Corn Buntings

Saturday 3 May.  05:55-06:25 at Widewater with just Whimbrel 1E and Sandwich Tern 2W before my boredom threshold was reached and I visited my two Corn Bunting Survey tetrads.  Steepdown was alive with them, a total of 18 singing males.  Canada Bottom was much less successful with just 4 and two of those borderline.  Six distant Wheatears where seen in a bare field, 13 Swallows and a House Martin flew N and 32 Whitethroats were singing from hedgerows.

singing male Corn Bunting #4, Steepdown

singing male Corn Bunting #17, Steepdown

probably the same bird seen on my return journey

not that far from the Savanna Sparrow fraud but note different wire (and species)

nice to know that 'Fraudster of the year' is not a foregone conclusion.  It is early days but the title may be heading south. 

Red-legged Partridge and friend

Monday 28 April-Friday 2 May.  A Peregrine on Southwick Power Station chimney most days, a probable Greenland Wheatear on Southwick Beach and a tame Brent Goose heading east very slowly (right beside the lock-gates on 28th, and on Hove pitch & putt on 30th, it appeared to have undamaged wings).

Sunday 27 April.  Seaford seawatch 06:00-12:00.  Red-throated Diver 1E, Black-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 100+, Gannet 252E, Brent Goose 16E, Eider 4E, Common Scoter 135E, Velvet Scoter 3E, Peregrine 1, Wimbrel 3E, Bar-tailed Godwit 31E, Great Skua 5E, Arctic Skua 10E, Little Gull 3E,Sandwich Tern 54E, Arctic Tern 3E, Razorbill 3E and Guillemot 1 on the sea.  A few nice birds were seen with, usually, just about enough to keep one's interest, but the variety could have been a lot better and where were all the terns?  Answer, going past Dungeness with 2000+ Commics that morning.  Later it was not convenient to go to Steying sewage works for a Red-rumped Swallow, having seen them in Spain a few days previously was a factor.

Saturday 26 April.  The forecast did not look great so I opted for Shoreham Harbour rather than going to Seaford.  It turned out to be a mistake.  So was taking a lightish coat - I was not still in Spain!  I was rather exposed to the strong southerly wind and rain showers did not help so I only managed 07:40-09:10.  I recorded Red-throated Diver 2?E, Black-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 12, Gannet 20, Brent Goose 72E, Common Scoter 4E, , Peregrine 1, Wimbrel 7E, Great Skua 6E and Sandwich Tern 7E.  During this period Seaford had a rush of 2000 Commic Terns, I saw none.

one of 34 Turnstones roosting on the beach at high tide

Friday 25 April.  A Sandwich Tern flew west over the lock-gates.

Thursday 24 April.  A Peregrine on Southwick Power Station chimney