the far end of Steepdown (where the path starts from the Lancing end) before turning around and we hadn't had a sniff of anything. We were both feeling pretty despondent and thought the bird was long gone by now. However as we were approaching the western end of Steepdown on our way back I picked up a ringtail Harrier sp. in my bins (for c5 seconds) at roughly a miles range, quartering a game strip just to the south of Annington Hill Barn. Luckily the bird dropped into the game strip and we managed to get into a better position to see if the bird would reappear. Shortly after, it revealed itself to be an unseasonal adult female Hen Harrier. It always remained relatively distant but did come quite close on one occasion giving reasonable views. I really expected the bird to be a Monties, I don't think I've ever been so disappointed to see a Hen Harrier.

A murky and windy evening at Steepdown

26th July 2020 - Cuckmere Haven

This afternoon I visited the Cuckmere Haven in search of the Little Stint and Wood Sandpiper both of which were found yesterday, no doubt produced by the change in the weather. I headed for the scrape where I found a few Dunlin, a Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Turnstone and a Mediterranean Gull. It soon became apparent I wasn't looking in the right place and the birds were actually in the opposite channel which runs parallel to the river. After a short walk I found the Wood Sandpiper which was associating with a juvenile and two adult Dunlin. A little further north heading up the channel I found the Little Stint which showed nicely, my first in Sussex for a couple of years! On the way back towards Exceat three Swifts and three Sand Martins hawked there way south over the river and a Common Gull was on the meanders. I checked just north of Exceat Bridge for Cattle Egrets alas I didn't find any but there was four Little Egrets and three Grey Herons and a Sparrowhawk passed overhead. Upon arriving back at the car a couple of juvenile Kestrels were making a racket at Chyngton Farm. 

Little Stint, Cuckmere Haven

Wood Sandpiper, Cuckmere Haven

Wood Sandpiper, Cuckmere Haven

Juvenile Kestrels, Chyngton Farm, Seaford

24th July 2020 - Ambersham Common

An evening visit to Ambersham Common in far from ideal conditions (cold and windy) produced good views of three Nightjars, a couple of which flew past very close.

22nd July 2020 - High Weald

Working in the High Weald today produced a party of unseen Crossbills and a couple of Nuthatches.

21st July 2020 - Rye Harbour and Pannel Valley

Fourteen species of wader at Rye Harbour today including two male Ruff, two Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit, three Common and a Green Sandpiper at Castle Water, three Greenshank on Ternery Pool, and a Common Sandpiper and a summer plumaged Knot on Flat Beach. A Garganey, a Marsh Harrier and a White-faced Whistling-Duck at Castle Water. We also saw a nice selection of plants including Stinking Hawksbeard, Marshmallow and Sea Pea. 

2 male Ruff and Common Sandpiper, Rye Harbour

White-faced Whistling Duck, Rye Harbour

Sea Pea, Rye Harbour

Marshmallow, Rye Harbour

Stinking Hawksbeard, Rye Harbour

Later at Pannel Valley, eight Ruff (including five males), nine Black-tailed Godwits, six Dunlin and two Cetti's Warblers. A Blue-tailed Damselfly was also seen. 

Blue-tailed Damselfly, Pannel Valley

20th July 2020 - Selsey Peninsula

No repeat of the tern bonanza of a week ago at Church Norton which was very quiet bar an increase in Dunlin(ca.175) as well as 68 Mediterranean Gulls, an adult Common Gull, four Sand Martin and a Whimbrel. Next we parked at Ham and walked from the RSPB Medmerry car park to the Stilt Pool and back. Waders on the Stilt Pool were three Black-tailed Godwits, 13 Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, a Redshank and two Greenshank. Also a female Gadwall with three downy ducklings, several Mediterranean Gulls, a Peregrine and an 'interesting' Cormorant (if Cormorants can ever be described as that) with contrasting white underparts, (see image below). Our final port of call was the North Wall at Pagham Harbour where there were four Cattle Egrets (3 adults and a juvenile) in the high tide Little Egret roost, a Red Kite circling over Owl Copse, 50 Black-tailed Godwits on the Breech Pool, 30 Mediterranean Gulls, four Whimbrel and two Willow Warblers.

Little Tern, Pagham Harbour

'Interesting' Cormorant, Stilt Pool, RSPB Medmerry

18th July 2020 - East Sussex

After the previous three nights I was very tired so just put my feet up during the day to try and catch up on some rest. A short trip out early evening produced nice views of a Little Owl at a site in East Sussex.

Little Owl, East Sussex

17th July 2020 - Night Work

A quieter evening but again another Tawny Owl seen which gave reasonable flight views.

