Looking up locally (01-05 August)

Tuesday 01 August. I took Cookie to Steyning Round Hill and we walked across to the top of Findon Gallops and back along the Monarch's Way. I had hoped there might be some southbound migrants about but only saw single Wheatear, Garden and Willow Warblers and 12 Swifts flying west. Also seen were 2 Buzzards, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Raven, 18 Skylarks, 9 Long-tailed Tits, 12 Whitethroats, 2 Greenfinches, 20 Linnets, 5 Corn Buntings and a Yellowhammer. We also bumped into Clive Hope at our turning back point and Alan Kitson on our way back to the car. Neither had seen much either.

Wall near Steyning Round Hill

Wheatear from the Monarch's Way

Garden Warbler at No Man's Land

by the time I focused on it it was off

Corn Bunting near Steyning Round Hill

Wednesday 02 August. After taking Cookie to see the vet in Portslade we continued to the Foredown Tower and walked past New Barn Farm to the edge of West Hove Golf Course and back over Benfield Hill. It was probably my first visit to West Hove Golf Course since Tony Wilson found a male Rustic Bunting there, in May 2002 (thanks Tony, great find). Today it was very quiet with a single Swift, 2 Swallows, 3 Whitethroats, 4 Linnets and 20 Goldfinches. If I leave it as long to return I'll be in no fit state to do so. Returning with Cookie from a wet walk to the park I found a wet Elephant Hawk Moth on the pavement and released it in a bush in our garden.

Thursday 03 August. Megan and I took Cookie to Brooklands where we immediately met John Dodd finishing his walk. While talking to him all the gulls on the nearby factory rooves went mental and after a fair bit of scanning I picked up a distant White-tailed Eagle which gained even more height before drifting off west quite quickly. Presumably a released bird from the Isle of Wight so only really of note for being the first I've seen 'locally'. Also seen at Brooklands were an unseasonal drake Pochard, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, Kestrel and Reed Warbler. With high tide at 13:24 and a big one at that (6.52m), I left home soon after returning from Brooklands and cycled down to the Norfolk Bridge to see what was pushed up/out of the Adur saltings. I arrived about an hour before high tide which was a bit late as the last of the Lapwings were departing (I saw 4 but there had been 15). In an enjoyable half an hour or so I saw a Stock Dove, 10 Whimbrel, 6 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpipers (8 had been seen earlier by Tim Holter and his group), at least 32 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Grey Herons and 10 Little Egrets. In the afternoon a Hummingbird Hawk Moth made a brief visit to our buddleia. 

Greenshanks, Redshanks and Whimbrel on the Adur Saltings on the rising tide

taken through a telescope as no room for my camera when cycling

Friday 04 August. Back to Steyning Round Hill with Cookie and another walk west to the top of Findon Gallops and back along the Monarch's Way. I was hoping to see more migrants than previously and did with 4 Whinchats, 2 Wheatear, 11 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow and single Sedge and Garden Warblers, male Blackcap and a Lesser and 39 Whitethroats, the latter over 3 times the number seen on our previous visit. We also saw a very smart male Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, 2 Buzzards, Green Woodpecker, Raven, 11 Skylarks, 2 Swallows, 45 House Sparrows, a flock of 450 Linnets, 20 Corn Buntings and 2 Yellowhammers. I met Alan Kitson soon after turning back along the Monarch's Way and he tipped me off as to where he'd seen 2 Whinchats (I'd seen the one below at this stage). Bernie Forbes appeared and he and I continued on to Alan's spot seeing the Marsh Harrier on the way. Bernie had seen it a few days before so perhaps it follows him around, although I saw it first. Eyes maybe not quite as bad as I thought.

Whinchat at No Man's Land

Saturday 05 August. I seawatched at Widewater from 07:00-09:00. I was hoping I might see a shearwater, any one would do, but failed to see even a Fulmar and just 3 Gannets. Despite that it was a worthwhile visit with a Common Sandpiper on one of the groynes (I thought at first it was going to be a Wheatear), another flying west as did 5 Mediterranean Gulls, 5 Common Scoter (and 2E) and 5 Sandwich Terns (and 6E). The tide was right out with a lot of sand exposed which was attracting gulls. Two of the Mediterranean Gulls rested a while as did 3 Sandwich Terns and repeated scanning of the loitering juvenile Herring Gulls revealed a large juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. Even better was a juvenile Caspian Gull, first seen on the sea then standing in the edge of the water before flying off west. By this time my optics and glasses were quite wet and the light had significantly worsened so the images were not great, but enough to convey the bird's distinctiveness. It is only the second juvenile Caspian Gull I have seen, the first was found by Matt Palmer just under a year ago at Town Quay. Fortunately he waited until I arrived as I'm sure I would have overlooked it. Not so this one. Later Megan and I had a wet walk along the Adur with Cookie although I did see a colour-ringed Great Black-backed Gull on a sandbar opposite the Waterfront. It was impossible to read through binoculars but I rattled of some photos at 4x digital magnification and it was clear on a couple, Le Havre 50H which has been seen around Shoreham for several years.

Mediterranean Gulls on the beach at Widewater

Sandwich Terns on the beach at Widewater

juvenile Caspian Gull off Widewater, certainly an eye-catcher

whiter head needs a bit of imagination in this image while small head, bill, legs, tertials and long wings as should be

underwing fairly pale and inner primaries looking good too

contrasting whitish hood shows up more in this image

time to go

Great Black-backed Gull 50H opposite Waterside on the Adur. It was hatched at Le Havre, Normandie 2010, seen in Calvados in 2012 & 2013 and Dawlish Warren, Devon in 2014. First seen on the Adur at the end of 2015, it has been seen several times most years since