Mostly seawatching (14-23 April 2025)

Monday 14 April. Widewater 06:20-09:20, light/moderate SW, very clear, with RP: Brent Goose 13E, Common Scoter 105E, Oystercatcher 5E, Curlew 2W, Turnstone 6E, Mediterranean Gull 24E:6W (all adults), Sandwich Tern 25E:2W, Great Skua 1E (08:19), Arctic Skua 2E (dark morphs), unidentified diver 2E, Red-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 1E, Gannet 14E:5W, Peregrine 1E. Buckingham Park with Megan and Otis: single Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff heard and Goldcrest seen.

Tuesday 15 April. Widewater 06:10-07:45, very light/variable wind, moderate/poor visibility, with RP: Common Scoter 18E, Oystercatcher 6E, Mediterranean Gull heard, Sandwich Tern 31E, Gannet 15E. Lancing Hill TQ1806 South Downs Farmland Bird survey: Red-legged and 2 Grey Partridges, 3 Stock Doves, Buzzard, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker heard, Jay, 16 Skylarks, 9 Chiffchaffs, 5 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 9 Wrens, 13 Blackbirds, 6 Song Thrushes, a pair of Stonechats (Cowbottom), male Wheatear, 10 Dunnocks, 2 Greenfinches, 9 Linnets, 3 Goldfinches and a Corn Bunting. Southwick Beach: 2 male Wheatears.

Grey Partridges on a murky Lancing Hill

Stonechats at Cowbottom

Wheatear at Cowbottom

Red-legged Partridge at Cowbottom

Wednesday 16 April. Widewater 06:30-08:10, strong WSW, clear, with RP: Common Scoter 40E, Curlew 1W, Mediterranean Gull 2E (adults), Sandwich Tern 19E, unidentified diver 1E, Fulmar 2E, Gannet 5E. Shoreham: Stock Dove and Sparrowhawk.

view east from Widewater

Thursday 17 April. Widewater 06:15-08:15, light NE, clear: Brent Goose 1E, Shelduck 1W, Common Scoter 83E, Great Crested Grebe 1, Oystercatcher 3E, Mediterranean Gull 34E (all adults), Sandwich Tern 1E:11W, diver sp. 1E, Fulmar 1E, Gannet 1W. Lancing Ring with Megan and Otis: Buzzard, Kestrel, 6 Skylarks, Chiffchaff and Blackcap heard,  3 Whitethroats, 2 Linnets and 4 Corn Buntings.

Friday 18 April. Seaford 06:40-10:10, light/moderate ESE, clear, with DB, RP and BC, JC, SL, NP etc.: Brent Goose 19E (one flock, including a Pale-bellied), Common Scoter 156E, Whimbrel 24E, Bar-tailed Godwit 4E, Kittiwake 20+, Mediterranean Gull 96E (included 5 first and a second summer), Sandwich Tern 171E, Little Tern 4E, Common/Arctic Tern 6E, Arctic Skua 6E (2 dark and 4 pale morphs), unidentified auk 4E, unidentified diver 1E, Red-throated Diver 8E, Black-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 10+, Gannet 25+, Little Egret 1W, Rock Pipit 1, Linnet heard. A27 at Mile Oak: Buzzard being bombed by a Peregrine.

Mediterranean Gulls passing Seaford

some very close

Brent Geese passing Seaford

the flock included a Pale-bellied Brent Goose

Rock Pipit at Seaford

Saturday 19 April. Widewater 06:00-09:20, moderate/strong E, clear, with RP and ARK: Shelduck 4W, Teal 10E, Common Scoter 8E, Great Crested Grebe 1E, Oystercatcher 5E, Whimbrel 76E, Curlew 1E, Bar-tailed Godwit 106E, Kittiwake 1E, Common Gull 35E, Sandwich Tern 22E, Arctic Tern 8E, Arctic Skua 4E (all dark), Fulmar 1E, Gannet 120E, Swallow 1N. Shoreham Fort with Megan and Otis: Bar-tailed Godwit 20E, Common/Arctic Tern 3E, Gannet 2E, Raven on nest, Linnet 2.

Whimbrel passing Widewater

Sunday 20 April. Widewater 06:05-09:05, moderate ENE, variable visibility: Common Scoter 2E, Great Crested Grebe 3E, Oystercatcher 1E:1W, Whimbrel 19E, Bar-tailed Godwit 29E, Turnstone 5E:2W, Mediterranean Gull heard twice, Sandwich Tern 109E, Arctic Skua 4E (pale 06:32, dark 06:50 & 08:12, pale 08:30), Fulmar 2E, Gannet 68E, Swallow 1N.

Monday 21 April. Adur & Town Quay with Megan and Otis: 5 Whimbrel, Greenshank, 19 Common Gull, 3 Little Egrets, Skylark, Cetti's Warbler and Chiffchaff heard and a Meadow Pipit.

Whimbrels opposite Town Quay

Greenshank opposite Town Quay

Tuesday 22 April. Widewater 06:00-08:00, v light NW, clear, with RP: Brent Goose 1E, Common Scoter 37E, Ringed Plover 1E, Whimbrel 2E:2W, Mediterranean Gull 10E (all adults), Sandwich Tern 21E, Arctic Skua 4E (pale at 06:46), Red-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 2E:1W, Swallow 1N. West Mill/Downslink with Otis: a Black Swan with 14 Mutes, 2 Coot, 16 Lapwing, 5 Little Egrets, Buzzard, Skylark, 2 Cetti's Warblers (heard), 2 Chiffchaffs, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, 3 Nightingales (heard) and 2 Linnets.

Wednesday 23 April. Widewater 06:15-08:45, moderate/strong NE, early rain, moderate visibility: Shelduck 5E, Common Scoter 165E:13W, Oystercatcher and Whimbrel heard, Turnstone 1, Mediterranean Gull 1E (second summer), Sandwich Tern 96E:7W, Guillemot 1E, Fulmar 3W, Gannet 28E, Swallow 2N. Brooklands with Megan and Otis: a different Black Swan and a pair of Mutes, Common Sandpiper, 2 Kestrels, 4 Swallows (flew N), 2 Cetti's Warblers (heard), 2 Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler (and 2 heard), male Blackcap and a Whitethroat.

looking south from the favoured beach hut

rough weather over Brighton