Contributors

Friday 20 December 2013

December 20th SWW Fishbourne Harbour

Red-breasted Merganser
About a dozen of us met up for the annual Xmas walk in Fishbourne Harbour, First bird seen was a Red-breasted Merganser which had eluded me all year
Also found of interest was this Rock Pipit, several Greenshank, a couple of Spotted Redshank and this Grey Wagtail.
Grey Wagtail

After a good lunch in the pub a quick visit to West Dean Woods found 2 Red Kites and very little else.

Saturday 30 November 2013

Saturday 30th November Rye Harbour

Highlights from today's trip were seeing a Spotted Redshank alongside a Common Redshank on the quarry, with a Little Egret close by.

On the Ternery Pool the long staying Long-tailed Duck was distant. But with Hempstead Forest only an hour away decision was made to head there for the reported Parrot and Two-barred Crossbills. Despite spending a couple of hours waiting / looking we only managed a flock of 9 Common Crossbills. Sitting in a tree some distance away was this bird of prey - possible juvenile Peregrin or cross.

Juvenile or cross Peregrin

Monday 11 November 2013

Sunday 10th November 2013 SWW Ambersham Common

Starting off at Ambersham Common although quiet birdwise we soon found a pair of Stonechats
Stonechat



A little later a couple of Dartford Warblers were seen and despite walking around the common very little of note was seen.
 
We moved onto another common but the name escapes me - I hadn't been there before and once again very little bird life. We did however find this butterfly. 
Fresh Peacock
A pleasant day out in lovely autumn weather, Commons can be a challenge at time but a good time was had by all.

Autumn Colours






Purple Sandpiper

Monday 28 October 2013

Norfolk 25th to 27th October

The annual trip to Norfolk started at Lynford Arboretum looking for the 2 barred Crossbill, despite a couple of hours waiting we were unlucky but managed to see several woodland species that we don't normally get when in Norfolk - some even got a view of a Firecrest.
 
Common Crossbill
From here we went to Titchwell for the remainder of the day getting to see the usual Ducks and Waders
Golden Plovers in the hundreds

One of a couple of close by Ruff
From the beach on the sea Long-tailed ducks, Eider, Slav Grebes, Red-necked Grebe, eventually a Shore Lark, all new for the year. Also 3 Seals.

Two of three Seals cut off by the tide
Also plenty of Pink-footed Geese
Pink-footed Geese
Only a few winter Thrushes this year, unlike last when there were thousands.
Redwing
At Snettisham thousands of waders out on the mud, but the high tide wasn't big enough to push them onto the pools but still a spectacle.

Alan waiting for high tide
On the final day with a storm forecast for the South, I set off to Salthouse to look Snow Buntings while the others were having breakfast I found one in very poor light and a heavy shower.
Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting
Meeting up with the others at Cley Paul soon found a Richards Pipit, although brief flying views it was a new bird for me.

A good weekend as usual with a few pints of Woodford Wherry and an excellent pint of Nelsons Revenge at the the Red Lion in Stiffkey - shame about the photos. But one new bird for me, six more onto my year list. 106 species seen by me over the weekend. Roll on next October!

Tuesday 17 September 2013

Sunday 15th September SWW Dungeness

Sunday meeting at the point we headed for the patch, managed to see all the commoner Terns Sandwich, Common, Little, Arctic, and Black. Among the gulls a Little Gull then an Arctic Skua appeared.
 
Arctic Skua

Arctic Skua


The Patch


At the ARC and Burrows Pit we found Little Stint, Ruff, BT. Godwit, Dunlin, Curlew Sand(I think), Black-necked Grebe, Great White Egret, Egyption Geese,

A good day had by all 

Looking for a Pec. Monday 16th September

Monday 16th I took frank for his walk over to Rye Hbrfor the third time to find the Pec.Sand. Again no luck so made do with a couple of Wheatears.

