Local Goldeneye, Purple Sandpiper and Greenshank (21-31 January 2024)

Sunday 21 January. Southwick Canal with Megan and a poorly Cookie: Cormorant 10, Stonechat 2 (male and female).

Tuesday 23 January. Buckingham Park with Megan and Cookie: Jackdaw 125.

Wednesday 25 January. Brooklands with Megan and Cookie on the way back from another vet visit: Teal 5, Goldeneye 1, Little Grebe 2, Jay 1, Cetti's Warbler 1 heard.

Goldeneye still at Brooklands

Thursday 25 January. Southwick Canal with Megan and Cookie: Little Grebe 1, Kittiwake 1 adult (flew low east up the canal), Great Northern Diver 2, Shag 1, Stonechat 1 female.

immature Great Northern Diver at Southwick Canal

both Great Northern Divers

Shag at Southwick Canal

Friday 26 January. Widewater with Cookie, Great Crested Grebe 1 W, Guillemot 1 W (close), Razorbill 2 W (fairly close), unidentified auk 14 E, Red-throated Diver 21 E, 5 W & 7 on sea, unidentified diver (no reason to suspect not Red-throated) 9 E, 1 W, Raven 4 E (high over lagoon). Dusk visit to Monarch's Way west of Steyning with David Buckingham: Woodcook 1, Buzzard 2+, Tawny Owl male and female heard, Merlin 1, Fieldfare 90, Redwing 30, Corn Bunting 5.

Saturday 27 January. Lancing Ring with Megan and Cookie: Sparrowhawk 1, Buzzard 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 heard drumming,  Kestrel 1, Jay 1, Long-tailed Tit 3, Redwing 1, Stonechat 1, Meadow Pipit 4, Linnet 15, Reed Bunting 2.

Sunday 28 January. Shoreham Fort with Cookie: Turnstone 5, Purple Sandpiper 1, Red-throated Diver 42 E: 2 W, Rock Pipit 1.

Purple Sandpiper at Shoreham Harbour West Arm

Monday 29 January. Adur with Megan and Cookie in thick fog: Lapwing 102, Dunlin 45, mystery bird 1 S. At dusk the female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets were above the Sullington Way bus stop prior to roosting.

Tuesday 30 January. Adur (Old Toll Bridge-Coronation Green-Saltings-Dogs Trust-Airport circuit on a rising tide and with an improving Cookie: Teal 31, Little Grebe 1, Lapwing 127, Grey Plover 1, Curlew 1, Dunlin 5, Redshank 10+, Greenshank 1, Great Black-backed Gull 51,  Lesser Black-backed Gull 7, Little Egret 1. Later Stock Dove in our garden.

Greenshank in the Houseboat Channel

I first saw it wintering here in November 2015

Wednesday 31 January. Mill Hill with Megan and Cookie (bouncing back as much as a 15 year old can although her prognosis isn't good, not an ideal time for me to be flying to Panama for a twice postponed trip): Buzzard 2, Kestrel 1, Linnet 1.

Sussex Waxwings and Bittern (13-20 January)

Saturday 13 January. I visited Uckfield to look for the Waxwings that had been present for a week or so seeing 19 around the New Road/Eastbourne Road junction and the estate immediately to the east. I continued to the Cuckmere, approaching from South Hill Barn and Harry's Bush. A disappointing visit, missing the dowitcher by less than five minutes. It had appeared in a channel parallel and right by the riverbank but flew west and dropped out of view. I spent a couple of hours trying to spot it without success. A Great Egret was little compensation. neither were 2 argentatus Herring Gulls in the 700 strong, mainly Great Black-backed Gull, roost.

Waxwings in Uckfield

my first in Sussex since 2017

Sunday 14 January. Mill Hill with Megan and Cookie: Raven 3, Song Thrush 2, Redwing 16. Middle Road/Sullington Way before dusk: Sparrowhawk 1, Lord Derby's Parakeet 1 female, Ring-necked Parakeet 1 male.

Monday 15 January. Adur with Megan and Cookie: Lapwing 70, Dunlin 11, Meadow Pipit 2, Reed Bunting 2. West Mill/Downslink: White-fronted Goose 12, Shoveler 55, Pintail 60, Teal 400, Common Snipe 9, Green Sandpiper 1, Buzzard 1, Fieldfare 10, Redwing 1, Woods Mill: Coal Tit 1, Nuthatch 1.

White-fronted Geese from the Downslink

Tuesday 16 January. Widewater with Cookie: Mute Swan 24, Great Crested Grebe 1, auk sp. 200+, Razorbill 1 W, Red-throated Diver 6 W, Gannet 2 W.

Wednesday 17 January. Lancing Ring with Megan and Cookie: Kestrel 1, Jay 1, Skylark 8, Redwing 5, Fieldfare 1, Stonechat 2 (m&f), Chaffinch 1, Linnet 40, Goldfinch 30, Corn Bunting 4, Yellowhammer 1 male, Reed Bunting 6.

Thursday 18 January. Black Rabbit 06:45-08:30: Bewick's Swan 8 N (at 07:35), Cattle Egret 8 N, Red Kite 2, Marsh Harrier 6 N, Tawny Owl heard, Barn Owl 1. Mill Stream/Swanbourne Lake 08:35-10:00: Mandarin 2 males, Shoveler 40, Gadwall 80, Pochard 2, Tufted Duck 50, Little Grebe 2. Arundel WWT 10:05-13:00: Water Rail 1 + 1 heard, Common Snipe 2, Bittern 1, Cattle Egret 2, Buzzard 3, Kingfisher 1, Coal Tit 1, Long-tailed Tit 9, Grey Wagtail heard, Chaffinch 3. Middle Road/Sullington Way at dusk: Lord Derby's Parakeet 1 female.

