Sunday 16th December SWW Fishbourne Harbour

Despite a bad forecast I arrived at Dell Quay to find bright sunshine which made looking towards the harbour entrance difficult. 5 Red Breasted Mergansers were distant in the glare. 9 of us set off towards Fishbourne as the tide was rising picking up a Whimbrel and 3 Spotted Redshanks.

Paul as usual went into boggy grass and managed to flush a single Jack Snipe that landed in the next channel, and not to be refound.
No sign of last years over wintering Little Stint but we found a couple of Greenshanks, 3 Snipe meanwhile  Barry caught sight of a Kingfisher. A couple of Rock Pipits and a couple of Grey Wagtails added to our list.

Grey Wagtail

On the walk back we managed to find 8 - 10 Golden Eye and the over wintering Whimbrel again.

 

After a good lunch with pleasant company and excellent Bombadier we set off to the Burgh stopping off for the Bewicks that weren't there. At the triangle immediately a Red Kite appeared and then a couple more, a couple of Buzzards showed up including the pale one. As everyone departed I headed off to Amberley Brooks only to be kept in the car by the heavy rain so headed for Beeding Brooks for the Red Breasted Goose. A quick look and I couldn't find a single goose of any type so headed back to the car as the rain started again.