A day in East Sussex (19-23 January)

Sunday 23 January. Megan and I took Cookie to Mill Hill where we saw 3 Song Thrushes, a Stonechat, a female Bullfinch and 2 Goldfinches. Later we saw a Sparrowhawk and the Lord Derby's Parakeet from the allotment. 

Saturday 22 January. To make a change from visiting local sites and in the hope of seeing a few different birds I spent the day in East Sussex. The Polegate Services Hooded Crow appeared as soon as I got out of my car, feeding on the petrol station forecourt. I continued on to Eastbourne, parking on King Edward's Parade opposite Staveley Road. I wasn't quiet certain where to look but fortunately someone was on site who had been watching the Hume's Leaf Warbler and within five minutes we heard it calling and soon were watching it although views were never prolonged and usually obscured. The only photo I managed only had the rear half of the bird in view. Unsure where to go next I drove to West Rise Marsh and had just put my wellingtons on when I saw Neil Greenaway who told me they'd done a WEBS count but not seen a lot. That and news the Shore Lark had been seen had me changing out of my boots and heading for Pevensey Bay. Jon Curson was already there and between us we worked out where the bird was. As it happened it was exactly where I had seen it before Christmas. After a brisk walk we had good views, nice through my scope although my digiscoping efforts were poor. After half an hour or so, and for no apparent reason, it flew up and inland over the line of bungalows. I drove back through Eastbourne and on the Birling Gap where I walked to Belle Tout hoping for something in the wood, wildly optimistic I know. I heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the wood and saw 3 Stonechats and heard a Corn Bunting at Birling. My final stop was the Cuckmere Haven and I parked by Chyngton Farm and walked down to the gull roost on the west side. There were almost 1000 gulls in two flocks and I spend a couple of hours going through them. I estimated 750 Great and 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 150 Herring (including at least one adult argentatus), a first-winter and briefly seen probable adult Caspian and 2 or 3 Yellow-legged Gulls. Four Barnacle Geese were in amongst the Canadas. I walked down the riverbank, still on the west side, but couldn't see any Short-eared Owls despite regular scanning across to the east. A photographer on that side seemed to be having no luck either.

Hooded Crow at Polegate Services

half a Hume's Leaf Warbler in Eastbourne

Shore Lark at Pevensey Bay

juvenile Grey Heron in the Cuckmere

in the Cuckmere roost this preening gull caught my eye 

its pure white head even more so

despite the bill not being wholly black it looked pretty good for a first-winter Caspian Gull to me 

impressive legs too

quick bit of stick carrying

it had a red colour-ring on its right tibia which I thought was "TV" or "TY". It seems it is from a Dutch Caspian/Herring Gull colony, the ring placed above the knee to help reading it in long grass.

probable adult Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere. I briefly saw it standing and noted long, thin straw coloured legs but it sat down and put its bill in as I was reaching for my camera. It also had a long, thin washed out bill and visible dark eye. The flock flew shortly after and although most returned or joined the other flock I didn't see it again

with its dark mantle and extensive black in the primaries I thought this bird most likely a third-winter Yellow-legged Gull. It never moved, until it was gone

Friday 21 January. I took Cookie to Widewater where we spent over two hours, the first seawatching. There were a couple of feeding frenzies right on the horizon, too far out to see/identify much other than Gannets (75 a significant under-estimate) and literally hundreds of larger gulls. I saw 7 Great Crested Grebes, 2 identifiable Kittiwakes, at least 300 distant auks and 3 divers (2 closer were Red-throated). We walked to Lancing Sailing Club and back hoping a Black Redstart might pop out but it didn't. On the outflow off Widewater one of the distant Cormorants looked distinctly smaller and slimmer and was probably a Shag. Otherwise 6 Little Grebes on the lagoon were the highlight. In the afternoon I took Cookie around Park Avenue seeing the Lord Derby's Parakeet in its usual tree. 

Thursday 20 January. I took Cookie up to Knepp where by prior arrangement I met Chris and John Hamilton. In finding a new home for their long run of Sussex Bird Reports they had kindly saved for me the two I was missing, the recipient of the others already having them. At Knepp I saw Egyptian Goose, 5 introduced White Storks, Buzzard, 2 Tawny Owls, Kingfisher, 2 Great Spotted and a Green Woodpecker, 3 Jays, 10 Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatch, 3 Treecreepers, 2 Redwings and a Bullfinch. In the afternoon I took Cookie around the block seeing the Lord Derby's Parakeet in its usual tree.  

Tawny Owl enjoying the sunshine at Knepp

Wednesday 19 January. I took Cookie up to Steyning Round Hill for another look for the ring-tailed Hen Harrier that is occasionally seen up there this winter. We watched from the Langmead memorial but after an hour or so some erratic and distant shooting started and we slowly headed back to the car, slower than Cookie was happy with. In two hours I saw 90 Stock Doves, 2 Red Kites, Kestrel, 16 Skylarks, 22 Linnets and 7 Corn Buntings. Back home a Stock Dove was feeding on our lawn and a walk to Park Avenue with Megan and Cookie produced both Ring-necked and Lord Derby's Parakeets.