Back around Shoreham and a surprise Long-tailed Skua (23-29 October)

Friday 29 October. With heavy rain and strong SW winds forecast seawatching seemed the best option. After dropping Megan off at the Shoreham Charity Shop where she was volunteering Cookie and I went to Widewater where I seawatched from 09:30-11:00. Much to my delight and surprise at 09:45 a juvenile Long-tailed Skua flew east erratically, not too far out enabling it pale head and lower breast/belly to be seen as well as structural features. My first locally and only second in Sussex. I also saw 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Kittiwakes, 3 unidentified auks, 6 Fulmars and 70 Gannets flying west. A brief stop at the Adur produced very few gulls and nothing else of note before another heavy shower sent us hurrying back to the car.

Thursday 28 October. I wandered around Mill Hill for 3 hours from 07:00, being joined by Megan and Cookie for the last half. Migrants were almost non-existent with a Blackcap heard and parties of Meadow Pipits north totalling 20. Also seen were single Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Jay and Skylark.

Wednesday 27 October. Megan and I took Cookie to Pulborough Brooks RSPB where we walked around the interesting Fungi Trail. Most were instantly forgettable although a few stuck in our minds. We also encountered two mixed flocks which, together, included a Coal, at least 22 Blue, 14 Great and 11 Long-tailed Tits, a Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Nuthatches and a Treecreeper. A Sparrowhawk flew our our road when we were walking out to the car and presumably the same several hours later a street away while walking Cookie around the block.

Bloody Britlegill at Pulborough

Yellow Staghorn at Pulborough

Tuesday 26 October. Returning to the Adur with Cookie we covered the area between the Railway Bridge and Cuckoos Corner. Disappointingly there were many fewer gulls but we did see a Ringed Plover, 40 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Grey Herons and near Cuckoos Corner a pair of Stonechats. A Sparrowhawk flew over our allotment in the afternoon.

Great Black-backed Gull J30CC on the Adur

it was ringed as chick at Kjorten, Mandal, Vest-Agder, Norway on 26 June 2021

Monday 25 October. Megan and I took Cookie to the Adur where we walked a circuit around the Old Toll and Norfolk Bridges. There were a lot of gulls on the exposed sandbanks although nothing stood out amongst them, a Herring with a North Thames colour-ring couldn't be read as I'd not taken a telescope. Curlew, Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), 5 Skylarks, a Rock Pipit and 6 Linnets were our most notable sightings.

Sunday 24 October. Megan and I took Cookie to Cissbury where we saw a Buzzard, 5 Jays, 2 Ring Ouzels (in flight), Stonechat, 2 Meadow Pipits and 15 Greenfinches.

Saturday 23 October. Megan and I took Cookie to Mill Hill where we saw a Buzzard and a Long-tailed Tit. We didn't arrive very early but nevertheless it seemed very quiet.