birding never sleeps: Around Shoreham and a trip to Pagham (10-19 August)

Thursday 19 August. David Buckingham and I spent 8 hours at Pagham, arriving at Sidlesham Ferry at 07:30 where DB immediately picked up the Temminck's Stint at the back of the pool but still looking pretty obvious - easy when you know! It only came as close as the spit in all our three visits to the ferry. After an hour we continued to Church Norton, having the benches to ourselves as the tide came it. We returned to the ferry then walked to the North Wall and back, ending with a final look at the ferry pool. Other birds seen during a very enjoyable day included 5 Shoveler, 62 Lapwings, 6 Whimbrel, 40 Curlew, 147 Black-tailed Godwits, 52 Dunlin, 2 Common and a Green Sandpiper, 5 adult and a juvenile Spotted Redshank (on the Ferry Pool at high tide), 2 Greenshank, at least 30 Mediterranean Gulls (20 juveniles), 40 Sandwich Terns (one with red colour-ring KK0 or KKO likely from North Wales), 28 Common Terns, 9 Cattle and 20 Little Egrets, Sparrowhawk, 7 Buzzards, Kingfisher, Peregrine, 30 Sand Martins, 20 Swallows, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Garden Warblers (behind Church Norton hide), 3 Whinchats (North Wall), 5 Wheatears and poor flight views of 2 Yellow Wagtails.

Green Sandpiper and Temminck's Stint on Sidlesham Ferry Pool

Black-tailed Godwit on Sidlesham Ferry Pool

juvenile Mediterranean Gull 2N72 at Church Norton

it looked barely old enough to have swum across from Tern Island where it was presumably ringed

One of five adult Spotted Redshanks on Sidlesham Ferry Pool at high tide

Spotted Redshank gets my vote for the most elegant of the regular local waders

juvenile Spotted Redshank on Sidlesham Ferry Pool

not a plumage I've seen very often

Cattle Egrets from the North Wall

Puffball at Pagham

as round as the moon with similar craters

Wednesday 18 August. I took Cookie up to Beeding Hill car park and we walked our usual route SE along the Monarch's Way, up to Truleigh Hill and the Downs overlook and back along Room Bottom. There were many fewer migrants in evidence than there had been a week earlier when we'd been joined by David Buckingham although a couple of sightings made it worthwhile. There were a close flypast from a Hobby and a calling fly-over Crossbill seen in silhouette. Both were heading west. I saw 3 Stock Dove, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Buzzards, 5 Kestrels, a Raven, 3 Sky Larks, 7 Swallows, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow Warblers, 17 Whitethroats, 4 Wheatears, 2 Meadow Pipits, 3 Chaffinches, 2 Greenfinches, 52 Linnets, 3 Corn Buntings and a Yellowhammer.

looking west from the Monarch's Way

Wheatear along the Monarch's Way

Yellowhammer near Truleigh Hill

Tuesday 17 August. Megan and I took Cookie to Mill Hill, parking in North Shoreham as the car park we usually use was supposedly closed for a week. Very quiet, not helped by stiff SW breeze. I saw distant Hobby, Peregrine and Buzzard, 2 Swallows and a Whitethroat.

Monday 16 August. Megan and I took Cookie to Steepdown seeing a Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, a Swallow, 15 House Martins, 9 Whitethroats, a Wheatear (flying over the oat field near the Trig Point), 7 Linnets, 5 Goldfinches and 7 Corn Buntings. We also heard 3 Willow Warblers.

Corn Bunting on Steepdown

Kestrel over Steepdown

Lancing College and Southwick Power Station from Steepdown

Sunday 15 August. Megan, Cookie and I walked our usual Adur circuit. the tide was low and we saw 5 Oystercatchers, 4 Lapwings, 23 Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 8 Dunlin, Greenshank, adult Mediterranean Gull, Sandwich Tern, Grey Heron, 5 Little Egrets, a Sparrowhawk and 6 Goldfinches. In the evening during another unsuccessful look for Swifts a Sparrowhawk flew over our garden.

adult Mediterranean Gull on the Adur

Saturday 14 August. Megan and I took Cookie to Mill Hill hoping there might be some migrants in the bushes there. Two Willow Warblers by the car park was a good start but they were it. On our walk around we saw a Swift, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, a Swallow and 6 Goldfinches. In the afternoon I cycled down to the Adur Saltings and spent an hour watching the tide come in. I saw 6 Lapwings, 8 Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpipers, 23 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult and juvenile), 6 Sandwich Terns, Grey Heron and 3 Little Egrets. It wasn't the highest tide, 6.0m, and most of the saltings were not completely covered although several canoes transversed the main creeks and stirred up some of the roosting waders. Disturbance was probably the reason for only 7 Turnstones being seen roosting on boats by the Norfolk Bridge. In the evening while unsuccessfully looking for Swifts an adult Mediterranean Gull flew south over our garden.

Comma on Mill Hill

Peacock

Red Admiral

Adur Saltings at high tide

juvenile Mediterranean Gull on the Adur Saltings

Coastguard Rescue Helicopter

Friday 13 August. Cookie and I walked our usual route from the Lancing Ring car park NE to Coombes, across to Steepdown and back. Disappointingly quiet for migrants, I saw Red-legged Partridge, 9 Stock Doves, Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzards, 4 Kestrels, 2 Swallows, 30 House Martins (over Lancing College), Willow Warbler, a Lesser and 11 Common Whitethroats, 19 Linnets, 56 Goldfinches, 15 Corn Buntings and a Yellowhammer. Back home a Blackbird was giving alarm calls from our garden and going to investigate I disturbed a Sparrowhawk from on top of the greenhouse, close to our bird-table. Earlier about 35 House Sparrows had been seen feeding on the lawn.

Willow Warbler at Lancing Ring

Thursday 12 August. Megan and I took Cookie to a very quiet Mill Hill seeing 14 Swifts, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, Peregrine, Whitethroat and 4 Goldfinches. Later 2 Swifts were seen over our road.

Kestrel on Mill Hill

Wednesday 11 August. Cookie and I met David Buckingham at Beeding Hill car park, him having walked up from Golding Barn (bicycle problems) but seen a male Redstart on the way. We walked the usual route SE along the Monarch's Way, up to Truleigh Hill and the Downs overlook and back along Room Bottom. I saw 11 Swifts, 2 Stock Dove (repeatedly), Sparrowhawk, 5 Buzzards, Kestrel, 4 Ravens, 4 Sky Larks, 5 (of about 10) Sand Martins, Swallow, Chiffchaff, 11 Willow Warblers, a Lesser and 17 Whitethroats, a male Whinchat, 26 Wheatears (possibly some double counting), 4 Meadow Pipits, 2 Bullfinches, 15 Corn Buntings and a Yellowhammer. Along the rim of Room Bottom we briefly heard what we thought was a redstart calling but couldn't pin it down. We had not long parted above the quarry when David phoned to say he'd seen the Redstart again. I soon joined him and saw it a couple of times but not well enough to photograph.

Wheatear from the Monarch's Way

Brown Argus near Truleigh Hill

Raven on Beeding Hill

Tuesday 10 August. Megan and I took Cookie to Steepdown seeing Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, 7 Sand Martins (flying south), 3 Swallows, Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warblers, Blackcap, 11 Whitethroats, 2 Stonechats, Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch, 11 Linnets, 28 Goldfinches and 34 Corn Buntings.