Mostly Shoreham (16July to 15 August)

Birding is still taking a bit of a back seat with Otis is settling in. He is not used to being left on his own even for short periods so it was fortunate that Josh was around as I had been called up for Jury Service in Hove. In the event I wasn't selected for either of the two trials that came up (a less than 1 in 11 chance) and was released on a daily basis after four days of hanging around.

Local sightings, most with Otis or Megan and Otis have included Whimbrel on the Adur on Tuesday 16 July; Whimbrel, Curlew, adult Mediterranean Gull and 2 Sandwich Terns on the Adur on 17th; Great Spotted Woodpecker on Mill Hill on Friday 19 July; Sandwich Tern in Shoreham Harbour and at dusk a Rainbow Cloud from our garden on 20th; Red Kite, 6 Buzzards, 2 Ravens and 3 Corn Buntings around the Beeding Hill triangle on Sunday 21 July (Otis's first visit to the area where I had most success with Cookie); Sparrowhawk over Southwick Canal on 22nd; 29 Mute Swans, 20 Swifts south, 14 Common Sandpipers, 10 Swallows and single Sedge and Reed Warblers along the Adur near Dacres Gardens on Tuesday 23 July; 3 Swifts and a Whimbrel by the Adur on 24th; a Swift over Mill Hill on Saturday 27 July; 10 Swifts over our road on 29th.

a very faded gull on the Adur on 17 July

Rainbow Cloud or rainbow in a cloud? From our garden, sunset on 20 July

like a section of rainbow, either way quite spectacular with the setting sun on the nearer clouds 

somewhat unexpected as no rain at ground level though appeared to be much higher than a normal rainbow so possibly caused by ice crystals

Common Sandpipers roosting at Dacre Gardens at high tide on 23 July

Otis settling in on 30 July

A potential juvenile Yellow-legged Gull remained on the water at Brooklands on Thursday 01 August; Reed Warbler on Mill Hill on 2nd and Raven there on 3rd; Reed Warbler by the Adur on Sunday 04 August; Swift, Green Woodpecker and 3 Chiffchaffs on Mill Hill on 5th, 2 Lapwings, 2 Whimbrel, 9 Ringed Plover, 2 Greenshank, 9+ Redshank, Sandwich Tern and Great Spotted Woodpecker between Ricardos and the Houseboats on Tuesday 06 August with Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, 27 Turnstones and a juvenile Sparrowhawk there and 19 Stock Doves, Wood Sandpiper, adult Hobby and 2 Reed Buntings at New Monks Pool on 7th; 2 Willow Warblers on Mill Hill on Thursday 08 August; Swift, 3 Buzzards, 8 Kestrels, 3 Willow Warblers, Redstart (heard), Wheatear and Corn Bunting along the Beeding Hill triangle on 9th; eclipse Eider and Kingfisher at Shoreham Fort on Saturday 10 August; Jay, Coal Tit and Nuthatch at Rackham and 2 Mandarins at Parham on 11th (Nessa was home for weekend); Green Woodpecker heard from our road and another seen and 3 Willow Warblers on Mill Hill on Monday 12 August. Otis limping on 13th, two visits to vets in Worthing where thought to be a sprain. Much better overnight and after a couple of visits to the park and one around town he seems pretty much back to his usual cheeky self, much to our relief. A morning out with David Buckingham seeing Honey Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, 3 Red Kites, 3 Buzzards, 2 Hobbys, Raven and Goldcrest on 15 August.

Otis keeping an eye open on 1 August

Whimbrel on the Adur on 6 August

Greenshank in the Houseboat Channel on 6 August

Wood Sandpiper on New Monks Pond on 7 August

an excellent bird locally and a very nice find for Jen Holter

Otis on guard duty on 8 August

Linnets in Room Bottom on 9 August

an under-rated bird

male Honey Buzzard on 15th, the closest we saw but still heavily cropped