more gulls and poor seawatching (17-20 March)

Friday 20 March. I seawatched from Shoreham Fort for an hour. It was marginally better than yesterday with 6 Canada Geese, 2 Scoter, 2 Oystercatchers and 5 Red-throated Divers flying east and a Gannet west. Of more interest was a summer-plumaged Scandinavian Rock Pipit on the harbour arm although it didn't stay close long enough to photograph. Nothing was then seen at Widewater. During a low tide visit to check the gulls on the Adur I saw 3 Mediterranean (an adult and 2 first-summers), 500 Common (including Norwegian J1Z5) and a colour-ringed Lesser Black-backed.

adult Mediterranean Gull on the Adur

first-summer Mediterranean Gull on the Adur

the same or the other first-summer Mediterranean Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull 1V0:C, initial investigations suggest it was ringed on the Clyde

Common Gull J1Z5, again

not the white bird I was hoping for amongst the gull flock

Thursday 19 March. With a forecast change in the wind from SW to NE I seawatched from Widewater for an hour. The wind was very light and it was very disappointing with the only movement noted being 2 Brent Geese west and 4 Oystercatchers and a Red-throated Diver east. A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were on the lagoon while a Shag and a newly arrived Goldcrest were seen at Shoreham Fort. Megan and I took Cookie to Buckingham Park where a Mistle Thrush was seen. Later a low tide gull trip to the Adur produced a second-winter Mediterranean and Norwegian J1Z5 amongst about 500 Common Gulls.

Goldcrest at Shoreham Fort, didn't stay long enough for manual focus

Mistle Thrush in Buckingham Park

Common Gull J1Z5 on the Adur

note the damaged ring taking out part of the 5

Wednesday 18 March. Megan and I took Cookie to Lancing Ring and walked around Steepdown. We saw 10 Sky Larks, a Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps, Meadow Pipit and 5 Corn Buntings. On a low tide visit to the Adur I saw a second-summer Mediterranean Gull amongst the 100 or so Common Gulls present, disappointing none were showing off colour-rings.

Corn Bunting on Steepdown

Sky Lark on Steepdown

second-winter Mediterranean Gull on the Adur

it was soon feeding on a muddy patch by the airport

Tuesday 17 March. I too Cookie to Shoreham Fort where absolutely nothing was seen on land or sea. Later on the Adur at low tide we saw an adult and second-winter Mediterranean Gull, my second sighting in a week of Norwegian Common Gull JJ648, Buzzard and Reed Bunting.

adult Mediterranean Gull on the Adur

second-winter Mediterranean Gull on the Adur

Common Gull JJ648. Not the most interesting history, it had been ringed as an adult at Stavanger, Norway in June 2018 and not seen again until it was on the Adur a month earlier.

pink-legged Common Gull

Reed Bunting on the Adur