Tuesday 08 December. Finding the local area particularly hard work I had a day o the Selsey peninsular starting at Church Lane Sidlesham where the Richard's Pipit was being watched when I arrived and showed reasonably well before flying into another field that wasn't easily viewed. It was my first in West Sussex for what that's worth. Rather than wait I walked east to Honer Farm, north to Bramber Farm and back towards Chalder Farm before completing a circuit. I saw 4 Common Snipe, 22 Cattle Egrets, Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 40 Fieldfares, 8 Redwings and 3 Stonechats but no ibis or geese. I continued to West Wittering and walked out to East Head for a third attempt to see the 2 Snow Buntings at the northern tip. On the way I met a birder coming away who told me he'd not found them. Not what I'd hoped to hear so I was very pleasantly surprised to find the birds being photographed when I arrived. Superb and well worth trying again. As well as the 2 Snow Buntings I saw 5 Eider, 5 Common Scoter, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers and 19 Great Crested Grebes in Chichester Harbour and 14 Sanderling along the shore. There were 2 Stonechats in the dunes and 200 Teal, 5 Avocets, 13 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Greenshank on Snowhill Marsh although the light made viewing there harder than usual. My final stop was at Fishbourne which was disappointing although I eventually found 3 Spotted Redshank. Also there were 8 Pintail, 250 Wigeon, 60 Grey Plover, 50 Curlew, 40 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Knot, 500 Dunlin, 2 Greenshank, a Kingfisher and a Goldcrest.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wY3E1KTkTGXr5Kk04A-2MPIV-qnOwy66rhFNfXuvmzdbUr-xRM7Ga4ZUPZ7V_dNISludA8dZET4ZZUjMIBYMtkqHe7bUeEYYSUjHtUKW0x5VR86hwh2nWJSpPeNAodccpYxppruDfpA/w400-h300/Richard%2527s+Pipit+Sidlesham+08Dec20+P1080541.JPG) |
Richard's Pipit at Church Lane, Sidlesham |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXCgohzfy4CwBX1K9v5Oyrl3z5NXv4ykiiC8OYUHlby78MI920zY7AC2S2k6uo7JfkxBiv1IAH99YjriFRasE_OWm71ZB9Wuie-vdy0ibSf3DRf5y_M_okCO6t3qhoEbx7K0zRcVS5JU/w400-h300/Stonechat+Sidlesham+08Dec20+P1080583a.jpg) |
Stonechat near Honer Farm |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXuxXf0RoyMLx2jeTRQd4KkS-C9WebwVScC89dfJxqcePaxZXBChGN9IqCizvd_9FZNjxTv_YqR7-G8jSycfsX08fdnDGX2_QTO08znAIFU-SRZKIUVCrHuu-M2AvcwXaG-N0hoDpxxw/w400-h300/Cattle+Egret+Sidlesham+08Dec20+P1080553.JPG) |
Cattle Egret near Marsh Faarm
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6ET9QipbivleDDfIwGBlhHYssU6Oi5p1CKgU3URkOs-fOVXK6qemYbFxF5M_rTFiK7bLjMmz5E9aumdEf3mxPE_qcqZhxx_0dlbDNmaO1D6D-GMAK2MG-laW96qo2tMRv7tIzADEIP8/w400-h300/Cattle+Egret+Sidlesham+08Dec20+P1080597.JPG) |
