Wednesday 24 November. Paul saw the Long-tailed Duck in Southwick Canal at dawn and I watched it from 07:45-08:15 during which time I took 200 photographs. It was showing well, down to 20m, in improving light although was submerged for almost as long as it was on the surface. While there a Sparrowhawk flew low over my head and a Peregrine was on the Power Station chimney. After breakfast Megan and I took Cookie to Dacre Gardens from where we walked up the Adur to the footbridge near Beeding Priory and back. We saw a Common Sandpiper and 2 Stonechats but nothing else of note. Back home with news the Snow Bunting was still about I drove to Worthing. After over an hour of failing to find it I was sat in my car about to drive home when nick Bond kindly relayed a message from David Campbell, who I'd just left, that the Snow Bunting had reappeared. I had great views of one of my favourite birds before it vanished between bushes and after a while I left.
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| Long-tailed Duck on Southwick Canal in early morning light |
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| Common Sandpiper on the Adur just north of the A283 |
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| Snow Bunting immediately west of The Waterwise playground, Worthing |
Tuesday 23 November. I took Cookie to Widewater, arriving at 08:00. The sea was relatively flat in a light to moderate northerly wind but almost appeared to be smoking with wisps of mist which came and went. I saw a single Brent Goose and Razorbill west, 4 auks east, 6 Little Grebes on the lagoon, 3 Great Crested Grebes on the sea, 4 Kittiwakes and 15 Gannets offshore and a Grey Heron, 5 Meadow Pipits and 8 Goldfinches in. On the way home we called in at the Adur seeing 2 Grey Plovers, 23 Great Black-backed Gulls and 250+ Herring Gulls including locally ringed A6XY (my 15th sighting of this bird since 2010 when it was ringed in Southwick as a rehabilitated 3rd summer). News at dusk that Paul James had found a Long-tailed Duck on Southwick Canal was just too late to act upon and had me hoping it would stay overnight, as did subsequent news of a Snow Bunting on the beach at Worthing.
Monday 22 November. Megan and I took Cookie to the Adur, cross the Old Toll Bridge, down to the Rec and back over the Norfolk Bridge. Little was seen in a cold north wind with 70 Lapwings, Grey Plover, 35 Great Black-backed Gulls and 8 Linnets the most notable sightings.
Sunday 21 November. I was on Mill Hill from 07:50-10:40, being joined by Megan and Cookie for the second part. I recorded 3 Stock Doves, 45 Woodpigeons, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Jay, 6 Fieldfares, 5 Song Thrushes, male Stonechat, 5 Meadow Pipits, Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinches, Bullfinch (heard) and 18 Goldfinches.
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| Stonechat on Mill Hill |
Saturday 20 November. I was at Widewater from 07:50-09:20 seeing 5 Little Grebes on the lagoon, 27 Ringed Plover and 29 Dunlin on the beach, 5 Razorbills on the sea and 50 auks and 9 flying west. At least 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins slowly swam west at 08:45 and while seawatching the Black Redstart appeared on a nearby groyne. I met Megan and Cookie at Harbour Way and we walked our usual circuit west along the Adur and back to the Fort on the boardwalk. The tide was coming in and 23 Turnstones and a Purple Sandpiper were roosting on the wooden jetty with 3 Meadow and 3 Rock Pipits and 9 Greenfinches by the Fort. Walking back by the Sailing Club we saw a Razorbill in the harbour near the Lifeboat Station. On my way home I stopped opposite the houseboats to watch the tide coming in. With the 'help' of a paddleboarder 17 Teal, 26 Lapwings, Curlew, 2 Snipe, 41 Redshank, Greenshank, 5 Grey Herons and 3 Little Egrets were seen on the saltings (the tide alone being not quite high enough to reveal everything there).
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| Bottle-nosed Dolphins off Widewater |
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| Curlew on the Adur Saltings |
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| Greenshank with Redshank on the Adur Saltings |
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