Shoreham & Downs (07-08 April 2012)

Saturday 7 April.   Seawatching from 07:00-08:30 off the end of Shoreham Harbour was quiet with 30+ Brent Geese, 1 Common and 16 Sandwich Terns flying east and 5 Great Crested Grebes on the sea.  Two Wheatears arrived and briefly landed on the west arm.  Little was seen on the Adur at either low tide.


recently arrived Wheatear on the west arm of Shoreham Harbour

Wheatear on the fence by the new coastguard lookout

continuing demolition of the old coastguard building

This very dark bodied Herring Gull was seen on an evening visit to the Adur.  Unfortunately it wasn't seen at all well in flight.  

Sunday 8 April.  A seawatch from 07:00-07:30 in wet and murky conditions produced no passage at all with 7 Turnstone on the west arm and a Little Egret inside Shoreham Harbour the only notebook entries.  A yellow colour-ringed Herring Gull was seen on the Adur although viewing conditions (into the rain) were difficult and photos very poor.  A North Thames red-ringed Herring Gull was also seen but frustratingly only well enough to get the first and last of the 4 character code.  No sign of the very dark bird seen last evening.  A pair of Shoveler were on the Adur too with a male Wheatear by the old Toll Bridge.  

Megan and I saw 4 slow-worms on our allotment composters and 14 Stock Doves, 18 Sky Larks and 5 Corn Buntings on a Lancing Ring/Coombes Head/Steep Down circuit. 

Herring Gull 2X3B, seemingly from a ringing scheme based in Kings Lynn

my first yellow-ringed Herring Gull, I was hoping it might have come from further afield

Slow worms attracted to the warmth of our allotment composters