another Cattle Egret, one of 22 seen so at least half those seen in recent days were AWOL |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFiJrKZhyphenhyphenRAx2zATJoVHKzJ0uDmW0dzF7LNOFlASfj5qP7vzO2UlmvAw7gf7CC2I3zxH-94j2y9w27WI0nvAu_fIulmsRYg3SycEMbL3bb7UpVEUdCs6VwzStAxtY0fAQjxtBrbpOYfw/w400-h300/Snow+Bunting+East+Head+08Dec20+P1080627a.jpg) |
Snow Buntings at East Head |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCR3j_qAZS4j0k9L7iZq3im8Jkt6DkPnmiVIpz5JO-WIcBeqiXTWXswd5u75zHCPJWrNba6e112e2CU7Jyc6-lUuN9uu-L2j2AZO-Vdgb1tJPDkHhNWMZfSUJl05jjL00-q2icW3X06XY/w400-h300/Snow+Bunting+East+Head+08Dec20+P1080661a.jpg) |
success on my third attempt |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsSuz9-QKAp5vu3OdwyIBCJ3okz0Iqcs6-cZTEpl4giI0Bd-tkSSR7voftexJ4dNo6IqLg1Di93KJTZDDhyFqI_C59DQV3GCtUqtBIrh5Mx-4GdLwCI1-xjqiY4NDHI4bzwTG9C_xpbE/w400-h300/Greenshank+East+Head+08Dec20+P1080838.JPG) |
Greenshank at Snowhill |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3uPiWUQLLI06q54J2wveME6no_ZNfhoJBqCxyUwujTQGVQKrhEoiV0mWmMmzd_mQt2239TewZvmOZg1UvKunWn6MmmnPBG34-4Qg3gGsP3gjmeGEIJOt1J-JXe8uh5zUHoaeA4NvPZmw/w400-h300/Chichester+Cathedral+08Dec20+P1080843.JPG) |
Chichester Cathedral |
Monday 07 December. After scaping frost off the car I drove to Widewater but could hardly see the sea. On the lagoon were the Mute Swan pair and juvenile, 3 Turnstones and 3 Little Grebes. Visibility was no better at the Adur where I saw 62 Lapwings, 2 Grey and 7 Ringed Plover, 8 Dunlin and very few gulls. Returning home Megan and I took Cookie up to Mill Hill where we saw a Redwing, 5 Song Thrushes, 7 Blackbirds and 6 Robins.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnHBLrdn4RH6fJ8m-UCNUu44oJtsqor_Tc1VWn2ejcyEkQ5aHGJ15Hpp0Q8d7aT0-VNNKiNFU5jrvsMsjEY5svwsUIuqarMEDv1grdtyLvYQNL_r1MyCbhqFwch9eHe3CO4bdMmUhzlE/w400-h300/Carrion+Crow+Widewater+07Dec20+P1080381.JPG) |
Carrion Crow on the beach at Widewater attempting to swallow a dogfish |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yKDnbbKCoUoLvkAgyOPFktVD3pWPMc_YKhSY7b814fVTWbJe_ymOH1keZmoaVirY-Kg-wcg8sP-KLHUUm2HaBxJMTrL5T3HsqjfLVXas0IWDBx46u8rTPVQLLeIsmjgOb1r4bVr4j3o/w400-h225/Mill+Hill+07Dec20+IMG_3120.JPG) |
dramatic view from Mill Hill |
Sunday 06 December. I took Cookie to the Adur and we walked up to Cuckoos Corner, returning rather quicker than we went due to some distant shooting. We saw 4 Grey and 6 Ringed Plover, single Curlew, Dunlin, Little Egret and Kingfisher, 11 Sky Lark, male Stonechat and 6 Meadow Pipits.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nHQPUCmnmnaGWQ-Qay9oo9S4y3RHjlJFAHbqWQxXqIt3E6repadeIlf0oj0WzdraHumf6S1NzHPnVyVpPb6OR-ZJOCLCYIPCsIvewF0Orhdy_XFiDMOmxaok6fvA-cjqGpkWz5oxl7w/w400-h300/Stonechat+Cuckoos+Corner+06Dec20+P1080377.JPG) |
Stonechat near Cuckoos Corner |
