Shoreham area and Sherwood Rough (08-19 February 2026)

Sunday 08 February 2026. Widewater seawatch 07:45-09:15, light SE, clear and cold: Eider 1E (male), Common Scoter 1E, Great Crested Grebe 2 on sea, Kittiwake 2E:1W, Razorbill 3E, Red-throated Diver 35E:5W:8 on sea, diver sp. 4E (1 thought likely Black-throated), Fulmar 1E, Gannet 7E:1W. Harbour Way: Black-headed Gull T13H. Shoreham Harbour/Fort with Megan and Otis: Purple Sandpiper and Rock Pipit.

Purple Sandpiper at the base of the Western Arm of Shoreham Harbour

Black-headed Gull T13H at Harbour Way, a bird I'd previously seen here in February 2022. It was ringed in Poland in April 2020 when it was an adult and seen there in April 2021 and elsewhere in Poland in June and July 2025

Monday 09 February 2026. Cissbury with Megan and Otis: Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, 8 Skylarks, single Linnet and male Yellowhammer. Sullington Way before dusk with Otis: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets.

Lord Derby's Parakeet above Sullington Way

Tuesday 10 February 2026. Adur Toll Bridge to Widewater with Otis: 5 Coot, 8 Little Grebes, 101 Lapwings, 2 Grey and 17 Ringed Plover, 37 Dunlin, 25 Turnstones, Greenshank and 250 Black-headed, 2 adult Mediterranean, 130 Common and 850 Herring Gulls. Sullington Way before dusk with Otis: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets.

Wednesday 11 February 2026. Widewater seawatch 08:00-09:30, mod/strong WSW, viz < Rampion: Pintail 1 prob. E, Great Crested Grebe 2 on sea, Oystercatcher 2E, Ringed Plover 4E, Dunlin 8E, Guillemot 1W, Razorbill 1E:6W, Red-throated Diver 2E, Fulmar 1E, Gannet 2W, Shag 1E, Cormorant 4 offshore. 

Thursday 12 February 2026. Shoreham Harbour (East side, breakwater closed) with Otis. 6 Cormorants.

Friday 13 February 2026. Adur with Otis: Little Grebe, 5 Oystercatchers, 60+ Lapwings, 3 Grey Plover, Dunlin, 6 Turnstones, Common Sandpiper (from Toll Bridge), 6 Redshank, 250+ Black-headed and 5 adult Mediterranean Gulls. Sullington Way before dusk with Otis: female Lord Derby's on its own.

Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls on the Adur

nice to have my camera back - Dunnock by the Adur

Saturday 14 February 2026. Mile Oak/Truleigh Hill circuit with Otis: 28 species including 100+ Stock Doves, 2 Red Kites, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrels, 2 Ravens, 20+ Skylarks, 2 Song Thrushes, Redwing, 4 Stonechats, 15 Meadow Pipits and a flock of 450+ Linnets in set-aside/supplementary feeding. Sullington Way before dusk with Otis: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets. Crown Road: 1000+ Starlings flying E to roost.

large Linnet flock at Perching Manor Farm set-aside

countable part of the Linnet flock (195 birds here)

more of the Linnet flock

Ring-necked Parakeet above Sullington Way

Sunday 15 February 2026. Sullington Way before dusk with Otis: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets.

Monday 16 February 2026. Adur/Saltings at high tide with Megan and Otis: 25 Teal, single Little and Great Crested Grebes (latter opposite airport), 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Grey Plovers, 150 Common Snipe and 40+ Redshank.

Tuesday 17 February 2026. Sherwood Rough with RP, 11:10-15:00, noisy & muddy due to forestry work: 4 Stock Doves, 3 Buzzards, Kestrel, 2 Chaffinches, 8 Hawfinches, 3 Linnets and Crossbill and Siskin heard. Rackham Watchpoint with RP: 2 Egyptian Geese, 50+ Pintail, 100+ Teal, 500+ Lapwing, 4 Great Egrets, 2 White-tailed Eagles (adult & immature) and Coal Tit heard.

Wednesday 18 February 2026. Adur with Megan and Otis: Little and Great Crested Grebes, 95 Lapwing, 2 Grey Plover and a Dunlin.

