birding never sleeps: West Sussex (16-23 July) - another week closer to Autumn

Thursday 23 July. I took Cookie to Cuckoos Corner and we walked up as far as Dacre Gardens and back. I saw 11 Swifts, 2 Grey Herons, 9 Little Egrets, 2 Buzzards, 2 Swallows, 7 House Martins, 5 Reed Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, Stonechat, Greenfinch and 5 Reed Buntings. Sedge Warblers had either departed or were silent and keeping out of sight, not that the Reeds were very vocal or showy. Back home the 2 young Herring Gulls were on the roof behind with the 2 juveniles on our roof while a female Sparrowhawk landed on our rotary washing line but all to quickly flew off. She knows there are young sparrows around. I received news that the first-summer Mediterranean Gull 2N22 seen from Church Norton on 14 July had been ringed in Pagham Harbour on 24 June 2019, my shortest recovery to date - probably less than 100m.

Greenfinch at Cuckoos Corner

Reed Bunting at Cuckoos Corner

juvenile Herring Gull on our conservatory roof

the young Herring Gulls, not quite full size yet

Wednesday 22 July. I went to Pagham with David Buckingham. We had an enjoyable day starting at Church Norton from where we sandwiched checking the harbour between walking to the Severals. We called in at Sidlesham Ferry and finished along the North Wall. Birds recorded included 8 Swifts, 13 Lapwings, 3 Little Ringed Plovers (on the Ferry), Whimbrel, 84 Curlew, 72 Black-tailed Godwits, 163 Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, 140 Mediterranean Gulls (but only 2 juveniles), 100 Sandwich, 2 Common and 20 Little Terns, 3 Cattle and 32 Little Egrets (roosting at Owl point), Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzards, Peregrine, 20 Swallows and 2 Cetti's Warblers. Returning we stopped at Pulborough and had a quick look at the North Brooks seeing distantly 6 Avocets, 11 Lapwings, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 63 Black-tailed Godwits, a Dunlin, 2 Common and 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 adult and 2 juvenile Redshank and what was presumably a family party of 6 Green Woodpeckers. Back home the 2 young Herring Gulls were on the roof behind and 7 Swifts were seen over the garden at dusk.

juvenile Little Ringed Plover on Sidlesham Ferry

Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry Pool

Black-tailed Godwit on the Breech Pool

Cattle Egret, one of three seen at Owl Point

the other two

Migrant Hawker at the North Wall (David Buckingham knew what it was, I didn't)

juvenile and adult Mediterranean Gulls with Black-headeds at the North Wall

moulting adult Mediterranean Gull at the North Wall

juvenile Swallow at the North Wall

Buzzard over the North Wall

Robin at Pulborough

Banded Demoiselle at Pulborough

Kestrel at Pulborough

Tuesday 21 July. Megan and I took Cookie to Mill Hill where I saw a Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap. 2 Whitethroats and a Yellowhammer. Buzzard and Green Woodpecker were heard. A low tide visit to the Adur produced just 3 Oystercatchers and 3 Little Egrets and 9 Swifts were over the garden at dusk with the 2 young Herring Gulls on the roof.

Yellowhammer on Mill Hill

Monday 20 July. Megan and I took Cookie to Brooklands. It was exceptionally quiet with the pair of Mute Swans with their 6 fully-grown cygnets, Grey Heron and Chiffchaff seen and a Reed Warbler heard. Nothing amongst the gulls and nothing in the sky. At home two full-sized juvenile Herring Gulls appeared on our roof, not sure where from but doubtless keeping a low profile on a nearby roof. They were noticeably more advanced than the 2 on the roof behind while 4 Swifts were over the garden at dusk.

Grey Heron at Brooklands

House Sparrow on our fence, one of a dozen or more regularly seen in the garden

the Herring Gulls of the roof behind

Sunday 19 July. I took Cookie to Mill Hill where I saw my first Willow and Sedge Warblers of the Autumn. Also 2 Long-tailed Tits, 5 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap. a Lesser and 5 Common Whitethroats, male Bullfinch, Greenfinch, 5 Linnets and 26 Goldfinches. A low-tide visit to the Adur produced 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Whimbrel, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and a Little Egret although 3 bait-diggers probably didn't help. At home the two Herring Gull youngsters were seen a couple of times on our side of the roof and 2 Swifts were seen from the garden.

Sedge Warbler on Mill Hill

Whitethroat on Mill Hill

Chiffchaff at Mill Hill

first Autumn Willow Warbler on Mill Hill

Lancing College and local Car Boot Sale

Steepdown and Cissbury Ring from Mill Hill

Greenfinch at Mill Hill

Goldfinch at Mill Hill

Kestrel at Mill Hill

juvenile Herring Gull not quite on our side of the roof behind

Saturday 18 July. Megan and I took Cookie to Steepdown where we saw Jay, Sky Lark, 8 Whitethroats, juvenile Stonechat, 7 Linnets and 3 Corn Buntings. At home the two Herring Gull youngsters were occasionally on our side of the roof and in the evening 2 Swifts were seen from the garden.

Corn Bunting on Steepdown

Friday 17 July. I spent the morning at Knepp where I saw 2 Turtle Doves (and heard a third), 3 Lapwings, 4 Buzzards, 3 each of Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, 9 Jays, 10 Swallows, 4 Chiffchaffs, 5 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, 4 Lesser and a Common Whitethroat, 2 Nuthatches, Mistle Thrush, Nightingale and 2 Bullfinches. More of most of these were also heard. Introduced White Storks were much in evidence with 3 full-grown juveniles on one nest and one on another while 14 were counted thermalling. Best intro action was when a Buzzard became too close (or interested) in the second nest and a stork chased it off, bill clapping as it went which surprised me as I'd assumed bill-clapping was restricted courtship. Seeing the larger stork closing in on the Buzzard clacking its bill like a machine gun was a bit like a Heinkel HE 111 turning on a Hurricane in a Battle of Britain reenactment. Back home the two Herring Gull youngsters were on the roof and in the evening 5 Swifts were seen from the garden.

Nuthatch at Knepp

Jay at Knepp

another Jay

White Stork at Knepp

three youngsters in the main nest

14 thermalling White Storks

Battle of Britain reenactment

Hurricane (played by a Buzzard) turned on by Heinkel (played by an introduced Stork)

Stork bill-clapping to represent machine gun fire

before breaking off the engagement

Blackdown just visible from Knepp

Mistle Thrush with a beak full of food

juvenile Robin at Knepp

Turtle Dove at Knepp

Herring Gulls on the roof

Thursday 16 July. I took Cookie to Cuckoos Corner and we walked north to Coombes and back, partly along the river. We saw 4 Swifts, 4 Little Egrets, Kestrel, Sky Lark, a Sand and 15 House Martins, 25 Swallows, 5 Sedge and 5 Reed Warblers, a Whitethoat, 10 Linnets and 12 Reed Buntings. Back home the two Herring Gull youngsters were on the roof, though more often out of sight on the far side and at least 3 Swifts were seen from the garden.