birding never sleeps: Shoreham, Pagham, Pulborough and Beachy (09-16 September)

Thursday 16 September. David Buckingham and I went to Beachy arriving at the Head at 07:20 to find a heavy passage of pipits and hirundines underway. We slowly birded down to Shooter's Bottom and returned up Bulling Dean to the rides above Whitebread Hollow. Our last hour or so was spent between Birling and Belle Tout which produced virtually nothing and we left just before 15:30. At Beachy I saw 2 Swifts (getting a bit late), 2 Sparrowhawks, a juvenile Marsh Harrier (flying S at 10:40), 3 Buzzards, Peregrine, 2 Ravens, 2000+ hirundines (a few Sand Martins and for the vast majority House Martins outnumbering Swallows by about 3:1), 90+ Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow and a Reed Warbler, 12 Blackcaps, 4 Lesser and 15 Common Whitethroats, single Spotted and Pied Flycatchers (at Hotel aerial and Old Trapping Area respectively), 3 Redstarts, 2 Whinchats, 17 Stonechats, 12 Wheatears, a Grey and 15 Yellow Wagtails (with at least as many more of both heard), 250 Meadow and 5+ Tree Pipits and 75 Goldfinches.

Redstart at Beachy

one of three seen on the Head

rather shy Pied Flycatcher at Beachy

Lesser Whitethroats at Beachy

using a camera as a telescope to confirm the identity of distant chats: 1 Wheatear

2: Whinchat and Stonechat

artwork by Mariana Castillo Deball of a giant chalk hairpin, inspired by one of the funerary objects excavated in Eastbourne in the late 1990s with the remains of a young Frankish woman

Wednesday 15 September. Megan and I took Cookie to Lancing Ring and Steepdown. There were surprisingly few birds in evidence, just a single Corn Bunting and no Skylarks all morning, although a small flurry on our return to Lancing Ring improved things somewhat with Red Kite, Redstart and Willow Warbler in quick succession. Other birds seen included Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, 3 Kestrel, 3 Swallows and 21 Meadow Pipits.

Tuesday 14 September. I took Cookie to the Adur for a morning low tide and walked from the Old Toll Bridge to the houseboats and back over the Rec. I saw 2 Teal, 10 Oystercatchers, 3 Lapwings, 67 Ringed Plover, 40 Turnstones, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, 42 Great Black-backed Gulls, Grey Heron and 9 Little Egrets.

young Goldfinches on Adur Rec

Monday 13 September. I spent four hours on Mill Hill being joined by Megan and Cookie for half that time. I saw Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, 4 Sand Martins, 140 Swallows, 265 House Martins, 4 Chiffchaffs, 11 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 9 Common Whitethroats, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Grey Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipits, 4 Greenfinches and 75 Goldfinches. The wagtail flew north and the hirundines east. In the afternoon I went to Pulborough seeing the Pectoral Sandpiper at about as distantly as it could be positively identified through a telescope, sadly fairly typical views for here. Also on the North Brooks were 2 Ruff, a Dunlin, 4 Common Snipe and a Greenshank.

Spotted Flycatcher on Mill Hill

Pectoral Sandpiper and Dunlin at Pulborough RSPB

Sunday 12 September. Another visit to Mill Hill with Cookie this morning seeing a Red Kite, 2 Buzzards, Kestrel, Jay, 3 Sand Martins, 40 Swallows, 65 House Martins, a Chiffchaffs, 16 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats and 6 Goldfinches.

back to a normal Sunday on Mill Hill with the flyover car boot sale

Saturday 11 September. Mill Hill was quiet this morning during a 2.5 hour visit to with Cookie. I saw 3 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 36 Swallows, 5 Chiffchaffs, 9 Blackcaps, single Lesser and Common Whitethroats and 8 Goldfinches. Rather disappointing as it has been good recently.

Friday 10 September. Cookie and I met David Buckingham at the Beeding Hill car park and walked SE along the Monarch's Way, N up to Truleigh Hill and back W along the rim of Room Bottom. It was gloomy with occasional drizzle and at times very poor visibility. Despite this I saw 2 Stock Doves, Sparrowhawk, Merlin, 8 Swallows, Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Redstarts, 3 Whinchats, 8 Wheatears, a Yellow Wagtail (others heard), 10 Linnets and 4 Goldfinches. A decent showing considering the weather.

Wheatears on the Monarch's Way

Thursday 09 September. To mark David Buckingham's first day of part-time working we decided to visit the Selsey Peninsular. From the small car park off Easton Lane we walking down to the Medmerry Stilt Pools. Previously I'd approached from Earnley but Easton Lane was marginally closer and a more interesting route although early mist hampered early viewing. Fortunately it soon cleared and we had a decent morning seeing amongst others 55 Stock Doves, 15 Egyptian Geese, 5 Shoveler, 18 Wigeon, a Pintail, 3 Tufted Duck, Avocet, 26 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Ruff, 3 Common Snipe, 2 Common Sandpipers, a juvenile Spotted Redshank, Mediterranean Gull, 3 Sandwich Terns, 13 Cattle and 4 Little Egrets, a distant Osprey, Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, 4 Kestrels, 2-3 Peregrines, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 250 Sand Martins, 60+ Swallows, single Willow and Sedge Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, 5 Whitethroats, Whinchat, Stonechat, 2 Wheatears, 11 Yellow Wagtails, 30 Goldfinches, 7 Yellowhammers and 2 Reed Buntings. We came back via Sidlesham and Pagham Harbour's North Wall where the Red-backed Shrike, the day's main target, was performing well. Also seen in and around the harbour as a big tide came in were 35 Grey Plover, 30 Black-tailed Godwits, Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 13 Cattle and 27 Little Egrets, Sparrowhawk and 14 Sandwich Ternsb. The hedges and fences were quiet except for 3 Whinchats and a Wheatear with several Yellow Wagtails heard flying over. The water level in the Breach Pool was considerably higher than it had been just over a week earlier on our previous visit. This time there were no waders on it. We finished at an almost as disappointing Ferry Pool adding an Avocet, 55 Black-tailed Godwits, just 5 Dunlin and a Stonechat. So much for a big high tide causing lots of waders to roost there. Despite this the shrike and selection of waders had made for an enjoyable visit.