Bittern from the Scrape Hide at Srundel WWT

my first in Sussex since 2014

Water Rail at Arundel WWT

Long-tailed Tits at Arundel WWT

Harlequin, one of the smartest birds in the collection

Scaly-sided Merganser, the annual fix of one of my most wanted

Spectacled Eider, another dream bird

Friday 19 January. Widewater seawatch 09:35-11:05 with Cookie: auk sp. 20E:90W, Razorbill 17 o/sea, diver sp. 3E:4W, Red-throated Diver 1E:3W:1o/sea, Gannet 2E, Cormorant 16E:1W, Stonechat 1 male. Brooklands: Teal 2, Cetti's Warbler heard.

Saturday 20 January. Mill Hill with Megan and Cookie: Lapwing 9, Buzzard, Kestrel 2, Song Thrush 2, Redwing 4, Meadow Pipit heard.

2024: The first 100 (01-12 January)

I've never been that interested in day lists, less so now I'm slowing down, but it is nice to see the year's first 100 species (for me those heard only don't make the grade). Three times I've made 100 in two days but usually it takes much longer. This year it took almost two weeks ...

Monday 01 January 2024. Started the year as I expect to continue - locally. 30 species seen around Shoreham. Highlights being Ring-necked & Lord Derby's Parakeets (Middle Road), 4 Brent Geese (3 Widewater, 1 Harbour Way) and 2 Great Northern Divers and male Stonechat (Southwick Canal).

Tuesday 02 January 2024. Adur/Downslink with Cookie: 43 Lapwings, Grey Plover, 2 adult-winter Mediterranean and a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull, Jay, Goldcrest and 20 Redwings. Year list 44.

first-winter Yellow-legged Gull on the Adur

                           

Wednesday 03 January 2024. Adur with Megan and Cookie: 88 Lapwings, 2 Grey Plover, Curlew, Little Grebe and 5 Skylarks. Southwick Canal and Harbour (on return from dentist): Red-breasted Merganser, Great Northern Diver, Shag and female Stonechat. Year list 48.

Curlew on the Adur by the Amsterdam

Thursday 04 January 2024. Lancing Hill Downland farm bird survey: Buzzard, 8 Skylarks, Firecrest (quite unexpected), Redwing, 40 Fieldfares, Stonechat, 2 Chaffinches, 7 Linnets, 15 Goldfinches, 19 Corn Buntings, male Yellowhammer and 5 Reed Buntings. Year list 60.

Stonechat at Lancing Hill

Friday 05 January 2024. Mill Hill with Cookie: 2 Buzzards and 8 Redwing. Year list 63.

Saturday 06 January 2024. Black Rabbit and Swanbourne Lake: Pochard, 45 Tufted Duck, Water Rail heard, Woodcock (poor flight view), Marsh Harrier, Tawny Owl heard, 42 Cattle Egrets, Peregrine, Mistle Thrush and Marsh Tit heard. Burpham: 7 Chiffchaffs and a Fieldfare. Farmland Bird survey at TQ0310 (immediately west of the Burgh): 5 Buzzards, 2 Red Kites, Raven, 4 Skylarks, 45 Fieldfares, 20 Redwings, 9 Chaffinches, 3 Greenfinches, 5 Linnets, 22 Goldfinches and 6 Reed Buntings. The Burgh (after the survey): 7 Grey Partridges and Red Kite. Year list 79.

Farmland Bird Survey site

Monday 08 January 2024. Shoreham Fort with Megan and Cookie: Brent Goose and Rock Pipit while snowing. Sullington Way: Ring-necked & Lord Derby's Parakeets. Year list 80.

front garden

back garden

first bird photos with new camera (Sony RX10 as replacement, at least for now, for Panasonic kit damaged in New Zealand)

female Lord Derby's Parakeet above Sullington Way bus stop

male Ring-necked Parakeet

into their fourth year together

Tuesday 09 January 2024. Shoreham Fort: Purple Sandpiper distantly on East Arm. Adur Saltings: Brent Goose, Grey Plover, 6 Ringed Plover, Curlew and 4 Dunlin. Woods Mill to Downslink: Bewick's Swan, 2 Shoveler, 30 Wigeon, male Pintail, Green Sandpiper, Woodcock, Jay, 20 Fieldfares, 10 Redwing, Water Pipit and Bullfinch. Afternoon at Dome Cinema with Megan watching very moving One Life. Year list 91.

Fieldfare at West Mill

Wednesday 10 January 2024. Shoreham Fort: Eider, Purple Sandpiper (much better views on wooden jetty) and Rock Pipit. Adur Saltings: 15 Common Snipe and Greenshank. Brooklands (on return from Specsavers): Goldeneye and 2 Little Grebes. Year list 95.

Goldeneye at Brooklands

the first record there since November 2004

great eye reflections

                             

Thursday 11 January. Mill Hill with Megan and Cookie: 25 Lapwings, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, 8 Redwings, 6 Song Thrushes, 4 Chaffinches, Greenfinch and 3 Goldfinches. Tottington Woods: 2 Buzzards, Tawny Owl heard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Goldcrests, 25 Redwings, 6 Fieldfares and 2 Nuthatches. Year list 98.

Friday 12 January. Widewater with Cookie including seawatching from 10:00-11:30: Mute Swan 6 juveniles E, Common Scoter 3E, Red-breasted Merganser 1W, Razorbill 330E, Guillemot 1E, unidentified auk 810E, Red-throated Diver 52E:5W, Black-throated Diver 1 probable E, unidentified diver 29E, Gannet 110 distantly off-shore. Adur Saltings just after high tide: Lapwing 20+, Curlew 1, Common Snipe 1, Little Egret 1. Year list 103 species seen.