Shoreham Wren, Shetland Wren (11-14 November)

Thursday 14 November. I took Cookie down to Shoreham Harbour although it is not one of her favourite places. We saw 9 Turnstones below the wooden jetty on the rising tide and 29 Greenfinches by the coastguard lookout but nothing appeared to be on or out to sea. An hour before high tide we watched over the Adur saltings opposite the houseboats and saw 11 Teal, 17 Lapwing, single Grey Plover, Curlew and Dunlin, 17 Common Snipe, 49 Redshank, the wintering Greenshank, 3 Grey Herons, 2 Little Egrets and 2 Wrens. Seeing the latter brought home how pale they were compared to those seen on Shetland a couple of weeks ago.

Greenshank on the Adur

present for its fourth winter, my first sighting of what was presumably this bird was on 12 November 2015

Shoreham Wrens on the Adur

individually quite variable but generally small and pale

Shetland Wren on Unst (13 October 2019)

also individually quite variable but appearing larger and much darker

Wednesday 13 November. I took Cookie to Mill Hill where we saw Peregrine, 11 Long-tailed and 9 Blue Tits, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Jay, 3 Linnets and 7 Goldfinches. There were also 22 Goldfinches in trees by Shoreham Football Club at dusk.

Tuesday 12 November. I took Cookie to Brooklands where a couple of hours walking around produced 8 Teal, 2 Little Grebes, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers (both heard only), Goldcrest, Firecrest, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Grey Wagtails and 4 Goldfinches. 

Firecrest at Brooklands

Monday 11 November. I took Cookie to Goring Gap hoping for some waders roosting in the fields at high tide but none were seen, either there or along the beach. Five Mediterranean amongst 500 mainly Black-headed Gulls were some compensation.

Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at Goring Gap