Shoreham and Arundel (7-8 December 2013)

Sunday 8 December.  There were fewer gulls on the Adur at low tide and very few larger ones.  Nothing caught my eye although the Kingfisher was seen again.  The Great Northern Diver was on the sea just east of Widewater but little else.  A pleasant morning at Arundel WWT with Megan produced a distant Water Rail from the Ramsar hide along with my collection favourites - Scaly-sided Merganser, Blue Duck and Harlequin.  Helped my mum get things ready for my dad's imminent return home and was visiting him when texted news of reported Pacific Diver off Worthing.  I wasn't able to dash, another lucky escape?

The Adur at low tide looking across to Shoreham Airport covered by early morning mist

Carrion Manucode discovered in Shoreham

Great Northern Diver silhouetted off Widewater

few ducks are better than this - Harlequin at Arundel

Water Rail at Arundel

Saturday 7 December.  I spent thee hours cycling around the usual Shoreham sites.  At low tide on the Adur by the airport there were over a thousand gulls, predominantly Black-headed with an adult Mediterranean the only one of interest I could pick out.  Three Teal from the Adur Ferry Bridge (did people really vote for that name?) and very little at Shoreham Harbour (distant Peregrine on Southwick chimney and nothing on the sea).  Stops along to the Yacht Club beyond Widewater produced 9 Great Crested Grebes and 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, not a patch on last weekend.  Widewater itself had the regular Mute Swan family and two Coot while I counted 19 Little Grebes without trying too hard.  Still almost 1000 gulls on the Adur on my return, the airport road being partly flooded, and what looked like the same adult Mediterranena Gull with them.  Finally a Kingfisher from the Old Toll Bridge.

Kingfisher from the Old Toll Bridge, always very nice to see

Mediterranean Gull on the Adur.  What was presumably the same bird with a thick dark mask was still present over two hours later

Turnstone on the west arm of Shoreham Harbour. attracted to digestive biscuits

Thursday 5th & Friday 6th.  The female Peregrine on the Power Station chimney as it was getting light.

Wednesday 4th.  5000 Starlings flew west as I was approaching the Palace Pier.

Monday 2nd.  A Peregrine on the Power Station chimney as it was getting light and Herring Gull A4AH at Sussex University.