Goosanders on the Adur, briefly (02 December 2012)

Sunday 2 December.  An early visit to the River Adur was rewarded with a pair of Goosander opposite Shoreham Airfield. They were first seen just north of the railway bridge at about 8am but took flight before I could scope them.  Fortunately they dropped back on the river almost level with me but immediately started drifting downstream and diving.  I followed them downstream for a few minutes but when I walked further down the old railway line to try and get ahead of them they had vanished, presumably they'd flown further up river.  Early low tides are not the best for the Adur and it was no surprise that few gulls were present and a fly-over Siskin was the only other species of note.  Shoreham Harbour and Widewater were very quiet with heard only Siskin and Rock Pipit respectively.  The pair of Mute Swans on Widewater still have 5 youngsters in tow and 10 Little Grebes were present, as well as two on the Adur.

early morning Goosander on the River Adur

Saturday 1 December.  An early morning visit to the Adur proved to be fruitless as the fog got thicker the closer I cycled and I arrived to find I couldn't even make out the waters edge and a few Lapwing type shapes were all I noted.  Early low tides on this part of the Adur are usually poor, at least for roosting gulls, but the daylight at this time of year is not long enough to give one a choice.  Later when it had cleared Megan and I walked a circuit from Chantry Hill around Lee Farm seeing a Red Kite, 3 Red-legged Partridges, 8 Fieldfares (my first this winter) and a Jay.

26-30 November.  A Peregrine was seen a couple of times in the half-light cycling to work past Southwick Power Station.  Herring Gull A4AH continues to foot-paddle at the University.