16th July 2020 - Night Work

More Tawny Owls heard this evening and another Barn Owl seen crossing the road on my way home at 04:00am.

15th July 2020 - Night work

Working through the night, I obtained my first views of Tawny Owl this year with several others heard from other locations throughout the night. A Barn Owl was also seen around 02:30am and earlier in the evening a Badger crossed the road.

14th July 2020 - Pagham Harbour

I walked from East Beach to avoid any parking issues at Church Norton. On my way I saw several Linnets and a Whitethroat. Upon arrival at Pagham Harbour I saw one Roseate Tern and after waiting a while I eventually saw three different birds (two ringed and one unringed bird). Also noted were three Whimbrel, ca.60 Little Terns, 18 Redshank, Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, ca.30 Dunlin and three Ringed Plover. On my way back to East Beach, a party of seven Avocet flew west off The Severals and a Buzzard was over the small wood to the North.

A quick call in at the North Wall produced ca.80 Black-tailed Godwits and the Spotted Redshank. Passing through Felpham on my way home a Buzzard was seen out the car window.

Roseate and Common Tern, Pagham Harbour, West Sussex

Spotted Redshank, Little Egret and Mallard, North Wall, Pagham Harbour, West Sussex

13th July 2020 - Pagham Harbour

Three hours (07:30 - 10:30) at Church Norton failed to produce yesterday's Roseate Tern though ca.60 Little Terns, ca.45 Dunlin, two Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper offered some compensation. We then headed round to the North Wall (where there were 80 Black-tailed Godwits and a Common Sandpiper on the Breech Pool) and walked from there to the harbour mouth and back seeing four Yellow-legged Gulls (a sleeping adult and three juvs), three Cattle Egrets (that landed in the harbour with some loafing gulls), two Greenshank and another Whimbrel. 

At this point Dad was keen to head home but fortuitously I persuaded him that a return visit to Church Norton would be a good idea. Luckily we got the last space in the car park from where we made our way down to the harbour for another look through the terns. Almost immediately I picked out a pristine Roseate Tern on the mudflats which gave good scope views before taking off and landing out of view inside the fencing on Tern Island. It did not stay there long and soon returned to the mudflats where it suddenly dawned on us that there were two birds standing side by side, one of which had a metal ring on the right leg. Both showed nicely before one flew strongly out to sea and was lost from view. Incredibly we then found a third colour ringed bird (without the rosy underparts of the other birds) which annoyingly took off before we could determine the colour ring combination and headed off out to sea.

With other birders arriving, it was a relief that there was still one bird present which after a while got up and flew around before joining a second bird on the mudflats. We definitely saw three birds (one unringed, one with a metal ring & one with colour rings) but conceivably there may have been four different birds present between given that there were two still showing when we left and two that had previously flown out to sea!

Roseate Tern, Pagham Harbour, West Sussex

Roseate Tern, Pagham Harbour, West Sussex

Two Roseate Terns together, Pagham Harbour, West Sussex

Two of the three Cattle Egrets, Pagham Harbour, West Sussex

9th July 2020 - Church Norton, West Sussex

After the highs of yesterday morning it was back to normal procedure this afternoon. News broke of a Roseate Tern at Pagham Harbour mid-afternoon so I jumped straight in the car and headed down for it. I was particularly keen as it was in Sussex and would be a county tick!

I arrived at Pagham within 45 minutes after the news had gone out however despite a very careful scan of the harbour there was no sign of it, in the hour and a half I spent looking. There was plenty of Sandwich including many juveniles, Common and I counted 12 Little Terns although there was probably more hiding away. Also plenty of Mediterranean Gulls kicking around. The tide was very high and the harbour was pretty much full so there was little else to see. A frustrating afternoon and my second dip of this species at this site in consecutive years!

8th July 2020 - Sandy Point, Hayling Island, Hampshire

I've been desperately unlucky in recent years trying to see a Roseate Tern so when I saw that two were lingering offshore at Sandy Point with the moulting Black Tern last night there was only one place I was heading this morning.

Upon arrival I found the feeding flock of terns with no problem, almost instantly I picked out the Black Tern. The feeding flock was impressive with around c50 Common Terns as well as a few Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls thrown into the mix. After 20 minutes of scanning I picked out one Roseate Tern which I had in the scope for around 2 minutes before I lost it again. I then picked it up again briefly before losing it again. It was great to finally put my biggest bogey bird to rest!

I also noted c20 Common Scoter flying west offshore as well as a few Linnets and a male Stonechat on Sandy Point Nature Reserve.

