Pagham with Frank

Sunday 28th.  Frank Lambert, a good friend of more years than we cared to remember, was visiting his mum in Brighton for a few days on his way back to KL and we had a morning at Pagham.  Between being gripped off by some of his recent travels (450 new birds in 3.5 months in Mexico, Colorado, California and Alaska) and forthcoming tours (PNG, Australia, Sumatra, India) we saw a few birds!  The Hudsonian Whimbrel eventually gave reasonable views while Sidlesham Ferry was nice with a brownish summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 23 Avocets (8 juveniles) and 104 Black-tailed Godwits.  A superb Barn Owl flew across near the Long Pool, a Med Gull, an unreadable North Thames colour-ringed Herring Gull and a Little Tern were in the harbour and a Sand Martin flying around Church Norton was only my third this year!  Late afternoon, at low tide, Megan and I walked around the Adur where 2 Common Sandpipers were unexpected.

Great Crested Grebe and youngster

now rather large for mum to carry on her back

an all-too familiar view of the Hudsonian Whimbrel, not helped by distance or heat-haze

even at this range the long thin, pale based bill and contrasting head pattern was clear

the 'loose' feather had been obvious on a photo I had take two weeks earlier.  Perhaps a bit surprising that it hadn't been lost?

Second calendar-year Mediterranean Gull

Saturday 27th.  A low tide visit to the Adur produced just one Little Egret and a Sussex colour-ringed Herring Gull that flew before I could read it.  Eight Swifts were over our house in the evening.

Friday 26th.  A Peregrine was on Southwick Power Station chimney and a Sandwich Tern offshore. 16 Swifts were over our house in the evening.

Thursday 25th.  An evening visit to Pulborough produced 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Green Sandpipers and 81 Lapwing were on the North Brooks and 2 Nightjars on Wiggonholt Common.

Wednesday 24th.  Megan and I walked up from High Trees to Truleigh Hill.  Several Sky Larks and a Corn Bunting were singing and 15 Swifts and 2 Ravens flew over.

looking west over Upper Beeding and Steyning from Truleigh Hill