daily meds (Shoreham 22-28 July)

Sunday 28 July.  A stronger SW wind seemed to have brought Sandwich Terns in from the coast with 2 opposite Coronation Green, 2 at Shoreham Yacht Club, 15 in the harbour entrance and 2 on the Adur by the airport although there was probably some duplication.  My daily Mediterranean Gull run continued with and adult and a second-summer on the Adur where there were also two Dunlin.  A walk on the Downs round Truleigh Hill with Megan produced Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, Kestrel, Peregrine, 3 Swift, Sky Larks and 2 Corn Buntings.

Saturday 27 July.  A poor weather forecast (that didn't materialise)  removed any temptation to leave the Shoreham area where my usual circuit produced an adult winter Mediterranean Gull flying west at Shoreham Fort, the Mute Swan pair with 6 large cygnets on Widewater, single Dunlin, Whimbrel and 2 Common Sandpipers on the Adur and 20+ Swifts over the house before the heavy rain started.  Mediterranean Gulls are very silent at this time of year, compared to the spring, although perhaps I'm no longer hearing them?  They are not so obviously paired either which suggests to me that they pair up each year before reaching their breeding areas.

Whimbrel on the Adur - at last a few waders are on the move

this one soon flew off south calling

Friday 26 July.  On the way home from work I saw one of the Peregrines on the Power Station chimney and an adult Common Gull on Southwick Beach.  After tea I did a circuit of the Adur seeing 7 Oystercatchers and 2 Mediterranean Gulls from Coronation Green and a juvenile Mediterranean and colour-ringed Greater Black-backed Gull on the Adur where 25-30 Swallows were hunting low over the river.  35 Swifts were screaming over our road at dusk.

Greater Black-backed Gull LAP7 on the Adur

a Cornish bird, ringed as a pullus on Looe Island in June 2011

juvenile Mediterranean Gull on the Adur in fading light

Thursday 25 July.  On the way home from work I saw both of the Peregrines on the Power Station chimney, two adult Mediterranean Gull and a Sandwich Tern on Southwick Beach.  15+ Swifts over our road in the evening.

Wednesday 24 July.  On the way to work I saw one of the Peregrines on the Power Station chimney.  I left at lunchtime for an afternoon visit to Worthing Hospital where my sudden hearing loss in one ear is diagnosed as most likely being permanent.  My good ear still hears well but I can no longer tell where sounds are coming from which doesn't help when birding.  A forthcoming birding trip and my not knowing where an ambulance was when I heard its siren while cycling over for my appointment were convincing arguments that it was urgent and they very kindly managed to squeeze in a hearing aid fitting for me next week.  On the way back a second summer Mediterranean Gull was roosting at Widewater, where the Mute Swan family were still in residence.  On the Adur Saltings a further 8 Mediterranean Gulls were roosting (a first-summer, two second-summers and five adults) with 5 Lapwing and 7 Redshank.  A later trip down to the Adur, primarily to try out a cheap light tripod, added nothing further.

trying out a new tripod, not overly stable but seemed to be OK

Tuesday 23 July.  On the way home from work I saw one of the Peregrines on the Power Station chimney and three Ringed Plovers and 41 Mediterranean Gulls on Southwick Beach (it was low tide). All the Meds were opposite the fenced area where they were the commonest gull.  They included one juvenile, three fist-summers and two second summers).  10+ Swifts over our road in the evening.

Monday 22 July.  On the way home from work I saw one of the Peregrines on the Power Station chimney.  Lots of flying ants over Shoreham were attracting mainly Herring Gulls but while getting my bike out to visit our allotment an adult Mediterranean flew over (a 'garden' first).  While watering another four adult Meds flew over and a ten minute sky-watch when back home added another two while 14 Herring Gulls were feeding on ants that had landed in our road and on the pavement.  20+ Swifts over our road in the evening.

Gromit!

 A weekend in Bristol where we saw just over half of the unleashed Gromits.  Some of our favourites follow:

Golden Gromit

Sir Gromit of Bristol

Vincent Van Gromit

Nessa and Dog Rose, simple but we liked it

Isambark Kingdog Brunel, we felt had the best name

Carosello and get well card (following some mindless vandalisation)

me and Bunty, who's got the scarier shadow?

Bunty on her own, one of our favourites

Poetry in motion, another I particularly liked.  Joanna Lumley being the artist was entirely coincidental!

Bark at Ee and admired admirer

Nezahualcoyotl

Ship shape and Bristol Fashion.  Gromits were understandably very popular and it wasn't always practical to wait to get them to ourselves.

Bristol wasn't all Gromits.  A visit to the Zoo was enjoyable and produced a few interesting birds, Gorilla, Asian Lion & Red Panda.

Victoria Crowned Pigeon, fingers firmly crossed!

Inca Tern, better check the Kittiwakes next time I'm at Seaford

Clifton Suspension Bridge

20-21 July.  Absolutely nothing on A27/M27/A36 other than a few Swifts over Salisbury. Only Swifts seen over Bristol.

15-19 July.  1-2 Peregrines most days, single Ringed Plover 3 times and 15-25 Swifts over our road each evening.