Thursday 19 February 2026. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: Buzzard, Green Woodpecker heard, 5 vocal Skylarks, 2 Song Thrushes, 8 Redwings and 9 Goldfinches. The Herdwicks had been moved on since our last visit.

Caspian Gull confusion in the Shoreham area (28 January-07 February 2026)

Wednesday 28 January 2026. Adur with Megan and Otis: Little Grebe, 105 Lapwing, 2 Grey Plover, 83 Dunlin, the adult Little and 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, Skylark heard, Chiffchaff and Rock Pipit.

Thursday 29 January 2026. Widewater, 08:10-09:40 in mod SE: Brent Goose 22E, Common Scoter 4E, Red-breasted Merganser male and female E then W, Kittiwake 2E:6W, Razorbill 5E:2W: 4 on sea, auk sp. 7E, Red-throated Diver 5E:35W, Black-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 1E:1W (crossed paths) and Gannet 25+ offshore. Widewater lagoon-Lancing Beach Green with Megan and Otis: just 20 Mute Swans, red-head Goosander, 4 Little Grebes, Moorhen and 7 Coot.

red-head Goosander on Widewater

Friday 30 January 2026. Stock Dove in our garden. Adur, very wet afternoon low tide with Otis: 2 Little Grebes, 108 Lapwing, 200+ Black-headed and 540 Common Gulls, a classic first-winter Caspian Gull and another first-winter with seemingly minor imperfections (some barring on greater coverts and rather coarse mantle plumage which might have been due to it being rather wet).

first-winter Caspian Gull on the Adur. Phone-scoped in heavy rain, My usual camera is in for repair (water damage) and the old backup inexplicably switched to 'macro' mode after 2 images. I had taken a small camera for emergency use with my scope but its battery only managed 3 unusable images before dying.

it had a colour ring (I thought green R|C) from a mixed colony in the Netherlands

it looked like a classic first-winter Caspian Gull to me with a black bill, sloping forehead, clean white head and underparts, greyish mantle, brown unbarred coverts, thin white edges to tertials, black primaries and long pale flesh legs. Despite all that it came back as a hybrid Herring x Caspian Gull ringed as a chick at Bataviahaven, Lelystad, Flevoland, Netherlands on 31 May 2025. It rather dented my confidence in identifying even what seem to me rather obvious Caspian Gulls until a week later the ringing group contacted me saying the gull's ring was actually R|G which is a pure Caspian Gull

also in the flock was another first-winter Caspian Gull contender (front right) that looked good structurally but with courser plumage which I put down to it being wet although I'm not sure that explained the barring on its outer greater coverts

Saturday 31 January 2026. Widewater seawatch 08:10-09:10, clear, bright, mod S: Teal 10E, Common Scoter 4E,  Red-breasted Merganser 5E? (very distant), Great Crested Grebe 2 on sea, Kittiwake  8E:17W (3 juvs), Guillemot 1W, Razorbill 5E:59W:16 on sea, Red-throated Diver 14E:7W, diver sp. 5E:1W and Gannet 26W. On lagoon: red-head Goosander, 11 Little Grebes, Moorhen, 7 Coot. Buckingham Park with Megan and Otis: Stock Dove and a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker. Adur, late afternoon low tide: Little Grebe, 96 Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, adult Mediterranean, 300 Black-headed and 250 Common Gulls. Also better views of yesterdays imperfect first-winter Caspian Gull. With better views (it not being wet for a start) it appeared to have more imperfections than I'd previously noticed and might be best referred to as what some are calling 'Cactus' Gulls (cachinnans x argentatus). Thanks to Dave Cooper and Matt Palmer for comments.

yesterday's Caspian contender not looking quite so convincing in better weather with a full set of barred greater coverts on its right side. Back up camera no longer on macro!

Sunday 01 February 2026. Shoreham Fort/Boardwalk with Megan and Otis: 3 Turnstones on the West Arm and a Red-throated Diver on the sea. Sullington Way: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets in their favoured tree late afternoon.

Monday 02 February 2026. Southwick Canal with Megan and Otis: nothing of note. We had intended crossing the lock gates to walk to the harbour's Eastern Arm but first the small lock was closed to us then just as it was opening the large lock closed to pedestrians. Memories of being stuck on the way home from work for 10-15 minutes in poor weather made us divert to Southwick Canal. We were level with the Power Station by the time the lock gates opened.