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear
 
I also found a couple of Winchats
Winchats
Despite trying to get closer this was the best I got
Winchat

Saturday 14 September 2013

A week in Norfolk

 
 
A weeks holiday planned months ago after having 3 months of good weather we woke to wind and rain and that's how it stayed for the week but occasional sunny spells were welcomed.
 
Egyption Geese
A trip to Cley on the Monday found 9 Egytion Geese by the roadside, a Common Sandpiper on Pat's Pool
Common Sandpiper
Along the East Bank hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Little Egrets
Little Egret
 
 
Tuesday morning a Sea watch from Sheringham amoungst a dozen or so birders put me onto 2 Long-tailed Skuas, a couple of Bonxies, and a Manx Shearwater. I couldn't however get onto the Sooty or Belearic.
 
Other than that it wasn't till the Friday when we went to Titchwell that we had 5 Winchats, 3 Little Stints, 4 Curlew Sands plus all the usuals but I didn't take the camera.
 

Monday 2 September 2013

Sunday 1st September SWW Seaford Head Birding

The day started fairly quiet, with a Winchat and Wheatear from near the car park, but it wasn't till we got down to Hope gap where things livened up with a few Lesser Whitethroat and many more Common Whitethroat.
 

Lesser Whitethroat



A juvenile Peregrin put on a couple of good displays
Peregrin
A couple of Wheatears were down by the river mouth

Wheatear


Wheatear
Later on we found 4 Winchats
Winchat

Winchat
However the highlight of the morning were the 2 Curlew Sandpipers on the mud near the Golden Galleon


Curlew Sandpipers


Walking back to the car park several Yellow Wagtails, the Peregrin again, and 2 Common Redstarts
Common Redstart

Monday 26 August 2013

Sunday 25th August SWW Pagham Harbour

After seeing 20 plus Yellow Wagtails in the cattle fields opposite the visitor centre, we moved to the ferry where the highlights were a Juvenile and Adult Med Gull. From here we went to Church Norton and picked up Curlew, Wimbrel, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and 2 Peregrins on their island. A walk round to the severals found a distant Spotted flycatcher and a Winchat in the horse field. Back at the Churchyard another Spotted Fly but distant.
 
 

Spotted Flycatcher
A walk via Halseys Farm to the North Wall found little other than a Nuthatch (very rare to Selsey Peninsular). Stopping for lunch on the Breech Pool 60 Black-tailed godwits and a Spotted Redshank.
Spotted Redshank

Black-tailed godwits with Spotted Redshank
Out in the harbour 3 Yellow-legged Gulls another Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Dunlin, and Ringed Plover. Getting a text of a Wryneck at Church Norton sent us scurrying back to have a look. The same bush where we saw the Winchat I got a brief glimpse of the Wryneck, 20 minutes later it showed well on the fence that's number 276 in the bag.
Wryneck

Wryneck

Wryneck

Sunday 18 August 2013

SWW at Dungeness Saturday 17th August

Starting at the point on Dungeness we started with a sea watch in front of the power station and the first bird of note was an Artic Skua, loads of gulls were on the patch with a few comic terns and several Gannets feeding a bit further out. No sign of the Black Redstarts so we headed for the fishing boats for another look at the sea. It wasn't long before Paul spotted 3 Black Terns

Black Tern
The Little Gull flew past so close posing for photos but I had knocked the manual focus button so missed out on a pic.

On the reserve a couple Wood Sandpipers and a couple of eclipse Garganey showing fairly close but in bad light.


Garganey (eclipse)

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper
Couldn't resist this Egret
Little Egret
Hundreds of Sand Martins were over all the pits
Sand Martin
Very few Marsh Harriers today but this one put on a good show
Marsh Harrier.
 
Also seen on the reserve 2 Egyption Geese, a Black-necked Grebe and a Ruff. Over on the ARC pit 2 Dunlin, several Common Sandpipers another Ruff, 3 Snipe, 2 Greenshanks, several Ringed Plovers, and a couple of Little Ringed Plovers. As always a good day birding at Dungeness.