The year's first Wheatears around Shoreham (22-25 March)

Thursday 25 March. I arrived at Widewater at 06:50 to be greeted by 2 Wheatears on the first rocky groyne. A few days later than usual but still brilliant. My most anticipated event of the year, the joy of seeing the first Wheatear does not diminish, at least not during the first 50 years. Seawatching was again very quiet in light SW winds and very clear visibility. I saw 6 Brent Geese, 4 Common Scoter and 5 distant divers flying east and 5 Shoveler and 3 Red-breasted Mergansers west. Three Great Crested Grebes were on the sea and 8 Gannets offshore. A bit further east on Shoreham Beach were 4 more Wheatears. Megan and I then took Cookie to Dacre Gardens and walked along the river to Bramber along the river, returning on the Downslink. We saw 2 Buzzards, Peregrine, 2 Chiffchaffs (with 2 more heard), single Fieldfare and Redwing and 2 Chaffinches. Later walking up our road with Cookie a Sparrowhawk flew over.

my first Wheatear of the year

one of two at Widewater

Wheatear on Shoreham Beach

four were present

Redwing near Botolphs

Wednesday 24 March.  I seawatched from Widewater for a couple of hours in a very light SW and murky conditions. Little was moving with 31 Brent Geese, 2 Common Scoter and 5 Red-throated Divers flying east. Two Gadwall flew west, east then settled on the sea before flying back west, 5 Great Crested Grebes were on the sea and 2 Gannets were offshore. Still no Wheatears on the beach/groynes at Widewater or at Shoreham Fort where I had to make do with 3 Linnets and a very distant Peregrine. After lunch I took Cookie to the Adur and walked up to Cuckoos Corner to heck the gull flock. Amongst 150 Common Gulls was a Norwegian bird I'd seen there two days earlier along with a 15 year old colour-ringed Herring Gull rescued in Southwick in 2010 and seen on the Adur very intermittently since.

Linnet on Shoreham Fort

Common Gull JP037 was ringed as adult at Tveitevannet, Bergen, Hordaland, Norway in August 2019. I've now seen it three times this month

Cookie waiting patiently while I checked the gulls

Tuesday 23 March. I seawatched from Widewater for a couple of hours in a very light SW and murky conditions. Little was moving with 9 Brent Geese, a drake Shoveler, 18 Common Scoter, 3 Oystercatchers and 10 Red-throated Divers flying east. Three Great Crested Grebes were on the sea, a Sandwich Tern (my first for the year) on a distant buoy before being chased west by a gull and 4 Gannets milling around offshore. Sadly no Wheatears on the beach/groynes. At 09:30 I met Megan and Cookie at Mill Hill and we walked around seeing 3 Buzzards, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a very distant Peregrine, a Chiffchaff and 6 Goldfinches. We also heard Sky Larks and a Cetti's Warbler. I called in at the Adur on my way back and walked up to Cuckoos Corner to check the gull roost. About 250 Common Gulls were present including 3 with Norwegian colour-rings, 2 I'd seen yesterday and the other I couldn't read properly.

Buzzard over Mill Hill

Common Gull JA572 at Cuckoos Corner, broken side on 

Monday 22 March. I seawatched from Widewater for a couple of hours. It was clear with a very light W wind. I saw 219 Brent Geese and 2 distant divers flying E, 5 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Avocets on the sea, the latter were present for five minutes or so flying off east at 07:32. I met Megan and Cookie at Harbour Way at 09:30 and we walked west to the Adur Ferry Bridge and boardwalk and back via the Fort and Sailing Club where the Black Redstart was again present. I called in at the Adur on my way back and walked up to Cuckoos Corner to check the gull roost. There were 300+ Black-headed, 2 Mediterranean and 400 Common Gulls present. Four of the Common Gulls had colour-rings, 3 Norwegian and the other Estonian.