Tuesday 03 February 2026. Shoreham Harbour East Arm with Otis: Great Crested Grebe on sea, 2 Purple Sandpipers (one on East Arm, one below wooden jetty, 13 Turnstones, 51 Razorbills, 17 auk sp, 20 Gannets and 6 Cormorants. Shoreham College: Jay. Sullington Way: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets in their favoured tree late afternoon

Scottish trawlers returning to Shoreham Harbour

The Cornelis-GertJan passing the wooden jetty where it disturbed one of the two Purple Sandpipers there causing it to fly onto the East Arm

Purple Sandpiper on the East Arm of Shoreham Harbour

Wednesday 04 February 2026. Rackham Woods, brief scan of Amberley Wild Brooks and Parham Park with Megan and Otis: 2 Egyptian Geese, 100+ Wigeon, 20+ Pintail, 500+ Lapwing, very distant White-tailed Eagle sat in a tree, 2 Red Kites, 7 Buzzards, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, Jay, Coal Tit, Nuthatch heard, Treecreeper, Redwing and 4 Goldfinches.

Thursday 05 February 2026. Buckingham Park with Megan and Otis: Goldcrest. No sign of any parakeets late afternoon.

Friday 06 February 2016. Adur with Megan and Otis: Little Grebe, 110 Lapwing, 2 Grey Plover, adult Mediterranean, 34 Great and 6 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Jay, Skylark heard singing (thanks to new hearing aids, still couldn't see it though), 2 Meadow Pipits and a Goldfinch. With camera mended I took Otis to look for the parakeets, both were present above the Sullington Way bus stop late afternoon.

Lord Derby's Parakeet keeping an eye on Otis and me as we loitered at Sullington Wat bus stop

Ring-necked Parakeet companion

Saturday 07 February 2016. Brooklands with Megan and Otis: 15 Moorhens, 60 Coot, Kestrel, Jay heard, Coal and Long-tailed Tits and 2 Chaffinches. Sullington Way: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets in their favoured tree late afternoon.

both parakeets

Local White-fronted Geese and my first Adur Little Gull (12-27 January 2026)

Monday 12 January 2026. Widewater seawatch 08:20-09:20, mod SW:  Brent Goose 1E, Goosander 1E (red-head), Great Crested Grebe 1E:12W, Razorbill 2W:1 on sea, auk sp. 5W, Red-throated Diver 7W, diver sp. 12W, Gannet 3W. Widewater/Lancing Beach Green with Megan and Otis: 34 Mute Swans, red-head Goosander (considered different as the lagoon bird was seen before and immediately after that flying west), Moorhen, 8 Coot, 7 Little Grebes, Oystercatcher, 21 Ringed Plover, 4 Turnstones, 90 Dunlin, Kingfisher and Kestrel. Middle Road with Otis: female Lord Derby's Parakeet.

Goosander on Widewater

        

Kingfisher on Widewater

Lord Derby's Parakeet above Sullington Road bus stop

Tuesday 13 January 2026. Downslink, Henfield-West Mill in the rain with Otis: a loose flock of 50+ Canada, 76 Greylag and 51 White-fronted Geese, 15 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 40+ Wigeon, 30 Mallard, 10 Pintail, 50 Teal, 530 Lapwing, Grey Heron, 4 Long-tailed Tits, Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, 20 Blackbirds, 30 Fieldfares, 60 Redwings, Grey Wagtail, Chaffinch and Bullfinch heard.

 some of the White-fronted Geese from the Downslink

Wednesday 14 January 2026. Dacres Gardens to Bramber Castle with Megan and Otis: Common Sandpiper, 2 Buzzards, 6 Redwings, Chaffinch, 3 Linnets and a Goldfinch.

Friday 16 January 2026. No Man's Land figure of 8 circuit with David Buckingham and Otis: Red-legged Partridge, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Red Kites, 3 Buzzards, Tawny Owl, Kestrel, Raven, 200+ Fieldfares, Redwing, 12 Chaffinches, 30 Linnets, 40 Corn Buntings and 8 Yellowhammers. Old Toll Bridge River Adur at low tide: 94 Lapwing, 300+ Common (no rings) and a first-winter Caspian Gull. I was not careful enough putting a half-filled water bottle into my bag which had my camera in it not in its usual drybag. A slight leak caused the camera to die [repair estimate £600]. No recognizable Caspian Gull photos although I tried digiscoping with minimal success.

