Tuesday 16 April. Beeding Hill Triangle: Stock Dove 2, Red Kite 3, Buzzard 5, Kestrel 1, Rook 150+ (~98 nests), Raven 2, Skylark 21, Swallow 1, Chiffchaff 4, Whitethroat 5, Nightingale heard (Beeding Hill quarry), Wheatear 5 (Monarch's Way), Meadow Pipit 4, Chaffinch 1, Greenfinch heard, Linnet 8, Goldfinch 13, Corn Bunting 1.
Wednesday 17 April. Pulborough RSPB: Green-winged Teal 1 male, Tufted Duck 3, Avocet 6, Lapwing 8, Little Ringed Plover 1, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Common Sandpiper 2, Swallow 2, Sedge Warbler heard, Nightingale 3 heard.
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| Green-winged Teal on the North Brooks at Pulborough |
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| Adder at Pulborough |
Thursday 18 April. Widewater 06:25-08:55, light/mod N, clear: Great Crested Grebe 2 on the sea displaying, Whimbrel 2 W, Mediterranean Gull 4 adults W, Sandwich Tern 7 E, Red-throated Diver 1 E, Black-throated Diver 1 E, Fulmar 1 W, Gannet 6 off-shore, Little Egret 2 W, Wheatear 1 on beach, Bottle-nosed Dolphin 7 W, Grey Seal 1 off-shore. Mill Hill with Megan: Chiffchaff 5, Blackcap 2, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Whitethroat 2, Linnet 5, Goldfinch 6, Green Hairstreak 1.
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| displaying Great Crested Grebes displaying off Widewater |
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| Red-throated Diver off Widewater |
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| Green Hairstreak at Mill Hill |
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| the first I've seen for many years |
Friday 19 April. No Man's Land 4 hour circuit: Red-legged Partridge 2 + 1 heard, Stock Dove 3, Sparrowhawk 1, Buzzard 2, Kestrel 1, Skylark 27, Swallow 9, Chiffchaff 3, Blackcap 3, Whitethroat 13, Stonechat 1 male, Wheatear 33 (1+16+14+2), Chaffinch 4 + 4 heard, Linnet 13, Goldfinch 10, Corn Bunting 17, Yellowhammer 6, Brown Hare 1. |
| Corn Bunting on the Downs between Steyning and Findon |
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| Skylark on the Downs |
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| Wheatears on the Downs |
Saturday 20 April. Arundel Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust with Megan: Mandarin 6 males, Red Kite 1, Sand Martin 20+, Chiffchaff 1, Cetti's, Sedge & Reed Warblers heard.
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| Dalmatian Pelican in the collection at Arundel WWT |
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| Spectacled Eider at Arundel WWT |
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| Mandarin at Arundel WWT |
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| Sand Martin at Arundel WWT |
Sunday 21 April. Widewater 06:45-08:50, light N, cold & clear: Whimbrel 3 E, Sandwich Tern 8 E & 8 W, Sparrowhawk 1, Hobby 1 in, Willow Warbler 3, Wheatear 10 on beach.
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| Wheatear on the rocks at Widewater |
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| Willow Warbler on the rocks at Widewater |
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| Fox on our conservatory roof |
Monday 22 April. Adur at highish tide with Megan: Oystercatcher 3, Ringed Plover 1, Sparrowhawk 2, Swallow 3 N, Cetti's Warbler heard, Chiffchaff 1, Reed Warbler 1, Whitethroat 1.  |
| Ringed Plover on the Adur |
Tuesday 23 April. Knepp South Section: Cuckoo heard (disappointing not to see it), Stock Dove 6, Great Crested Grebe 2 nesting on lake, Buzzard 2, Kingfisher 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker heard, Kestrel 3, Jay 7, Swallow 11 N, Blackcap 3, Garden Warbler 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1 + 2 heard, Mistle Thrush 1, Nightingale 1 + 3 heard, Grey Wagtail heard. Also about 20 introduced White Storks.
Wednesday 24 April. TQ10T Corn Bunting Survey at Steepdown 06:45-11:15: Grey Partridge 7, Red-legged Partridge 2, Grey Heron 1 S, Buzzard 2, Hobby 1 N (08:25), Raven 2, Skylark 21, Swallow 9, Chiffchaff 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Whitethroat 6, Song Thrush 4, Stonechat 1 male, Wheatear 16 (in same field as 16 were on 19/04), Dunnock 10, Meadow Pipit 1, Linnet 15, Goldfinch 19, Corn Bunting 24 singing males.
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| Corn Buntings around Steepdown |
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| Grey Partridges around Steepdown |
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| Skylark at Steepdown |
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| Wheatear at Steepdown |
Thursday 25 April. Widewater 06:30-09:15, moderate SW: Brent Goose 44 E, Velvet Scoter 7 E (landed briefly on the sea at 07:11), Common Scoter 9 E:14 W, Great Crested Grebe 1 on the sea, Kittiwake 1W, Sandwich Tern 24 E, Common/Arctic Tern 2 E, Great Skua 1 E (07:31), Fulmar 2 E, Gannet 24 E : 16 W, Peregrine 1 offshore, Swallow 2 N, House Martin 1 N. Harbour Way/Shoreham Fort with Megan: Red-breasted Merganser 1 on the sea, Turnstone 10, Raven 2.
