28th February 2019 - Sompting Brooks, Small Mammal Trapping

This morning I volunteered to help with small mammal trapping on Sompting Brooks in West Sussex for the EPIC project. To find out more about the project see here: https://www.somptingestate.com/EPIC

Sompting Brooks, West Sussex

It was a fantastic morning and we caught 21 small mammals of 5 different species. These included: 1 Harvest Mouse (my first ever!), numerous Wood Mouse and Field Voles and singles of Bank Vole and Common Shrew. A 20% capture rate! All animals were released after capture.

Harvest Mouse, Sompting Brooks, West Sussex

Wood Mouse, Sompting Brooks, West Sussex

Field Vole, Sompting Brooks, West Sussex

Birds seen whilst on my visit here included single of Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker and Skylark.

26th February 2019 - A walk in West Sussex woodland near Horsham (3) and the Downs

Feeling frustrated with the previous days events I returned to the same patch of woodland. Again it was a glorious day and the temperature was 13 degrees. The wood again was alive with bird activity with 10 Marsh Tits, numerous Treecreepers and other notables included a single Bullfinch and Grey Wagtail. I had spent 2 hours 45 minutes looking for a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and my patience was being tested. I had heard 2 very distant calls of one but both times it sounded like it was a long way off and I couldn't locate it. I decided my luck wasn't in and I headed back to the car. Upon arrival at the car I could hear some light drumming which I was absolutely certain was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. My heart started thumping and within 2 minutes the bird called, I couldn't believe my luck, is this really happening! I desperately tried to find it and luckily I picked it out at the top of a Silver Birch tree. The bird was a male and performed fantastically for the next 5 minutes before flying off and it wasn't seen again. My first decent view of one in Sussex since 2017! Below is a very poor, phone-binned panicked record shot.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, West Sussex

Later on again I visited the Downs and again was rewarded with fantastic views of the ringtail Hen Harrier. A healthy count of 16 Yellowhammers pleased the eye. Other sightings of note included 10 Common Buzzards, 2 Red Kites, 2 Kestrels, 2 Tawny Owls (heard only), 2 Reed Buntings, 2 Hares and a single Raven and Barn Owl.

Kestrel, South Downs National Park, West Sussex

25th February 2019 - Walking in West Sussex woodland near Horsham (2) and the Downs

I returned to the same patch of woodland near Horsham I visited last week and the weather was a glorious 12 degrees. Upon arrival it was clear that the birds were active with 5 Treecreepers and 2 Marsh Tits flitting around the wood. About 20 minutes had passed and I was sure I could hear some light drumming which turned out to be a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and it was only 100m away from me! I slowly encroached on where I thought it came from and luckily enough I picked up the bird in my binoculars but only very briefly before it flew deeper into the wood. I heard it call again twice but couldn't relocate it, much to my huge frustration. I probably got around 10 seconds worth of view which was better than nothing! Other birds seen on my visit included a single Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest and Song Thrush.

Later on that day in the late afternoon, I again visited the downs and had a fantastic view of a ringtail Hen Harrier which flew directly over my head. Also 3 Common Buzzards, a Kestrel, 3 Tawny Owls (heard only) and 3 Hares (my first in Sussex for a while).

24th February 2019 - Knepp Estate

A couple of surprises at Knepp today in the form of an escaped Red-tailed Hawk and fully winged, unringed White Stork in flight near the campsite. Still plenty of Redwings and Fieldfares in the horse paddocks and a pair of Bullfinches in a hedge near the campsite.

The Millpond in the warm spring sunshine produced  60 Teal, Green Sandpiper (heard only), a brief Kingfisher, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Peregrine, a pair of Ravens and a Red Admiral.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Knepp Estate, West Sussex

23rd February 2019 - Pagham Harbour and Westdean Woods

Glorious early spring weather today though the misty start put pay to seeing vaguely of note anything off Selsey Bill in the half hour or so we were there. At Church Norton, the visibility had improved enabling us to pick up the usual suspects in the harbour including Little Egret, 20 Avocets, Grey & Ringed Plovers, the overwintering Whimbrel, Knot, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Peregrine on its usual island. 

Whimbrel - Pagham Harbour, West Sussex

The walk out along the spit to the harbour mouth added hundreds of Brent Geese, Great Crested Grebe, 10 Skylarks and, after a bit of searching, the long-staying Hooded Crow on the opposite side of the harbour mouth on Pagham beach. A showy Firecrest in the Holm Oaks by the entrance to the churchyard and then in the car park was an added bonus.

Hooded Crow - Pagham Spit, West Sussex

The remainder of the day was spent at West Dean Woods where both Brimstone and Red Admiral were active in the spring sunshine. A slow walk up to Monkton Farm and back scanning the pine trees to the north was quite productive adding Sparrowhawk, 3 Red Kites, innumerable Buzzards, 3 Marsh Tits (one in song), Treecreeper, 2 Bramblings and distant flight views of two single Hawfinches.

Common Buzzard - Westdean Woods, West Sussex

21st February 2019 - A walk on the downs

A walk on the downs late afternoon in lovely conditions was very pleasant with a single Kestrel and Buzzard seen hunting. Also 2 Red-legged Partridge, 2 Song Thrush, a Chiffchaff and most unusual of all a Moorhen. Not a bird I would expect to see on the Downs! Later on, 4 Tawny Owls were heard calling.

20th February 2019 - Walking in West Sussex woodland near Horsham (1)

A walk in West Sussex woodland late morning proved to be quite productive. There was a nice selection of woodland birds on offer with 5 Marsh Tits, 5 Goldcrests, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush and numerous Nuthatches and Treecreepers all being seen throughout the morning. Other species of note included 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 20 Redwings. Later in the day I saw 6 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels and a single Sparrowhawk.