Chichester Gravel Dips (10-11 January)

Sunday 11th.  A return to East Trout Lake arriving soon after dawn.  today I ranged more widely, the weather was much nicer but the end result the same after another five hours. No Dusky Warbler seen or heard, one Cetti's Warbler (seen better than yesterday's), female Red-crested Pochard, Kingfisher and not much else.  An afternoon wander over Beeding Brooks with Megan was as disappointing with 40 Redwings best.  The only consolation is that this coming week should be the last that I have to work five days so I shouldn't have to spend a week at work waiting to be able to get away. A very nice thought!

Saturday 10th.  A very poor but improving forecast and a low tide meant that I started at the Adur (very little), moved on to Widewater (female Common Scoter and two pairs of Red-breasted Merganser) before heading west.  The Bewick's Swan flock were showing distantly from Burpham with 33 birds present.  I then headed to Chichester Gravel pits where I spent five hours to dusk mainly along the eastern edge of East Trout Lake not seeing or hearing the Dusky Warbler nicely found by Ads Bowley at the beginning of the week, and seemingly getting successively harder to see each day.  A brief moment of excitement was caused by a skulking Cetti's Warbler before it showed enough of itself for a certain identification while the Red-crested Pochard was on Triangle Lake.

large gulls on the Adur (still trying out the new SX60)

Common Scoter on Widewater

not quick enough for the merganser

Herring Gull at Widewater with stained or aberrant feathers

female Red-crested Pochard on Triangle Lake