West Sussex 01-08 January 2025

I started the year slowly, not helped by poor weather.

Wednesday 01 January 2025. Widewater, the Adur and Middle Road. Seawatching was very poor with 3 Brent Geese flying west in an hour the highlight. Both Grey Plovers were seen on the Adur and the Lord Derby/Ring-necked Parakeet duo were roosting in Middle Road. My year list made it to 23, my worst start since 1991 when I failed to make double figures.

Thursday 02 January. Shoreham Fort, Adur Saltings and the Rec with Otis. The drake Eider, a Purple Sandpiper and 2 Gannets were seen at the Harbour/Fort, drake Wigeon, 51 Teal, the Curlew, 19 Common Snipe,  36 Redshank and the Greenshank on the Saltings at a not very high tide, a pair of Stonechats just N of the Rec and 69 Lapwings on the Airfield.

drake Eider in Shoreham Harbour

interesting name for a vessel registered in Liberia

Lapwings over the Adur

female Stonechat near Racing Circuit at Adur Rec

Friday 03 January. A day on the Selsey Peninsular with David Buckingham. My first visit since 2023 (I really dislike the drive and was pleased DB was happy to go). An hour's seeawatch from Selsey Bill was disappointing although it took a while to get my eye in. Between 08:15-09:15 I saw 13 Common Scoter, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 3 Sandwich Terns and 3 Great Northern and 5 Red-throated Divers. Highlights in the Pagham area were a stunning drake Long-tailed Duck, 3 Slavonian Grebes, 25 Avocets, both godwits, ~500 Knot, an adult argentatus Herring Gull, Great Northern Diver, Cattle Egret, male Marsh Harrier and 1.5 Long-eared Owls. We finished at Dell Quay seeing 3 Goldeneye (2m+f) and a Kingfisher.

1.5 Long-eared Owls

Curlew at Church Norton

Saturday 04 January. Megan and I took Otis to Chantry Hill and walked a tringle to Kithurst Hill and Lee Farm. It was a route we used to do fairly regularly but stopped as Cookie didn't like shooting which can sometimes be heard from there. We were surprised who overgrown the sides of the entrance road had become. Fortunately Otis wasn't too concerned. Few birds included 7 Red Kites, 20 Chaffinches and a Corn Bunting. At dusk I saw a Barn Owl near the airfield.

looking NW from Chantry Hill

Barn Owl near Shoreham Airfield

Sunday 05 January. Gale force winds. A half hour seawatch, while Megan was in the Museum, produced a drab distant small duck and a Gannet flying west. I had thought about going to Goring Gap but didn't really have enough time. Gareth James finding a Caspian Gull there when we were driving home made me wish I had.

Monday 06 January. Finding no gulls on the Adur despite a low tide and strong wind I took Otis to Widewater where from 9-10 I recorded 2 Brent Geese, 2 possibly 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 unidentified auks, Red-throated Diver, 16 Gannets and a female Stonechat. Later the Lord Derby/Ring-necked Parakeet duo were roosting in Middle Road. 

Tuesday 07 January. A comparatively nice day! I took Otis to Lancing Ring car park and we walked a triangle to Cowbottom, Combe Head and Steepdown which enabled me at the start and end to complete my Winter Farmland Bird Survey in TQ1806. Highlights were Red Kite, Jay, 6 Skylarks, 3 Stonechats, male Chaffinch and 9 Corn Buntings. Later the Lord Derby/Ring-necked Parakeet duo were roosting in Middle Road.

Stock Dove in our garden

Lord Derby's Parakeet in Middle Road

Wednesday 08 January. Brooklands with Megan and Otis. I saw 2 Pochard and heard a Water Rail. Year list on hold at 85.