Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

The name Lesser Spotted Woodpecker although so much smaller than the Greater Spotted obviously gets it name from being elusive and so much harder to see and so is lesser spotted by birders.
Well after an early start 8 of us met up in some remote part of West Sussex and took a walk around the woods. Turning up last I had already missed Treecreeper, Nuthach and a Barn Owl but within 55 minutes we had also seen Teal, Pintail, Wigeon, Shoveler, and a herd of (or as Brenda said a flock of) Fallow Deer out on the water meadows. After Paul playing his recording of the LSW call ki ki ki ki --- ki to our amazement not one but two appeared in the distance and we were all able to get good scope views, they then took off and flew towards us and landed in a large Oak giving us even greater views. 1 hour of our trip had passed and the job was done. So where to go next?

Next stop was at Coates Common, however neither Crossbill or Woodlark were there so we set off on a circular walk to Burton Mill Pond where we came across Treecreeper, Nuthatch, the usual Tits, Goldcrests, flocks of Chaffinches, with a few Pied Wagtails plus a Brambling at Crouches Farm and a couple of Little Egrets. There was however no further sign of the LSW at the possible other sites.

This hamlet of St Michaels really should have a pub and could be a perfect setting for Mid Summer Murders

And so on back to the car park where we saw 4 Common Buzzards circling overhead.
As Peter had still to see a Jack Snipe, Paul, Peter and I set off to Climping as one had been reported there earlier in the week, despite walking through the flooded margins in the set aside we had no luck but did find a couple of (Alba) White Wagtails, so while we were here went into the Bailiffes Court Hotel to find the Little Owl that frequents the front garden.

Once again no luck so we set off for Ferring Rife. Paul and I set through the waterlogged fields but only manged to flush 6 Common Snipe - with the weather turning warmer I think Peter is going to have to wait to next winter but yet again another good day out birding.