Grey Phalarope 7th Jan. 2014

Arriving at Hove the heavens opened as I got out the car but managed a few shots of the Grey Phalarope which stayed for just over a week on the kiddies paddling pool

Grey Phalarope

After this I picked up Paul and went to Arundel. A walk around Swanbourne Lake was birdless, up at the Burgh likewise other than a couple of Red Kites and Wood Pigeons. Arriving back at Widewater to see 6 Red-breasted Mergansers, we met Ian and Brenda who told us of the Glaucous Gull .that had just flown off. A search of both sides of the harbour drew a blank

Distant R B Mergansers

In Shoreham Harbour one of two Purple Sandpipers were on the inner beach

Purple Sandpiper

Sunday 5th January 2014 Dungeness

A morning visit to Dungeness in search of the Humes Leaf Warbler in the dessert trapping area proved fruitless as my wellies leaked and prevented me wading through the floods. So I spent some time on the beach looking amoungst the gulls for a Caspian Gull which didn't happen. But on the sea were plenty of auks incl. 1 Razorbill. 

On the reserve one of 4 Great White Egrets was at the southern end of the ARC

On new Diggings I found one of the Black-throated divers, and a couple of red-head Smew. On Burrows a couple more RH Smew, a Black-necked grebe and a couple of RH Gooseanders

Red-head Gooseander

At the entrance a couple of dozen Tree Sparrows were around the feeders. On Walland Marsh I couldn't find the Bewicks

Tree Sparrows

Holland 29th - 30th December

 

An early morning start, and taking the 7.20 Eurotunnel got the 5 of us to mid Holland by 12.00 Dutch time the new Tom Tom got us to the exact spot just outside Rotterdam where we got our first twitch. The Bufflehead.



Our main target was the Northern Hawk Owl usually much further North in Finland. By 2.00pm we were in the outskirts of Zwolle and soon found the crowd of 40 plus watching this Owl

 

 

After a couple of hours we headed for our Hotel for a good nights sleep.

 

 

Next morning up early before daylight, and after breakfast in the carpark Paul found a couple of Hawfinches, meanwhile the others spotted a Black Woodpecker fly over, which was our next target.

Somewhere in a wood somewhere in Holland it wasn't long till we got stunning views of Black Woodpecker.

Black Woodpecker

Our next target was a Baikel Teal which would have been a first for Paul let alone for the rest of us, but it wasn't to be. We then started heading for home seeing hundreds of Barnacle and White-fronted Geese.

650 miles round trip we arrived back in Fairlight at 8.00pm after a couple of hours delay at the Calais terminal.

White-fronted Geese

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 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

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

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!