Saturday 05 December. A cold hour from 07:50 seawatching at Widewater in strong SSE wind produced a disappointing total of 3 Common Scoter, 3 Oystercatchers, an auk, 6 Gannets and a Red-throated and unidentified Diver flying east and 17 Gannets west. A Great Crested Grebe was on the sea and the Mute Swan pair and juvenile, 2 Little Grebes and a Kingfisher were on the lagoon. A low tide visit to the Adur added 4 Grey Plover, Curlew, 6 Dunlin, 29 Great and 26 Lesser Black-backed and the intermittent adult Yellow-legged Gull. I then met Megan and Cookie at a windswept Mill Hill where we saw 2 Stock Doves, 3 Song Thrushes and 7 Blackbirds. During an afternoon wander around the town with Megan and Cookie I saw 26 Oystercatchers roosting opposite Town Quay.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGK6mMXcJ8mP1T5aH-2Sieuw7pBw_M4Xk4p3Zly3FqB9sDSDmNZ-Sdks0Dwckp8X-bDHg2ozHmriflTvEGt-eugE4hTM-FY-23m4hCD9YQce5QSglALbkdHCn-ZU5JjX7Dsy7lJ3B6yY/w400-h300/Yellow-legged+Gull+Adur+05Dec20+P1080265.JPG) |
adult Yellow-legged Gull on the Adur |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxY91r-g0xwoDWmyJA1mPZBXoC00vTX56HT0TS9z7nb6xYHvqsZME1m72KudlYUJrksM8zVabKbFEZYoPvOJ-nv8uqEhVDvQ8eiibtSutHXBFOd08dNy9juu51LG8k8Wx6M8jOA5WfzvE/w400-h300/Yellow-legged+Gull+Adur+05Dec20+IMG_0689.JPG) |
showing its extensive black in the primaries |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5oMX4VH8-Uzy5axaNUYBx61YXZfDUwdjpb7jtM0pLx-433CzDJo1KcJa_0IE7YXGQFTZlMFcXF1HxDYSfOG3hyb4T-dYTVWG3eBxLUQlkQ6dDuXzvaH-sV1bsUdQa_DlkBTHO-jyeWw/w400-h300/Lesser+Black-backed+Gull+1M8B+Adur+05Dec20+P1080289.JPG) |
synchronised jumping |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxRVy8Wk-qzfz71c0I7F1hgWaS9g51-H2PA-29twpKq8qfn1I0lTftt_39T0wP6_Y9i8AM6bdxIBy35pgWyas41hyLnKQnKK-0fGwA2dM2qO-dlrepdvef5HU-Zju-AeKS_Hv94TRLd0/w400-h300/Lesser+Black-backed+Gull+1M8B+Adur+05Dec20+P1080311.JPG) |
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1M8B |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSa00oQ9vWbb8Uh0tZw5EWqbQST_egS4kRl8O_SHx549T1TX2qCYvNA7DdzshzVoLNGjcy1Dhk5dmrCM1OOMFYfCxo2WvmWJDF-q-KrunrOkDiXKZl_W_7q-VFfYZfPugks4Eay0SQ8Fs/w400-h300/Lesser+Black-backed+Gull+1M8B+Adur+05Dec20+P1080287.JPG) |
it is likely to have been ringed near Cambridge or Doncaster |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxVSTjJbES-ox8xaIDKLHMHY0If_xGzX_ajd0VMQ3-mL4wTPJb2yLuuoR5SqM8c-_io1DcKbSd7q6tWdWF1b7X2QXNGImyi8B9XnRj6ndIB1jegAWSlO19tCaqIRv8K3BCQNJMUOc3HQ/w400-h300/gulls+Adur+05Dec20+P1080270.JPG) |
gulls on the Adur, the top right bird is metal ringed, no reading possible there |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskqDsJtbTLr2kL5cXPn0l_CoFeEzjoLHFCSQFBy4V1-4wNtW8QHXT-vD2HRaum6Fs9n8VT-ENZFB-sBk-_xPCdqc8qB9VNPjsbFBSiACp3WN8ilM3DA98wriTEjX2vSUYSNocq0WDzOY/w400-h225/Oystercatcher+Adur+05Dec20+P1080339.JPG) |
