birding never sleeps: American Robin in Eastbourne brings February alive (01-09 February)

Wednesday 09 February 2022. I was up early and successfully any Falmer queues arriving on site in Eastbourne at about 07:30. The American Robin had already been seen and I joined the assembled crowd. It showed briefly after about 10 minutes and then over the next three hours I had several prolonged but generally distant views between longer periods of it being out of sight (good for catching up with friends I'd not seen for some time). The American Robin was too far away for my camera but it was nice through the scope and I managed a few not-great digiscoped images. While there I saw Sparrowhawk and Great Spotted Woodpecker. I chose to return home rather than try anywhere else and just after the Drusilla's roundabout hit solid traffic which took half an hour to get through (temporary traffic lights on the A27 where it was reduced to one lane at the Charleston turning). This really reduced traffic flow and I breezed through the drainage works lane reduction at Falmer. A late afternoon walk with Megan and Cookie produced both the Ring-necked and the Lord Derby's Parakeet around Park Avenue.

American Robin in Eastbourne

Ring-necked Parakeet being shy in Shoreham

Tuesday 08 February 2022. I took Cookie up to Beeding Hill NT Car park and we walked our usual route SE along the Monarch's Way, N to Trueigh Hill and back skirting Room Bottom. We managed 27 species including Red Kite, 2 Peregrines, 900 Rooks, 2 Ravens, 41 Skylarks (singing constantly), 4 Stonechats, 6 Meadow Pipits, 3 Chaffinches, 6 Greenfinches, 6 Goldfinches and 7 Corn and 4 Reed Buntings. A brief look at the Adur while in town during the afternoon produced just a Grey Plover by the Waterfront on a high tide. News of an American Robin in Eastbourne broke too late to make it in normal conditions let alone the current chaos between Brighton and Drusilla's which is the A27.

Peregrine on a pylon on Beeding Hill

Monday 07 February 2022. Megan and I took Cookie to the Adur walking down one side, across the Norfolk Bridge, around the Rec and back on the airport side. We saw 8 Teal (by Dogs Trust, we didn't check the houseboat channel), 126 Lapwings, 2 Grey Plover, 10 Redshank, Kingfisher, Skylark and 15 Goldfinches. A late afternoon walk around Park Avenue with Cookie produced just the Lord Derby's Parakeet.

Sunday 06 February 2022. I seawatched from Widewater from 08:00-09:15 seeing 12 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Grey Plovers, 9 Kittiwakes, 3 Razorbills and 4 unidentified auks, an unidentified Diver, 4 Fulmars and just 4 Gannets. Once home Megan and I took Cookie to Brooklands where 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 15 Goldfinches were our most notable sightings. Later on the Adur at low tide we saw a Little Grebe, 112 Lapwings, Grey Plover and 54 Great and 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Le Havre 50H was amongst the former. A late afternoon walk around Park Avenue with Cookie produced both the Ring-necked and the Lord Derby's Parakeet.

Saturday 05 February 2022. Megan and I took Cookie to Cissbury where we saw 5 Buzzards, 2 Jays and 2 Mistle Thrushes. Both Ring-necked and Lord Derby's Parakeets were seen with Cookie around Park Avenue late afternoon

Friday 04 February 2022. I seawatched from Widewater from 07:50-09:05 seeing 6 Great Crested Grebes, 140 Kittiwakes, 11 Guillemots, 140 Razorbills and 1100 unidentified auks, an unidentified Diver, 2 Fulmars and 120 Gannets. On my way home on the Adur at low tide were 92 Great and 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Le Havre 50H was amongst the former. A late afternoon walk around Park Avenue with Cookie produced just the Lord Derby's Parakeet.

Thursday 03 February 2022. I seawatched from Widewater from 07:45-09:00 seeing 3 Great Crested Grebes, a Turnstone, 205 Kittiwakes, 54 Razorbills and 415 unidentified auks, 3 Red-throated and 2 unidentified Divers and 55 Gannets. I returned home to collect Megan and Cookie and we went to Southwick Canal seeing the Long-tailed Duck beside Barrett Steel on the few occasions it was not under the water. Late afternoon I took Cookie around Park Avenue and saw both the Ring-necked and Lord Derby's Parakeets feeding on buds in the usual tree.

Long-tailed Duck in Southwick Canal

Wednesday 02 February 2022. Megan and I took Cookie to Steepdown where we saw 2 Stock Doves, 3 Red Kites, Buzzard, 31 Skylarks, 2 Redwings, 3 Stonechats, a Linnet, 5 Goldfinches and 31 Corn and a Reed Bunting. Late afternoon I took Cookie around Park Avenue and saw both the Ring-necked and Lord Derby's Parakeets feeding on buds in the usual tree.

Red Kite over Steepdown

Lord Derby's Parakeet in Shoreham

Tuesday 01 February 2022. As I took Cookie to Widewater both parakeets flew out of their roost tree at Park Avenue. We seawatched from 07:40-09:10 seeing 3 Shelduck, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Turnstones, 505 Kittiwakes (flying W), 4 Guillemots, 78 Razorbills, 455 unidentified auks, 2 Red-throated and 5 unidentified Divers, 4 Fulmars and 225 Gannets. We walked to the end of Widewater seeing 9 Little Grebes on the lagoon and a b in the wader roost with 36 Ringed Plover and 118 Dunlin. With the tide high we visited Shoreham Fort but failed to find any Purple Sandpipers. Thirteen Turnstones were at Shoreham Harbour with a Guillemot and 3 Razorbills on the sea off the entrance. Late afternoon I took Cookie to the Adur for low tide but only saw 2 Grey Plovers, 25 Great Black-backed Gulls and A2FA, an orphan Herring Gull ringed in Hastings in August 2003 that I'd seen on the Adur seven times since 2010.