Monday 06 July. For a change of scenery I went to Pulborough, arriving soon after 7. Despite not seeing the Spoonbill that had been present very intermittently for several days I found it surprisingly enjoyable. Highlights were 8 Avocets, 14 Lapwings, 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Green Sandpipers, a Redshank with a small chick, 5 Swifts, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Jays, 6 Sand Martins, 10+ Long-tailed Tits, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Treecreeper, Spotted Flycatcher and male Redstart. I went on to Greatham, on the off chance the Spoonbill might be there. It wasn't, neither was much else with 5 Sand Martins and a heard Cetti's Warbler best. There were three dead badgers along a 500m section of the A283 at Wiston which was very upsetting. Back home the two Herring Gull chicks were on the roof behind us and in the evening at least 4 Swifts were seen over the garden. I'd thought they might have gone after several blank days but all were pretty rough which may have explained their absence.
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| male Redstart at Pulborough |
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| Green Woodpecker at Pulborough |
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| bits of a Treecreeper in the woods at Pulborough |
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| Comma at Pulborough |
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| Silver-washed Fritillary in the woods at Pulborough |
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| Peacock at Greatham, one of several seen there and at Pulborough |
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| growing Herring Gull chicks on the roof behind us |
Sunday 05 July. With no let up in the strong winds Megan and I took Cookie to Brooklands where I hoped there might be something. Very quiet with the Mute Swan family (six fully grown cygnets), Green Woodpecker and Kestrel all I saw. Reed Warbler and Blackcap were heard. At home the two Herring Gull chicks were seen on the roof behind us but again no Swifts overhead despite looking several times.
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| Herring Gull chicks on the roof behind us |
Saturday 04 July. I seawatched from Widewater for two hours in a very strong SW wind with slowly clearing visibility. Hoping for a shearwater (Selsey had a distant Balearic)) I had to settle for 2 Mediterranean and 15+ Great Black-backed Gulls and 24 Gannets. At home the two Herring Gull chicks were seen from the garden but again no Swifts overhead despite looking several times.
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| second-summer Mediterranean Gull west off Widewater (the earlier bird was a first-summer which flew east) |
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| big waves, I'd hoped they might produce something better |
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| lunch time |
Friday 03 July. Megan and I took Cookie to the hard at Harbour Way and walked along the Adur by Emerald Quay, to Shoreham Beach Green and back along the boardwalk to the Fort seeing just a single Oystercatcher. Later, at low tide, I took Cookie to the Adur and added three more Oystercatchers, a Redshank and four Linnets. No Swifts were seen at home although the parent and two Herring Gull chicks were on the roof behind us.
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| Wall Lizard at Shoreham Fort |
Thursday 02 July. I took Cookie to Cuckoos Corner and we walked up to Coombes. I saw 2 Grey Partridges, 3 Swifts, 2 Stock Doves, Common Sandpiper, 19 Little Egrets, 2 Buzzards, 6 Sky Larks, 2 Sand and 4 House Martins, 3 Sedge and 7 Reed Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 4 Mistle Thrushes and a juvenile Stonechat. Later a Sparrowhawk flew over while I was taking Cookie for a tea-time walk, both Herring Gulls were with their two chicks on the roof behind us and 5 Swifts were over the garden in the evening.
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| Sedge Warbler at Cuckoos Corner |
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| another Sedge Warbler at Cuckoos Corner |
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| Grey Partridges at Cuckoos Corner |
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| Little Egrets near Coombes |
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| Common Sandpiper at Cuckoos Corner |
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| Herring Gull chicks |
Wednesday 01 July. Megan and I walked around Swanbourne Lake seeing 5 Mandarin, 11 Gadwall, 2 Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, Buzzard, Jay, Blackcap and a Goldcrest. We then visited Arundel WWT although the hides were not yet open. It is always nice to see Harlequins and Scaly-sided Mergansers and the Black-necked Grebes looked splendid even if behind netting. An Oystercatcher on a nest, two Sand Martins and a Sedge Warbler were the only notable wild birds seen there. The Herring Gull parent and two chicks were on the roof behind us and four single Swifts flew over.
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| Black-necked Grebe at Arundel WWT |
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| Harlequin |
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| Scaly-sided Mergansers |
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| Oystercatcher on nest by the building works for the new aviary |
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| Herring Gull chicks |
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| Wood Pigeon on our fence |
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