Saturday 17 January 2026. Widewater, 08:10-09:20, light/mod SE: Brent Goose 43E, Common Scoter 3E, redhead Goosander, 7 Coot and 7 Little Grebe on lagoon, Great Crested Grebe on sea, Oystercatcher 3W, Kittiwake 1E:1W (adults), Razorbill 2W, auk sp. 3W, Red-throated Diver 25E:8W, diver sp. 1E:2W and Gannet 4W. Shoreham Fort/Boardwalk with Megan and Otis: 2 Purple Sandpipers. Adur at low tide with Otis: 92 Lapwing, Dunlin and Grey Heron. Few gulls, none of note.

House Sparrow in our front garden, camera working somewhat after a night in the airing cupboard

Common and Black-headed Gulls on the Adur, a final flurry before the camera died completely

Sunday 18 January 2026. Middle Road/Sullington Way: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets.

Monday 19 January 2026. Lancing Ring/Steepdown with Megan and Otis: Kestrel, Jay, 8 Skylarks, 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Linnet, 20 Corn and 2 Reed Buntings. Middle Road/Sullington Way: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets.

Lancing College and Southwick Power Station

Tuesday 20 January 2026. Widewater, 07:55-09:25, mod SSE, very bright: Brent Goose 119E (9 groups), Goosander on lagoon, Great Crested Grebe 2 on sea, Kittiwake 9E:27W (included a single first-winter), Little Gull 1E (adult), Razorbill 51E:24W, auk sp. 45E:22W, Red-throated Diver 1E:13W, diver sp. 3W, Fulmar 1E and Gannet 44 offshore. Circumnavigation of Southwick Canal with Otis: noting of any note at all.

Thursday 22 January 2026. Adur circuit with Megan and Otis: 10+ Teal, 65 Lapwing, 3 Grey Plover, Kingfisher, 2 Stonechats (male and female on saltings opposite the Waterfront) and a Rock Pipit (my 100th species seen this year, all locally).

Rock Pipit on the Adur, west side. It would be interesting to see this bird in a couple of month's time as it didn't look as smudgy below as most Rock Pipits do

Saturday 24 January 2026. Crown Road: A Red Kite seen flying E from our back window. Five Ways/Room Bottom/Truleigh Centre/Perching Manor Farm/Sussex Ornithological Society Event: Red Kite, Kestrel, 5 Skylarks, 4 Redwings, 2 Stonechats, 8 Meadow Pipits, Goldfinch, 5 Corn Buntings. A very interesting talk by the Farm Manager on the history of the farm (now in its 4th generation) and steps taken to support wildlife and Downland landscape although I embarrassed myself loosing my balance and having to be rescued by the very helpful farm owner in her 4x4. Very nice to learn about an area I've wandered around many times in recent years and see some of it off footpath. Two years ago I asked Megan to look out for a walking pole in the charity shop where she volunteers, to assist my climbing up Pirre Ridge in Darien. It proved very useful especially descending near vertical trails but I never imagined I'd be using it on the South Downs, let alone still being unbalanced and in need of rescue. Fortunately an hour later I was pretty much back to normal although was very grateful for a lift home from Chris Corrigan while Adrian Thomas drove my car from the Five Ways (Beeding Hill NT) car park to the Truleigh Centre were it was safer left overnight. All rather concerning.

flooding on Beeding Brooks

Sunday 25 January 2026. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis, after going to the Truleigh Centre to collect my car. Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine (on chimney), Skylark heard, 3 Redwings and 2 Song Thrushes.

Tuesday 27 January 2026. Adur with Otis, mid-afternoon on a rising tide: 65+ Lapwing, 2 Grey Plover, 6 Redshank and the adult Little Gull. The latter the first I've actually seen on the Adur rather than flying by along the beach, something I'd bemoaned in my 'Gulls on the Adur' SDOS presentation (see here) before Christmas. Despite no camera and a travel scope without a tripod, as I wasn't expecting any gulls to look through, I surprised myself getting some identifiable digiscoped images by resting the scope on one knee while sitting by the SSSI sign.

adult Little Gull on the Adur