Beeding Aquatic Warbler again

Monday 11 September. Sparrowhawk and Yellow Wagtail on the Downs at Mount Zion with Cookie.

Tuesday 12 September. Mill Hill with Cookie 08:55-09:55: Jay 1, House Martin 12, Cetti's Warbler heard, Chiffchaff 1, Blackcap 1, Whitethroat 1. Beeding Brooks without Cookie 10:45-12:45: Cetti's Warbler heard, Aquatic Warbler 1. Allotment: Sparrowhawk 1. Dacres Garden: Clifton Nonpareil 1, Convolvulus Hawk-Moth 1 (with thanks to Matt Butussil). More Aquatic Warbler frustration with me only seeing it in the open when it was on the other side of the river.

Aquatic Warbler at Beeding, this time gave its best views when on the opposite rivebank

Convolvulus Hawk-Moth at Dacre Gardens

immaculate Clifton Nonpareil at Dacre Gardens, what a double!

Clifton Nonpareil at Dacre Gardens (photo: Matt Busuttil)

Wednesday 13 September. Mill Hill 07:20-09:00: Sparrowhawk 1, Swallow 3, Chiffchaff 11, Blackcap 7, Whitethroat 5, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Redstart 1 male, Wheatear 1, Chaffinch 3 males, Linnet 1. Lancing Ring and Steepdown with Megan and Cookie: Buzzard 1, Kestrel 2, Raven 2, Swallow 2, Meadow Pipit 20E, Goldfinch 1, Siskin 25E. Beeding Brooks 14:10-19:20: Kingfisher 1,  Raven 2, Aquatic Warbler 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1. The Aquatic Warbler continued to frustrate. Always at least partially obscured, I was reliant on manual focus and by the time I'd found the bird in the viewfinder and started focusing it had moved. Its progress could often be followed by movements in the grass but it was busy feeding (more so than previously?) on the ground of just above it and was very rarely visible. It always seemed as if I was poorly positioned but poor eyesight was probably my main handicap. Perseverance produced my best photos, although they were still rather disappointing compared to others, and I had some nice, but usually very brief views through binoculars. It was seen to go to roost and I wasn't surprised it had gone overnight. Between 10-20 birders, slightly fewer than previously, were present throughout and again all behaved sensibly, staying on the path, not rushing around and were generally fairly quiet. Tracking the birds progress through the grass suggested it was unconcerned by our presence.

Spotted Flycatcher on Mill Hil;

Steepdown

Raven over Steepdown

Aquatic Warbler still at Beeding, my best but still slightly out of focus

partly obscured, my best efforts in five fairly frustrating hours

Thursday 14 September. Adur at high tide with Megan and Cookie: Ringed Plover 5, Grey Heron 1, Little Egret 2, Blackcap 1, Goldfinch 7.