Shoreham (8-14 July 2013)

Sunday 14 July.   A visit to Shoreham Fort produced and adult Mediterranean Gull, 7 Sandwich and 2 Common Terns off-shore and 2 Ringed Plover on the beach.  A Swift and three Swallows flying west were the only things moving although a Common Gull on the sea was the first I've noticed for a while. Another two Mediterranean Gulls, a well-travelled colour-ringed Herring Gull, four Little Egrets, 27 Mute Swans and two Stock Doves on the Adur.

Mediterranean Gull on the flat-calm sea off Shoreham Harbour

Herring Gull TM9T, the wanderer, see http://birdingneversleeps.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/tm9t-wanderings.html

drying time

breakfast

2CY Mediterranean Gull on the Adur, distant and in heat haze

Adur gulls

adult Mediterranean Gull on the Adur, its all red bill and full hood makes it different from recent adults in the area. 

Saturday 13 July.  On early walk from Lock Bridge to West Grinstead and back I saw a Turtle and 11 Stock Doves, Little Owl, Kingfisher, 2 Jays, 2 Bullfinches and 8 Yellowhammers.  A brief stop at the Adur on my way home added two Black-tailed Godwits and two Mediterranean Gulls.  Later 20 Swifts were over our road.

uncooperative Little Owl near West Grinstead

Turtle Dove near Lock Bridge, it flew out of a field into this tree.  If it was calling I couldn't hear it.  It didn't give good views in the tree either, and soon dropped from sight.

Two Black-tailed Godwits on the Adur.  This time the western bank was the wrong one to be on for the light.

highly plumed Little Egret on the Adur

3CY Mediterranean Gull on the Adur

Friday 12 July.  The adult female Peregrine on the Power Station chimney and 20 Swifts over our road.

Thursday 11 July.  Both adult Peregrines on the Power Station chimney, 15+ Swifts over our road and a Stock Dove in the garden.  So much for my hope that the adult male might have taken the two juveniles away somewhere.  I now fear for their survival as I've not seen them for almost a week.  

Stock Dove on our lawn

Wednesday 10 July.   The female Peregrine on the Power Station chimney, 25 Swifts over our road and a Stock Dove in the garden.  A low-tide visit to the Adur was my best for about two months, producing a Black-tailed Godwit and two Mediterranean Gulls as well as the more usual 3 Little Egrets and 27 Mute Swans.

Black-tailed Godwit on the Adur by Shoreham Airport

I was on the wrong river bank for the light

Tuesday 9 July.  An unreadable North Thames colour-ringed Herring Gull amongst 300+ loafing on Southwick Beach on my way home, the female Peregrine on the Power Station chimney and 20 Swifts over our road.  I returned to the beach later with telescope but the tide had come in a bit, there were more people and no gulls at all.

Monday 8 July.   Two unreadable North Thames colour-ringed Herring Gull amongst 400+ loafing on Southwick Beach on y way home.  Also a hooded 3CY Mediterranean Gull, the female Peregrine on the Power Station chimney and 25 Swifts over our road.

Shoreham (1-7 July 2013)

Sunday 7 July.  Shoreham Fort and the Adur again.  Somewhat better than yesterday with 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls east and one around the harbour, 5 Gannets off-shore and 4 Sandwich Terns east, 2 distant Peregrines on the Power Station chimney and 2 Ringed Plover on the beach.  A selection of large gulls breeding on the Howard Kent roof by the Lifeboat Station and 3 Little Egrets and 27 Mute Swans on the Adur.  A walk around Rackham with Megan was somewhat hampered by still being deaf in one ear making it hard to tell which direction bird calls were coming from.  Despite this I managed to see Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrests and a Treecreeper.

Mediterranean Gull on the beach north of Shoreham Fort

stretch

and doze

I might be seeing Med Gulls much more frequently this year than previously although I'm getting just as much pleasure from doing so.

on the sea in the entrance to Shoreham Harbour

Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls on Howard Kent roof

Greater and Lesser Black-backed Gulls 

Saturday 6 July.  I added Widewater to my more usual circuit of Shoreham Fort and the Adur but as expected everywhere was quiet.  At the Fort 3 Gannets and 2 Sandwich Terns flew east and a Rock Pipit was heard.  The pair of Mute Swans with six cygnets were still on Widewater and nothing was seen on the Adur.  A few Swifts were seen at the Fort and over our house.

Friday 5 July.  The female and two juvenile Peregrines on the Power Station chimney and 2 Swifts over the house.

Thursday 4 July.  A Swift over the house.  A dredger was going through the lock-gates when I was going to work so I stayed on the A259 and did not pass the Power Station nest box.  No sign of any Peregrines on/by it on the way home.

Wednesday 3 July.  The female and two juvenile Peregrines on the Power Station chimney, a Ringed Plover on Southwick Beach (but a deserted nest, I didn't think it would last long)  and 12 Swifts over the house.

Tuesday 2 July.  The female and two juvenile Peregrines on the Power Station chimney, two Ringed Plovers on Southwick Beach and 9 Swifts over the house.  One of the Ringed Plovers was on a nest with two eggs in it.  It was close to where a pair nested last month.  Their three chicks were only seen a couple of days after hatching and I fear that they were taken by a predator (dog/fox/gull/crow - it is a dangerous place).  This is most likely the parents trying again although they've chosen a rather precarious place to do so.

Monday 1 July.  A juvenile Peregrine on the Power Station nest box and 20 Swifts over the house.  The local crow has been at our eggs again, smashing the box left by the milkman to get at one.