Sunday 1 January was the sort of day one normally wouldn't bother venturing out if it hadn't been 1st January. JK and I started at Widewater where the Snow Buntings were showing well. A short seawatch produced an unidentified diver, 8 Gannets, 33 Brent Geese and 5 Shelduck. We moved on to Ferring where an adult Med Gull was roosting in the fields at Goring Gap, 25 Sanderlings were being chased by dogs on the beach and 2 snipe were flushed from the Rife. We headed up to Burpham and saw 9 adult Bewick's Swans from the cricket pitch. With no great expectations we went on to Peppering triangle and scanned the Burgh area for half an hour seeing 2 Buzzards, 9 Grey Partridges, 60 Corn Buntings and 20 Yellowhammers before the rain became more and more persistent and we called it a day.
 |
| Snow Bunting at Widewater, its closeness didn't make up for the atrocious light |
Monday 2 January. The first sunny day for a while tempted me to revisit the Snow Buntings in the hope of obtaining some photos in good light. I cycled down - only the second time I'd been on the bike since coming off. The Snow Buntings were not on view and those there suggested that they'd not been seen. I didn't linger and after seeing a Black Redstart on the next beach headed back to the Adur were a Mediterranean Gull and colour-ringed Herring (JH7T) and Greater Black-back (02K) were digiscoped and a Kingfisher was seen. Two Short-eared and a Barn Owl were seen on Beeding Brooks, the latter giving disappointly brief views after dusk. As the light faded flock of Jackdaws totalling at least 2000 flew E calling, presumably to roost. also seen was a male Stonechat, 60 fieldfares and 15 Redwings.
 |
| Red-breasted Mergansers on Widewater |
 |
| North Thames Herring Gull JH7T on the Adur |
 |
| Normandie Greater Black-backed Gull 02K on the Adur |
 |
| Mediterranean Gull on the Adur |
 |
| Short-eared Owl at Beeding Brooks |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.