2023 - the year of birding the Arun District

The year of 2022 was a moderately successful year for me in terms of birding. I finished the year on 240 species seen across the country. Highlights throughout the year included American Robin at Eastbourne, Hume's Warbler at Eastbourne Promenade, Shorelark at Pevensey Bay, Green-winged Teals at Rye Harbour & Dungeness, Desert Wheatear at Goring Gap, Purple Heron at Charleston Reedbed, Iberian Chiffchaff at Otterbourne, Eleonora's Falcon at Worth Marsh, Red-footed Falcon at Worth Marsh, self-found Black Kite at RSPB Brading Marshes, Bee-eaters at Trimingham Quarry, Great Reed Warbler at Snettisham Coastal Park, White-rumped Sandpiper at Sidlesham Ferry, Squacco Heron at Pagham Harbour, Cirl Buntings at RSPB Labrador Bay, self-found Wryneck at Beachy Head, Pectoral Sandpiper at Dungeness, Red-necked Phalarope at Spurn, Citrine Wagtails at Spurn, Pallid Harrier at Spurn, Long-tailed Skua at Spurn, Temminck's Stint at Spurn, Grey Phalarope at Spurn, Red-backed Shrike at RSPB Medmerry, Buff-breasted Sandpiper at RSPB Medmerry, Barred Warbler at Climping, Sabine's Gull at Dungeness, Radde's Warbler at Beachy Head & the Penduline Tits at West Rise Marsh. 

In 2022, I started the year with every intention of doing a local year list around Worthing however my enthusiasm soon dwindled and I had given up by late April. At the turn of 2023, I really wanted to have another go at doing something local so I studied local maps and come up with the idea of doing an Arun District year list. This area covers some good birding areas and whilst it's extent is large for a patch, I'm hoping it will hold my interest for the year. The extent of the Arun District can be seen in the map below, it's western most extent being the east side of Pagham Harbour up to Owl Copse whilst the eastern most extent is Highdown Gardens & Goring Gap. The northern boundary takes in Houghton Forest to the north-west of Arundel and then follows a zigzagged line all the way over to Steyning. The best sites in the patch would be the east side of Pagham Harbour, around Arundel & Climping. 

Map of Arun District 

Rather than doing individual write ups every time I go out, I have decided to post monthly blog posts about highlights throughout the month.