Steyning & Beeding (9 February 2014)

Sunday 9 February.  A pleasant morning walk around Wakehurst Place with Megan seeing a few commoner woodland birds (Marsh, Coal and Long-tailed Tits and 2 superb Stock Doves). In the afternoon I parked by Beeding Church and walked across to Steyning Sewage Farm. Half an hour there failed to produce the Siberian Chiffchaff (just 2 Commons and 2 Goldcrests) but that was more than compensated for by good views of a Barn Owl from 15:25-15:30.  Back on the bank of the Adur I met John King and we walked north seeing little other than a few winter thrushes and a distant Bewick's Swan family (2 adults and 2 young).  Returning, in the last half hour of light in the fields south of the footbridge, we had brilliant views of 1, possibly 2, Short-eared Owls and 2 Barn Owls while a Kingfisher flew down river.

brilliant rainbow while caught out in a heavy squall.  I've rarely seen a full 180 degree rainbow, pity no wide-angle lens to capture it properly