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| the 7 Velvet Scoter passing Dungeness late morning (photo: Martin Casemore) |
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| Little Egret at Emerald Quay |
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| Wall Lizards at Shoreham Fort |
Friday 26 April. Middle Road: Both Lord Derby's and Ring-necked Parakeets in their usual; tree at 06:10, Widewater 06:20-11:20, light/Moderate NE: Brent Goose 24 E, Gadwall 2 E (landed on the sea), Common Scoter 17 E, Whimbrel 18 E, Curlew 2 E, Sandwich Tern 53 E : 6 W, Arctic Skua 1 E, Red-throated Diver 1 E, Gannet 12 E : 2 W, Swallow 3 N, Wheatear 9 on the beach.
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| immature Ringed Plover on the beach at Widewater |
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| Wheatears on the beach at Widewater |
Saturday 27 April. Widewater 06:20-11:00, light/moderate NE>E: Brent Goose 123 E, Common Scoter 8 E & 4 on the sea, Great Crested Grebe 2 on the sea, Whimbrel 52 E, Bar-tailed Godwit 5 E, Sanderling 7 E then landed on the beach, Kittiwake 7 E, Sandwich Tern 106 E : 2 W, Little Tern 5 E, Common/Arctic Tern 1 E, Fulmar 1 E, Gannet 14 E, Swallow 3 N, Wheatear 27 on the beach.
Sunday 28 April. Middle Road 06:05: Female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets in their usual post roost tree. Widewater 06:15-08:35, moderate W, intermittent rain: Common Scoter 9 E, Whimbrel 4 W + 2 heard, Bar-tailed Godwit 6 W (with Whimbrel), Sanderling 1 E, Mediterranean Gull 1 first-summer E, Sandwich Tern 35 E : 6 W, Common Tern 3 E, Fulmar 2 W, Gannet 30 E, Hobby 1 in (08:36 when back at car), Swallow 2 W. Adur with Megan: Oystercatcher 3, Ringed Plover 9, Whimbrel 1 + 1 Town Quay, Curlew 1 (with unreadable yellow leg flag), Bar-tailed Godwit 1 (in full summer-plumage), Turnstone 1 (ditto), Dunlin 15 and Greenshank 2.
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| waders on the Adur |
Monday 29 April. Our 35th wedding anniversary, I forgot. Middle Road 06:05: Male Ring-necked Parakeet in usual post roost tree then flew N, presumably the female Lord Derby's had left earlier. Widewater 06:15-09:30 when joined by Megan and we walked to Lancing Beach Green and back (me still not having remembered). Moderate SW, clear: Brent Goose 22 E, Common Scoter 12 E, Oystercatcher 4 E & 2 W, Whimbrel/Bar-tailed Godwit 10 (distant mixed flock), Mediterranean Gull 22 E, Sandwich Tern 43 E & 5 W, Little Tern 1 E, Common/Arctic Tern 12 E (tight flock), Arctic Tern 20 E (tight flock), Great Skua 2 E (06:57 & 06:59), Arctic Skua 4 E (3 dark and a pale morph), Razorbill 1 E (+ 5 unidentified auks), Red-throated Diver 1 E (plus 2 unidentified divers probably this species), Black-throated Diver 2 E, Manx Shearwater 5 W (06:53), Fulmar 1 E & 3 W, Gannet 51 E & 23 W, Ring-necked Parakeet 1 E, Swallow 1 E, Wheatear 6 on the beach, Linnet heard. Angmering: Stock Dove 14, Buzzard 1, Woodchat Shrike 1, Skylark 4, Whinchat 1, Stonechat 1 pair, Yellowhammer 1 male.
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| Woodchat Shrike at Angmering (digiscoped at some distance) |
Tuesday 30 April. The long awaited south-easterly, although it was rather light. Splash Point Seaford, 05:35-11:35: Brent Goose 39 E, Canada Goose 2 W, Shelduck 3 E, Common Scoter 201 E, Great Crested Grebe 2 on sea, Oystercatcher 1 E, Whimbrel 20 E & 2 W, Bar-tailed Godwit 1E, Sanderling 5 E, Kittiwake 320+, Mediterranean Gull 9 E, Sandwich Tern 58 E & 8 W, Common/Arctic Tern 3 E, Common Tern 1 E, Arctic Tern 5 E, Great Skua 1 E, Pomarine Skua 1 E (pale morph @ 09:45), Arctic Skua 8 E (5 dark and 3 pale morphs), unidentified auk 9 E, unidentified diver 3 E & 1 W, Red-throated Diver 4 E, Black-throated Diver 1 E, Fulmar 15+, Gannet 25 E, Rock Pipit 1. An enjoyable if a slightly disappointing session (at least in terms of variety) with Paul James with others behind and on the beach I'd not seen for a while. I left Seaford to return home but on joining the A259 was stuck in traffic progressing less than a km in 20 minutes. I then realised the few cars coming in the opposite direction where those ahead of me that had turned around and that the road was temporarily closed due to an accident. Rather than sit in traffic for another hour or more I returned to Splash Point and the first bird I saw on arrival was a Pomarine Skua. Splash Point Seaford, 12:25-15:30: Common Scoter 2 E, Great Crested Grebe 2 on sea (as before), Whimbrel 22 E, Bar-tailed Godwit 30E, Kittiwake as before, Sandwich Tern 7 E, Arctic Tern 1E, Great Skua 1 E, Pomarine Skua 1 E (pale morph @ 12:26), unidentified diver 1 E, Red-throated Diver 4 E, Black-throated Diver 2 E, Fulmar 15+, Gannet 1 E, Rock Pipit 1.  |
| pale morph Pomarine Skua passing Seaford |
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| Whimbrel at Seaford |
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| Grey Seal on the beach at Seaford |
