Around Shoreham and a Balearic Shearwater (30 October-05 November)

Friday 05 November. I met David Buckingham in Steyning and we drove up to the Beggar's Bush car park north of Sompting. From there we walked with Cookie along Canada Bottom to Cissbury, around the yews then back via No Man's Land and the top of Steyning Bowl. It was disappointingly quiet for birds although we did see 11 Stock Doves, Sparrowhawk, 4 Red Kites, Jay, 2 Ravens, 42 Skylarks, 11 Fieldfares, Redwing, 4 Mistle Thrushes, 8 Stonechats, Corn Bunting and 2 Yellowhammers.

Thursday 04 November. I wandered around Mill Hill from 07:05-08:45 before joining Megan and Cookie at Harbour Way. Quite a different day up there with 2 Stock Doves, just 115  Woodpigeons (most sat in a field), Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Jay, Chifchaff, 2 Goldcrests, 4 Redwings, 5 Meadow Pipits, 2 Siskins and 49 Goldfinches. From Harbour Way we walked into Shoreham and back along the Boardwalk to the Fort. 10 Brent Geese flew west, 20 Turnstones and a Purple Sandpiper were on the wooden jetty at high tide and 30 Greenfinches were flying around the fences.

Sparrowhawk hunting at Mill Hill

                             

Greenfinches at Shoreham Fort

released trawler that fell foul of Brexit fishing rules (thanks to a government spreadsheet) on its way home

Wednesday 03 November. I wandered around Mill Hill from 07:00-10:30, being joined by Megan and Cookie for the last part. I saw 9 Stock Doves, 5550 Woodpigeons (virtually all moving west on a wide front before 09:00), Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, Jay, 11 Skylarks, male Stonechat, 5 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinches, 18 Linnets and 27 Goldfinches.

Tuesday 02 November. I took Cookie up to Beeding Hill and we walked our usual circuit SE along the Monarch's Way, north to Truleigh Hill and back skirting Room Bottom. Little was flying over but between 07:55-11:55 we saw 4 Stock Doves, 90 Woodpigeons, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Buzzards, 2 Peregrines, 13 Blue Tits, 37 Skylarks, 14 Robins, a Black Redstart (on the large brick barn by the transmitters), 3 Stonechats, 10 Dunnocks, 6 Meadow Pipits, 5 Chaffinches, 4 Linnets, 33 Goldfinches, 8 Corn Buntings and 6 Yellowhammers. Before dark Megan and I took Cookie to Buckingham Park where 60 Goldfinches were seen flying around, presumably pre-roost.

looking north from Beeding Hill

Henfield and Shermanbury, a foresight of what rising sea levels might do

Peregrine at Beeding Hill

Stonechat at Beeding Hill

                             

Monday 01 November. Megan and I took Cookie for a walk around the Adur, down the east side, across the Norfolk Bridge and Rec and back alongside the airport and Old Toll Bridge. seeing 25 Turnstones, Buzzard, 7 Skylarks, Chiffchaff, Stonechat, 6 Meadow Pipits, 4 Linnets and 6 Goldfinces.

Sunday 31 October. I dropped Megan off at Shoreham Station and as the weather was awful (gale force SW winds with heavy rain showers and poor visibility) decided Widewater was the only real option. I arrived with Cookie at 09:45 and started seawatching. Nothing appeared to be moving although visibility was less than half a km, the showers very heavy and the troughs very deep. At about 10:25, by which time visibility had improved a bit and the showers lessened a close Balearic Shearwater, appeared in front of me making fairly slow progress east. My second class seawatch species in two days! I continued seawatching hoping for more but a single Gannet was all I managed before giving up at 11:15. I then took Cookie to Harbour Way and we walked along the beach to Shoreham Fort and back seeing 35 Turnstones and 2 Purple Sandpipers as the falling tide exposed the line of rocks running north towards the Lifeboat Station.

Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone at Shoreham Fort

                             

Saturday 30 October. I took Cookie up to a wet and windy Mill Hill where virtually no birds were in evidence. In 90 minutes we saw single Stock Dove, Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Jay.