Oystercatchers roosting on the Adur from Coronation Green, I counted 23 from here |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_t1t_UmELXrUQpM66AYgIFRGHI-4gpQDvmYJlBbqv9vV1tn9t7aTMFb_ppv0ykgH9xWVf_frx7lcIZ7vDIGYG97wM6wqcVeYd7_Wcu82G7mDSa36Pi8C2IgOhAU_qpU-VeJ4UUdyeRo/w400-h241/Oystercatcher+Adur+05Dec20+P1080358.JPG) |
part of the flock from Town Quay from where I counted 26 |
Friday 04 December. Half an hour from 07:45 seawatching at Widewater in a moderate W wind was enough for me. I saw 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, Oystercatcher, 2 Razorbills and 4 unidentified auks flying east and a Razorbill and 2 Gannets west,. A Great Crested Grebe was on the sea and the Mute Swan pair and juvenile and 4 Little Grebes on the lagoon. A low tide visit to the Adur added 4 Grey Plover and 7 Great Black-backed Gulls, Sparrowhawk and Kingfisher. Two of the gulls were colour-ringed, from Denny Island in the Bristol Channel and Chausey Island off Normandie.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQHmH2AZF6LapqbCqqOvybnvOETdbaIHFFUD4jRTpYSZTxlwQOUpdUYc8Q4PpofC-UwkghurPFZ-4K3sP3gYeuUpltZnD9j_W6qYpLpTuQomcL5KxNI6-_9vLM_z_f97R2z6mK6WZgjQ/w400-h300/Great+Black-backed+Gull+A26+Adur+04Dec20+IMG_0676.JPG) |
Great Black-backed Gull A26 on the Adur |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz66om8YBCoZm_gGpid70ZkFj12tU0CM74eifRVUDy2uUyDiS9qbox1vmrz_WIu4cOCp2S4k9iO5oRcd334XxtTkAE18hwDoQQCRtulnbuuqoYYaCkdX33eDfJTZzTeIIXVJWB-9Ia160/w400-h300/Great+Black-backed+Gull+A26+Adur+04Dec20+IMG_0680.JPG) |
ringed as chick at Chausey Island (Ile plate), Normandie in June 2007, seen at Telscombe in September 2008 and Ovingdean in September 2009, Adur 06/02/10, 13/09/11, 08/10/11, 04/12/11 Granville Chausey, Manche 24/05/12, Shoreham Harbour 03/11/13, Granville Chausey, Manche 15/05/15, Brighton 25/11/15, Granville Chausey, Manche 07/07/17 & 16/02/18. Cuckmere 15/12/19, Chausey 02/05&08/06/20 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFQQZ9m7H5JGJQdU76sD8VZQw8GqKO7kpJr4kon0dvXOEZ4b38VeIJSU5H1bBwm-Y7_cs4CGzD43O6jsjLqUBm5Nj7_jahWw8lXjD3az9lWpMzTI3e_HX60be-ZeHCh4sXZUiqaE588s/w300-h400/Great+Black-backed+Gull+DAU+Adur+04Dec20+P1080195.JPG) |
Great Black-backed Gull D:AU on the Adur |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1ass9hbZBn_41VCbZ9iZAvda9faHaZo1w47FWSe2OCxH1v2AksvG0QU-p2xaL2mX4_cZHMyaDZDqQOayFUBzpjLypfk4-2sGmJzXWu97IZIg7JzjA7vnyotp6EZRXV3LfHRplxfPLEo/w400-h300/Great+Black-backed+Gull+DAU+Adur+04Dec20+P1080213.JPG) |
ringed on Denny Island, Monmouthshire on 16/06/13, Pagham 28/12/15, Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais 18/09/17, Pagham 18/02/19, Dungeness 22/12/19 |
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