Staying local (16-18 September)

Friday 18 September. Cookie and I walked from Lancing Ring car park across to Coombes and back via Steepdown for probably the first time this year. Despite a strong NE wind I saw 8 Stock Doves, 4 Buzzards, 2 Hobbies (an adult then a juvenile), 2 Ravens, 10 Swallows, 4 Chiffchaffs, 5 Blackcaps, 2 Whitethroats, 4 Stonechats, 10 Wheatears, 3 Mistle Thrushes, 16 Yellow Wagtails, 30 Meadow Pipits, 180+ Linnets and 15 Siskins.

Stonechat at Cowbottom

another Stonechat

Wheatears at Cowbottom

Hobby near Coombe Head

part (2/3rds?) of the Linnet flock, I estimated 140 at the time but there are 129 in this image

Cookie tried to help

Thursday 17 September. I took Cookie up to Beeding Hill for what has become a regular walk (anti-clockwise from the car park avoiding roads where possible). I saw Sparrowhawk, 8 Kestrels, 20 Swallows, 7 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, 3 Whinchats, 2 Stonechats, 15 Wheatears, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 100 Meadow Pipits, 90 Linnets and 3 Yellowhammers.  Later Megan, Josh, Cookie and I visited Sheffield Park where I saw Coal Tit, Nuthatch and a flock of 12 Crossbills.

Wheatear near Beeding Hill

Whinchat near Truleigh Hill

another Whinchat

Yellowhammer at Truleigh Hill

view east from the escarpment by Truleigh Hill

Cookie, Megan and Josh on the woodland walk in Sheffield Park

Wednesday 16 September. Megan and I took Cookie up to Mill Hill where I saw Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, 10 Swallows and 200 House Martins (flying north in a 10 minute period), 14 Chiffchaffs, 11 Blackcaps, 2 Whitethroats, 10 Robins and a flock of 18 Siskins which flew east. Returning home a flock of 39 Siskins flew east as I was locking the car. An evening low-tide visit to the Adur produced 2 Oystercatchers, 21 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin, 300+ Black-headed, single adult Common and Mediterranean and 900+ Herring Gulls and 6 Little Egrets.

Common Blue at Mill Hill, presumably a very blue female