Friday 17 May. I seawatched from Splash Point, Seaford from 05:00-09:00 hoping more Pomarine Skuas would be on the move. I was partially successful seeing 4 (two pale and a dark morph at 06:20 and a pale morph at 06:25), but missed a 5th that was seen a bit later by JFC at Beachy. I'd hoped for more (one always does) but they were all close with good tails. I also saw 2 Shelduck, 38 Common Scoter, a Great Crested Grebe, 79 Gannets, 3 Whimbrel, 7 Turnstones, 13 Sanderling, 15 Dunlin, a first-summer Mediterranean Gull, 12 Sandwich and 69 Common/Arctic Terns, 2 unidentified skuas (very distant Poms or Bonxies, possibly including JFC's 5th bird), a Razorbill and 7 unidentified auks.I thought one distant flock of Commics included at least 2 Black Terns but they remained stubbornly above the horizon where all looked fairly dark but Dungeness had 60 by 10:00 including a very impressive flock of 45. With no news of birds moving further down the channel I gave up and tried Seaford Head where a Black Redstart was my only notable sighting.
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a Carrion Crow was my only companion at Splash Point |
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it gave me the evil eye rather than helping spot Poms |
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Côte d'Albâtre approaching Newhaven |
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Seven Sisters and Birling Gap from Hope Gap |
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Black Redstart in Hope Gap |
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always nice to see |
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Stonechat in Hope Gap |
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Seven Sisters and Birling Gap |
Thursday 16 May. A somewhat chaotic day. It started with a dull seawatch at Shoreham Fort. I strolled up at 06:35 to find the harbour arm was locked so sat on the beach and in the next two hours recorded the following: 2 Shoveler, 42 Common Scoter, 2 Fulmars, 23 Gannets, 5 Whimbrel (and another heard), 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Turnstone, 4 Kittiwakes, 3 Sandwich and 7 Common/Arctic Terns, 3 auks, 4 Swifts, 2 Swallows and 3 Bottle-nosed Dolphins. I returned home and Megan and I took Cookie to Rackham seeing 4 Buzzards, a Coal and 9 Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatch and Treecreeper. Back home we had lunch and I checked my phone at 14:00 to learn 10 Pomarine Skuas had flown past Selsey Bill at 13:35. I immediately returned to Shoreham Beach, settling for the nearest part at the end of Mardyke Road. I arrived at 14:15 and the flock of 10 Pomarine Skuas came by at 14:32, a bit distant and in light glare but still very nice. I waited to 15:15 but only saw 7 Gannets, a Fulmar and 3 Sandwich Terns. With no news of any more down channel I returned home via the Adur but 2 Little Egrets, 2 Oystercatchers and a Swallow (sadly a typical visit) didn't detain me for long. Back home again further news from Selsey of 3 Pomarines mid-afternoon (turns out they were at 15:35) and 5 late-afternoon (15:55) had me returning to the beach at Mardyke where I arrived at 16:45. The light was much better with the sun further round and the glare much reduced.I was sure I'd missed the 3 but at 16:54 2 distant Pomarine Skuas came through with 6 close stunners at 17:00. Presumably 3 + 5 had become 2 + 6 but with Poms you never know. Things then went a bit pear shaped with Selsey seeing 8 at 17:24 which were not picked further along the coast. Selsey had another 5 at 18:30 which were seen at Worthing and past me rather distantly at 19:33. Selsey had 3 at 18:48 which came close past me at 19:59. Selsey also had 3 singles which I failed to pick up. I watched from 16:45-20:40 and as well as 16 Pomarine Skuas saw 49 Gannets, 4 Grey Plover, Whimbrel, 13 superb summer Knot, 2 Sanderling, 18 Sandwich Terns and 3 Swifts. A very enjoyable day.
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sand dredgers off Shoreham Harbour, incoming on its Plimsoll Line, outgoing not |
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Rampion Windfarm. During quiet spells seawatching I count how many turbines are not going round. This week it has varied from 4 to 7 out of 116 (wind strength probably has something to do with it). The middle one here was not working, not pointing into the wind probably not helping. |
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Red-legged Partridges at Rackham |
Wednesday 15 May. I took Cookie back to the South Section of the Knepp Estate seeing similar birds to the previous visit, namely 2 introduced White Storks (one on the nest), 3 Stock and 2 Turtle Doves, 3 Cuckoos, Jay, Coal Tit, Garden Warbler and Mistle Thrush. I also heard the other common warblers and 3 Nightingales. In the evening I visited Lavington Common for the first Woodcock survey. Conditions appeared ideal but the heathand looked noticeably drier than previous visits with more rhododendron clearance along the eastern edge. I only encountered one Woodcock, seen very much by chance flying well outside my 'recording area'. None were heard and I drew a complete blank with Nightjars. Hopefully the latter hadn't arrived although I saw and heard three on the same date last year. No Tawny Owls were heard either, although Cuckoo and Dartford Warbler provided some compensation.
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Cuckoo at Knepp |
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another Cuckoo at Knepp |
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Turtle Dove at Knepp |
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another Turtle Dove at Knepp |
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introduced White Stork with Jackdaw escort |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwuNBpWvKluNDMBdsee0ZtcjheianAjbsLl-yDAMTNpsBwBOk_-7Ha9Zv-ZCsssm1VNE4zpCvs6Af5ufVQI0IFTL6oePF3TMtJ1KmvFo5Dt9qadnvMb1kC-zSIMaUhh-jNpha0rRxqwU/s400/White+Stork+Knepp+15May19+IMG_4824.JPG) |
practising synchronised flying |
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Woodcock survey site at Lavington Common |
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the only bird seen was flying over the far woodland, although somewhat later than this image was taken |
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the first time I undertook this survey, in 2013, I had 10 encounters here but it has been downhill ever snce |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlWyuHz-vvI7pcE5bVu5DrGrYtnpMpXAaXgEnDCMw5hrUQKk_iQD86Wcr2997GbcXvqyh4fjFG6YmL5rYsJy8M1Trl0u0xXdy3oOn846u1DHdOKF7m08LPDPwmXaQQbvLGzxcY3hQmj0/s400/Lavington+15May19+IMG_4869.JPG) |
very dry with little undergrowth |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuJOXlJxE7o6Pyn7dyjnuEGeadzPRE21VVtQIyaihEimMYT6ZuqhsddDIpBSkQyAHUyr7aDuGZweYhxbIw8ef4YauksZLRjhYmt_jscGQYeuP-rlERQ7wgPpUpKOk0N4OZOWe92N1hcs/s400/Lavington+15May19+IMG_4870.JPG) |
Rhododendron stumps on the left |
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Nightjar time, but not today |
Tuesday 14 May. I took Cookie up onto the Downs walking a circuit from Lancing College to Cowbottom, Coombe Head and Steepdown. We saw 4 Buzzards, 3 Grey Partridges, 2 Swifts, 8 Sky Larks, 7 Swallows, 16 House Martins (confirmation from yesterday), 6 Whitethroats, 2 Mistle Thrushes, a Stonechat and 3 Corn Buntings.
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view east from Steepdown circuit |
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Mistle Thrush near Lancing College |
Monday 13 May. Seawatching at Widewater from 05:50-07:50 was hard work with little moving. I recorded 3 Little Egrets, 3 Gannets, 3 Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, 8 Dunlin, 29 Black-headed Gulls and 15 Sandwich Terns flying east and 2 Swallows coming in. Later nothing of note was seen on the Adur although I suspected that 20 hirundines flying around over Lancing College were House Martins.