Mostly chats around Shoreham (23-27 August)

Friday 27 August. An early visit to Mill Hill proved successful in finding the Pied Flycatcher seen the previous evening by Graeme Charles (SOS posting much appreciated). Also seen were a Sand Martin, 25 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow and a Sedge Warbler, 10 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser and 25 Common Whitethroats , 3 Yellow Wagtails, Meadow Pipit, 3 Linnets and 40 Goldfinches. Having a free morning and the weather being very pleasant I walked up to New Erringham Farm, across to Southwick Hill, up the Monarch's Way over Thundersbarrow and along to the Beeding Hill car park and back down the road taking the footpath back to Mill Hill via Old Erringham Farm. I saw 4 Sparrowhawks, 3 Buzzards, 3 Kestrels, 30 Swallows, a House Martin, 33 Whitethroats, a Redstart, 19 Whinchats, 2 juvenile Stonechats, 29 Wheatears, 46 Yellow Wagtails, 6 Linnets, 8 Goldfinches and 2 Yellowhammers.

most of the Pied Flycatcher on Mill Hill

Lesser Whitethroat on Mill Hill

Meadow Pipit on Mill Hill

one of about 20 Yellow Wagtails at New Erringham Farm 

another of the Yellow Wagtails at New Erringham Farm 

just too slow for the Redstart

Whinchat near New Erringham Farm

Whinchat along the Monarch's Way

this Whinchat looked barely fledged

Wheatears along the Monarch's Way

 female Sparrowhawk along the Monarch's Way

Thursday 26 August. Megan and I took Cookie to Mill Hill where I saw 3 Stock Doves, 4 Buzzards, Kestrel, 5 Sand Martins, 19 Swallows, a House Martin, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 10 Common Whitethroats and 25 Goldfinches.

Wednesday 25 August. I took Cookie up to the Beeding Hill car park from where we walked out usual anti-clockwise 'triangle'. Highlights were my first local Yellow Wagtails this year (15 with cows along the Monarch's Way), 14 Buzzards (9 in the air together over the escarpment), 2 Redstarts, 7 Whinchats and 21 Wheatears. No flycatchers was disappointing and the only warblers seen were 2 Chiffchaffs and 5 Whitethroats. Also seen were a Peregrine (on a pylon), 3 Ravens, 9 Swallows, 7 Long-tailed Tits, a Goldcrest and a Yellowhammer.

Yellow Wagtail, one of 15 in a cow field along the Monarch's Way

Wheatear along the Monarch's Way

Whitethroat near Truleigh Hill

distant Redstart on Truleigh Hill

Buzzard over Beeding Hill

Tuesday 24 August. Megan, Cookie and I walked down the east side of the Adur on a rising tide, across to the Rec and back up the west side. We saw 7 Oystercatchers, 56 Turnstones (feeding below Ropetackle), Common Sandpiper, a Mediterranean and 20 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Sparrowhawks and a Whitethroat. Later I took Cookie to water the allotment, seeing nothing in the process.

Turnstone below Ropetackle

Cemex Go Innovation approaching Rampion

Little Egret on the Adur

adult Mediterranean Gull 3RPA on the Adur. Almost certainly ringed in Antwerp

Southern Hawker in our greenhouse. Megan let it out then came to tell me

Small Tortoiseshell on our buddleia, seen much more frequently this year than last

Monday 23 August. Megan and I took Cookie up to a rather quiet Mill Hill seeing a Kestrel, 2 Swallows, Reed Warbler, 6 Whitethroats, Whinchat, 3 Linnets and 9 Goldfinches.

Whinchat on Mill Hill