Shoreham area (01-07 March)

Saturday 01 March. Southwick Canal/Lockgates with Megan and Otis: distant male Eider, no Dartford Warbler.

Sunday 02 March. Steepdown with Megan and Otis: Red Kite, Buzzard (heard), Green Woodpecker, 3+ Skylarks, Song Thrush, Meadow Pipit, 10 Linnets and 7 Corn and a Reed Bunting. Crown Road: 2 Stock Doves.

Stock Dove in our front garden

Monday 03 March. Cissbury with Megan and Otis: Red Kite, Buzzard, Green (heard) and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Skylark, 2 Chaffinches and 2 Yellowhammers.

Buzzard at Cissbury

Tuesday 04 March. Mile Oak/Truleigh Hill circuit with Otis: Stock Dove, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Buzzard, Little Owl, Kestrel, 20 Skylarks, Chiffchaff, Stonechat, 7 Meadow Pipits, 20 Linnets, 2 Goldfinches and 55 Corn Buntings.

Little Owl on the Downs

Wednesday 05 March. Mill Hill in thick fog with Megan and Otis: Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Great Tits, 3 Song Thrushes and 7 Blackbirds.

Thursday 06 March. Widewater, 07:30-09:25, light SE, moderate visibility: Brent Goose 384E, Shelduck 3E, 8 Great Crested Grebes, Dunlin 25 W, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Red-throated Diver. Boardwalk/Fort with Megan and Otis: Brent Goose 79E, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Oystercatchers, 5 Cormorants and a Raven. Crown Road: Raven (same or it's partner) flying NW. New Monks Country Park with Otis: Little Grebe (heard), Grey Heron, Barn Owl, 21 Skylarks, Cetti's Warbler (heard) and 30 Goldfinches.

Brent Goose flocks passing Widewater (92 above and 77, 58, 68, 44 and 45 below)

Oystercatchers on patrol

three Continental Cormorants on marker buoys at Shoreham Fort

 

Raven on nest

Barn Owl at New Monks Park

Friday 07 March. Beeding Hill/Mile Oak/Truleigh Hill circuit with DB and Otis: 4 Stock Doves, an adult Mediterranean and 150+ Common Gulls, 2 Red Kites, 3 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 2 Ravens, 25 Skylarks, 3 Redwing, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, 10 Linnets, 6 Goldfinches, 4 Corn and the Cirl Bunting.

Cirl Bunting at Mile Oak

Saturday 08 March. Widewater, 06:20-08:20, light ESE, clear: flying east were 64 Brent Geese, 6 Shoveler, 14 Pintail, 13 Teal, 34 Common Scoter, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, a Fulmar and 51 Gannets. On the sea were 12 Red-breasted Mergansers 5 Great Crested Grebes and a Red-throated Diver. Brooklands with Megan and Otis where a first-winter (2CY) Caspian Gull was a nice find. Also Little Grebe (heard), Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard) and Cetti's Warbler (one seen and another heard). Park Avenue: Green Woodpecker (heard).