Newhaven, Birling and Shoreham (23-24 November 2013)

Sunday 24 November.  The Sponbill was showing very well at Newhaven Tidemills (close and active even if its bill was underwater for much of the time).  I then decided to go to Beachy and spent 3 hours at Birling and Belle Tout.  It reminded me,if I needed reminding, of why I don't usually bother this late in November.  I saw 15 Common Scoter on the sea, 10 Robins, 4 Stonechats, 4 Song Thrushes, 3 Ravens, 8 Chaffinches and a Redpoll.  Not a single Chiffchaff or crest was disappointing.

Spoonbill at Newhaven.  Nice to see one that isn't sleeping most of the time

Ponies grazing between Birling Gap and Belle Tout

Saturday 23 November.  A morning low tide visit to the Adur produced 200 ordinary looking gulls (mainly Herring) but no colour-rings.  At least 24 Little Grebe were on Widewater along with 2 Coot and the Mute Swan family (adults and 5 youngsters) but I couldn't find the Goosander or Kingfisher.  A Red-throated Diver, 3 great crested Grebes and an Eider were on the sea while 3 divers flew west and 20 gannets were milling around in the horizon.  At Shoreham Fort what looked like a different Eider (adult female V immature male) was offshore with 5 Meadow Pipits and 15 Greenfinches on the beach.  Some bike maintenance and a visit to the allotment in afternoon seemed a better use of my time than chasing a Two-barred Crossbills apparently reported on Ashdown forest by an untrustworthy observer.  Those that did found no bird and no observer, how surprising.

Friday 22 November.  It was just light enough to see a Peregrine on the power station chimney on the way to work.

Wednesday 20 November.  Peregrine on the power station chimney on the way to work.

Tuesday 19 November.  The Goosander was still performing on Widewater where I counted 18 Little Grebes on a cylce past on my way to an afternoon appointment at Worthing Hospital's Audiology department.  also 14 sanderling on the beach at brooklands but a few glances out to sea produced no duck.