Staying local (22-29 August)

Monday 29 August. Mill Hill 07:10-09:10 produced Sparrowhawk, 14 Swallows, 2 Chiffchaffs, 25 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 9 Common Whitethroats, 5 Whinchats and 7 Wheatears. Yesterday's Hummingbird Hawk-Moth was again attracted to our Buddleia as was a Comma and Painted Lady. An early evening cycle down to the Adur, to coincide with low tide, produced a Greenshank at Town Quay, 8 Dunlin, 52 Great Black-backs and Herring Gull A6XY south of the Old Toll Bridge and a Common Sandpiper to the north. A6XY was rehabilitated from Southwick in July 2010. It is now 15 years old and I've seen it on the Adur 20 times since its release.

Clouded Yellow on Mill Hill

Comma on our Buddleia

                              

Hummingbird Hawk-Moth still visiting our Buddleia

Painted Lady in our garden

Sunday 28 August. Mid morning we took Anna and Ian to Cissbury Ring where we saw Redstart and Wheatear. In the afternoon Anna spotteed a Hummingbird Hawk-Moth in our Buddleia.

Anna and me walking south from Cissbury

Hummingbird Hawk-Moth on our Buddleia

                             

Red Admiral on our Buddleia

Saturday 27 August. Mill Hill 06:35-10:35. My best visit (hopefully so far) this year with 2 Sparrowhawks, 3 Sand and 20 House Martins, 40 Swallows, 3 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser and 16 Common Whitethroats, 4 Spotted and a Pied Flycatcher, Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail. We met my Anna and Ian at Wolstenbury (where we'd scattered some of our parent's ashes) and wandered around enjoying the superb views (but me seeing only Swallows and Meadow Pipits) before returning to ours.

Spotted Flycatchers on Mill Hill

                             

Pied Flycatcher on Mill Hill

Friday 26 August. Cookie and I met David Buckingham at the Beeding Hill car park and walked our usual triangle. It was fairly quiet although we did see 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Ravens, 3 Sand and 100 House Martins, 200+ Swallows, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 11 Whitethroats, 7 Whinchats, 7 Wheatears, 20+ Yellow Wagtails, 5 Corn Buntings and 6 Yellowhammers. 

Wednesday 24 August. Widewater 07:15-09:15. At least 1000 gulls were feeding along the shore or within 100m of it, some in tight feeding frenzies. With raw sewage being discharged along the Sussex coast I assumed that was what they were feeding on but watching through a telescope revealed that they were picking small sprats from (just under?) the surface. The vast majority were Herring Gulls with several (10s not 100s) Great and Lesser Black-backs, 2 juvenile Commons and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull. About 30 Gannets were seen offshore. I met Megan and Cookie at the end of Harbour Way and we walked to the Adur Ferry Bridge (2 Greenshank and 20+ Redshank on the Saltings), on to the beach and back along the boardwalk to the Fort (17 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin roosting on the beach, 6 Turnstones and a Common Sandpiper below the inner jetty and 2 Wheatears, a Rock Pipit and 3 Wall Lizards on/around the Fort).

gulls feeding on sprats

                             

Greenshank and Redshank from Adur Ferry Bridge

Wall Lizard at Shoreham Fort

Wheatear on Shoreham Fort

Tuesday 23 August. Mill Hill 06:05-08:55. Peregrine, 2 Swallows, 5 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 10 Common Whitethroats and 10 Goldfinches. I returned home and took Cookie to the Sussex Pad from where we walked up to the Lancing Ring car park, across to Cowbottom and Coombes and back along the Adur to Cuckoos Corner. It was rather disappointing other than a flock of at least 1200 Linnets feeding on the stubble on Lancing Hill. Also seen were Red Kite, 5 Swallows, 8 House Martins, Green Woodpecker, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 3 Whitethroats, 35 Goldfinches and a Reed Bunting. An Adur Birding WhatsApp message from Matt Palmer who'd found a Caspian Gull at Town Quay had me grabbing my binoculars and cycling down there but I was too late, the gulls had been disturbed by a Grey Heron and while most returned it didn't. I cycled up to the Old Toll Bridge but couldn't refind it there although Matt followed later and had 3 different juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls that I'd doubtless overlooked (not packing a telescope in my rush to depart for the Caspian is my excuse although I do find juvenile Yellow-legs difficult/confusing/tricky). Waders seen on the Adur were 8 Oystercatchers, 61 Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, 2 Turnstones, Sanderling, 14 Dunlin, 24 Redshank and 2 Greenshank while a Sparrowhawk shot by as I was cycling.

part of the large Linnet flock on Lancing Hill

when I took these images I estimated I was capturing about half the flock

I printed this one out, ruled it into segments and counted 688 birds!

Monday 22 August. Mill Hill 06:10-11:00, the last part with Megan and Cookie). Jay, 8 Swallows, Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcaps, Garden Warbler, 4 Lesser and 13 Common Whitethroats, Firecrest, Spotted Flycatcher and 16 Goldfinches.

Firecrest on Mill Hill (patch gold for me)