View off Sandy Point, Hayling Island

7th July 2020 - Oare Marshes NR, Kent

I ventured off to Oare Marshes late morning in search of the returning Bonaparte's Gull which if I'm not mistaken is the 8th year in a row this bird has returned to this site. I deliberately timed my visit to coincide with high tide as this is when the birds are pushed off The Swale and move onto the East Flood. Upon arrival the Bonaparte's Gull was showing very nicely close to the road associating with roosting Black-headed Gulls. Nearby in one of the bordering reedbeds, a family party of four Bearded Tits gave nice views. 

The East Flood had many others birds present and the highlights were as follows: c750-1000 Black-tailed Godwit, 56 Avocet, a Spotted Redshank, 128 Redshank, three Dunlin, a Greenshank, four Oystercatcher and 11 Lapwing. Around the footpath, I added c10 Yellow Wagtails, another four Bearded Tits, two Reed Buntings, several singing Reed Warblers, lots of Linnets and a hunting Kestrel. 

Bonaparte's Gull, Black-headed Gulls, Avocets and Lapwing at Oare Marshes, Kent

Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin at Oare Marshes, Kent

Yellow Wagtail at Oare Marshes, Kent

Golden Samphire at Oare Marshes, Kent

6th July 2020 - RSPB Pulborough Brooks and RSPB Medmerry

I woke up to a text message that the Spoonbill was back on the North Brooks at Pulborough so I tried again and yet again upon arrival it had gone missing - very frustrating. Birds on the the North Brooks consisted of much of the same as the previous afternoon except for a roosting adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.

After finishing up at Pulborough, I headed down to Medmerry. At the Poplers a Common Tern fishing over the creek as well as 21 Redshank and a Greenshank roosting on the muddy edges. Between here and the Stilt Pool I added four Reed Warblers, two Little Egrets, six Yellowhammers, a Kestrel, three Swifts, 12 Canada Geese, three Coot, a Moorhen, two Stock Dove, two Reed Bunting and a Shelduck. The ponds that border the lower path had lots of noisy Marsh Frogs calling from within.

The Stilt Pool held a Mute Swan family with one juvenile, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, a Ringed Plover, 14 Canada Geese, six Tufted Ducks, five Lapwing, three Gadwall, 46 Black-headed Gulls, a Little Egret, eight Herring Gulls, four Cormorants, three Coot and eight Mallard.

Stilt Pool, RSPB Medmerry, West Sussex

5th July 2020 - RSPB Pulborough Brooks

This afternoons outing took Sophie and I to Pulborough Brooks in search of the adult Spoonbill which has been present a couple of days. We walked to The Hanger and upon arrival it was obvious the Spoonbill wasn't there however we still managed to find 68 Black-tailed Godwit, seven Avocet, 15 Sand Martins, a Grey Heron and a Buzzard. On the way back to the car we stumbled across lots of Marbled Whites, a few Small Skippers, Red Admirals and Peacocks and a single Comma. When we got back to the car we walked to Hail's View where we found two Lapwing and a Green Sandpiper. 

Small Skipper, RSPB Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex

4th July 2020 - Selsey Peninsula

A dismal day weather wise but with near gale force south-westerlies, I headed to Selsey Bill for a seawatch to try and add Balearic Shearwater to my Sussex list. The previous day there had been 171 east past Portland so I thought I was in with a chance of scoring.

I started from the car park at the end of Hillfield Road due to the conditions being abysmal with rain swirling in off the sea and visibility very poor with the mile basket not being visible. Early signs weren't good with very little moving other than a few Gannets, Sandwich Terns and five Common Scoter. Slowly the weather improved so I moved round to the Bill tip and sheltered down behind a wall but there was still very little happening with the highlights in the next period being a Kittiwake west and an adult Mediterranean Gull heading in the same direction. At 08:45, I had enough and packed up and headed to Church Norton, only 14 minutes Selsey Birder tweeted: "Balearic Shearwater W 08:59", I was gutted!! Oh well, teaches me a lesson to not give up!

At Church Norton there wasn't much going on, there was lots of Sandwich Terns including several young birds which was encouraging to see as well as a few Little and Common Terns thrown into the mix. Waders comprised of a few Redshank, Curlew and Ringed Plover but otherwise there was very little doing.

Last stop of the day was the North Wall, the Breach Pool (looking more like a duck pond) held 24 Black-tailed Godwit and a couple of Tufted Duck and a lone Teal. Whilst out in the harbour was a few Grey Plover and Lapwing.

A cold and windy Selsey Bill accompanied by a lone Black-headed Gull.