Seaford seawatch & local Ring Ouzels (11 April)

Monday 11 April. An early start for a very enjoyable seawatch in great company at Splash Point, Seaford. Matt Eade was in position on the breakwater when I arrived and Brian Cox joined us soon after with Simon Linington and Mark Mallalieu on the beach nearby to keep us on our toes. Jon Curson, Nick Pope and Paul Stevens also dropped by. Between 6 and 12 I recorded 42 Shelduck, 3 Garganey, 139 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 13 Wigeon, 7 Mallard, 2 Pintail, 101 Teal, 5 Pochard, 630 Common & 29 Velvet Scoter, 8 Red-breasted Mergansers, a summer plumaged Red-necked Grebe, 3 Avocets, Little Ringed Plover, 66 Whimbrel, 4 Sanderling, 3 Dunlin, 13 Mediterranean & 8 Little Gulls, 850 Sandwich (probably an under-estimate), and 39 'Commic' Terns (including 2 close Arctic & 9 Common), 21 Arctic Skuas (4 pale morph), 6 Guillemots, 5 Razorbills, 60+ auks, 8 Red-throated Divers and 130 Gannets. Virtually all were flying east with local Kittiwakes and Fulmars much in evidence and at one stage a summer-plumage Slavonian Grebe on sea. The mixed duck flocks were particularly impressive, if a little challenging at times. After lunch I took Cookie up to Mill Hill to look for the pair of Ring Ouzels seen earlier. Much to my delight (and surprise) they were still present on the lower slopes and bottom hedge. They looked fairly settled although typically were not very approachable. Also on Mill Hill was a Buzzard, 2 Skylarks and 4 Linnets.

Ring Ouzels on Mill Hill

                             

male Ring Ouzel on Mill Hill

female Ring Ouzel on Mill Hill

Sunday 10 April. I seawatched from Widewater from 06:50-08:20 in very calm conditions. Initially only 2 of the 116 wind turbines were moving although later all but 2 were, if rather slowly. Flying east I saw 2 distant geese (Canadas?), 6 Shelduck, 24 Common Scoter, Great Crested Grebe, 7 Oystercatchers, 33 Black-headed, 7 Common and 30 Mediterranean Gulls, 20 Sandwich Terns and 4 Gannets. A Grey Plover and 2 Sandwich Terns flew west. Later Megan and I took Cookie to Mill Hill where 6 Buzzards were in the air at once, although we didn't see the Osprey seen flying NE over Lancing at about the same time. A Willow Warbler was heard as were Skylark, Chiffchaffs and Yellowhammer (my first there this year). A late afternoon walk with Megan and Cookie around Park Avenue produced a Sparrowhawk and both the Ring-necked and Lord Derby's Parakeets.

no longer empty skies over Widewater

Saturday 09 April. Megan and I took Cookie to the Lancing Ring car park and walked too and around Steepdown. We saw 4 adult Mediterranean Gulls flying over to the south, Buzzard, Kestrel, 2 Jays, 14 Skylarks, 2 Chiffchaffs, a male Blackcap (my first of the year), female Stonechat, 3 Meadow Pipits,  10 Linnets and 6 Corn Buntings. A late afternoon walk with Cookie around Park Avenue produced both the Ring-necked and Lord Derby's Parakeets.

Corn Bunting on Steepdown

Kestrel at Steepdown

                           

Friday 08 April. With winds forecast to be north-easterly I was hopeful seawatching might be better than of late but the wind was very light (only 33 of the 116 Rampion turbines were moving and those quite slowly). Counting moving turbines was quite novel, usually on very dull seawatches at Widewater I count those that are still (usually 4-6). From 06:40-08:40 I saw just 2 Common Scoter, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 22 Sandwich and my first Commic Tern (a distant bird flying W) and 9 Gannets. Later I took Cookie to the Adur where we saw 2 Canada Geese, 2 Lesser and 19 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Little Egrets and 2 Greenfinches. An afternoon visit to the Library was enlivened by hearing the Lord Derby's Parakeets while waiting outside with Cookie. It and the Ring-necked Parakeet flew west over the churchyard and saved me looking for them around Park Avenue later.

Thursday 07 April. I seawatched at Widewater from 06:45-08:45 in clear visibility and moderate westerlies. Somewhat similar to yesterday with 66 Common Scoter, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 25 Sandwich Terns, Great Skua (W at 07:47), 3 Red-throated and 2 unidentified Divers, a Fulmars and 6 Gannets. Megan and I then took Cookie to Harbour Way and walked to Emerald Quay and back along the boardwalk to Shoreham Fort. There we saw a Wall Lizard but no birds of note. An early evening walk with Cookie around Park Avenue produced both the Ring-necked and Lord Derby's Parakeets.

Wednesday 06 April. With the wind moving to a moderate/strong westerly I embarked on my first seawatch for almost two weeks. From 06:40-08:10, generally poor visibility, I saw 8 Brent Geese, 51 Common Scoter, a smart male Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 23 Common Gulls, 30 Sandwich Terns, a distant Great Skua (W at 07:08), Red-throated Diver, 2 Fulmars and 8 Gannets. Best of all a male Wheatear was on a nearby groyne. I stopped at the Adur on the way home seeing 19 Great Black-backed Gulls including 50H. No parakeets this evening when Cookie and I looked round Park Avenue.

newly arrived Wheatear on the rocks at Widewater

                             

Great Black-backed Gull 50H on the Adur. A female hatched at Le Havre in 2010 that has been seen in the Shoreham area at least eleven times since 2015, seven on the Adur by me

Tuesday 05 April. I took advantage of a sunny day to cut the lawns and did a few other household chores ahead of Megan's return from Belgium. Continuing strong northerly winds put me off birding although both the Ring-necked and Lord Derby's Parakeets were seen with Cookie around Park Avenue.

Monday 04 April. With Megan still in Belgium Cookie and I visited the Adur seeing 7 Lesser and 36 Great Black-backed Gulls and a rather wet looking Buzzard. Despite the inclement weather a Skylark was singing over the airfield. Later we heard the Lord Derby's Parakeet from Park Avenue but failed to see it.