Southwick & Shoreham (28 May-1 June 2013)

Saturday 1 June.  A half hour seawatch from Shoreham Harbour in a fresh northerly wind produced 8 adult Mediterranean Gulls (flocks of 2E and 6W), 17 Gannets, single Fulmar and sandwich Tern, both Peregrines on the chimney and 22 Turnstones. Moving on to Widewater an hour sheltered from the wind in front of the beach huts added another 22 Mediterranean Gulls (flocks of 5, 2, 2, 2, 9 & 2 all flying west, all adults except the odd numbered flocks included a striking first-summer and a second-summer respectively), 4 Gannets and 7 Sandwich Terns.  The pair of Mute Swans with 6 cygnets was still present and a single Swallow flew east.  Later 3 Swifts over the house but very little on the Adur at low tide - Herring Gulls just about outnumbering bait-diggers, no waders and a single Whitethroat.  Later still 12 Swifts over the house and one over the allotment.

A flock of nine Mediterranean Gulls heading west off Widewater, all adults apart from the lower centre bird

passing the wind-turbine platform

Friday 31 May.  Both Peregrines on Southwick Power Station,  2 Ringed Plovers, Black Redstart singing near the lock-gates and 6 adult Mediterranean Gulls flying west close inshore.  7 Swifts over the garden and c15 over the allotment where the most so far seen this year.

Thursday 30 May.  Fulmar along Southwick Beach, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Black Bedstarts heard singing (lock-gates and Timber Yard) and Rock Pipit on Shed 8.

Wednesday 29 May.  3 Swifts over the house, Rock Pipit heard by Carot's Cafe/Shed 8 and the Black Redstart singing from the Timber Yard on the way to work was in the Hanson compound when I went home.

Tuesday 28 May.  3 Swifts over the house, 2 Mistle Thrushes on Southwick Green and a Ringed Plover on the beach.