Old Lodge (16 May)

Saturday 16 May. I had a very enjoyable morning at Old Lodge where I met JK at 07:15. We social-distanced from a few other birders for five hours. Particularly good to see and have a 2m chat GH, the Myanmar trip we did in January before the world changed seeming a lifetime away now. Birds seen included 3 Cuckoos, 6 Stock Doves, 5 Buzzards, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Jays, 4 Wood Larks, 4 Willow Warblers, Nuthatch, Mistle Thrush, 9 Redstarts, 10 Stonechats, 3 Tree Pipits, 6 Redpolls, a fly-over Crossbill and 2 Siskins.

stunning male Redstart at Old Lodge

nearby female Redstart

another male Redstart at Old Lodge

well camouflaged Wood Lark at Old Lodge

one of my favourite songsers, a bit of a looker too when seen weel

Nuthatch about to disappear at Old Lodge

Friday 15 May. Megan and I took Cookie for a walk behind Southwick Power Station having earlier visited the tip for the first time in over two months. I saw 2 Common Scoter, 4 Turnstone, a Peregrine on the Power Station chimney and a Rock Pipit.

Thursday 14 May. Megan and I took Cookie to Wolstenbury for a walk. Just 3 Sky Larks, a Swallow and 5 Meadow Pipits were seen.

Twayblades at Wolstenbury

emerging Butterfly Orchid at Wolstenbury

Jack and Jill from Wolstenbury

Burgess Hill from Wolstenbury

our Corsican Asphodel is now taller than me