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