Seawatching, Malmesbury and a Bluethroat (21-31 March)

Friday 21 March. Widewater, 05:50-08:50, moderate SSE, clearish: Brent Goose 48E, Common Scoter 65E, Red-breasted Merganser 1 o/sea, Great Crested Grebe 2E:4 o/sea, Oystercatcher 8E, Curlew 4E, Black-headed Gull 103E, Mediterranean Gull 7E (all adults), Sandwich Tern 9E, diver sp 19E, Red-throated Diver 3E, Gannet 9 offshore, Kestrel 1, Peregrine 1E. Adur to Cuckoos Corner with Otis: Peregrine 1E + 1 on Lancing College chapel, Cetti's Warbler heard, Reed Bunting 2. Crown Road: Stock Dove 2.

sunrise at Widewater

Brent Geese passing Widewater

Stock Dove in our front garden

Saturday 22 March. Widewater, 05:50-09:20, light/moderate ESE, hazy: Mute Swan 22, Brent Goose 340E, Teal 10, Common Scoter 109E, Red-breasted Merganser 4 o/sea, Great Crested Grebe 5 o/sea, Oystercatcher 1E, Ringed Plover 1E, Black-headed Gull 92E, Mediterranean Gull 4E (l adults & 2CY), Sandwich Tern 58E, Red-throated Diver 21E, Gannet 4 offshore, Kestrel 1, Wheatear 1 female o/beach. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: 2 Red Kites, several Skylarks and Chiffchaffs heard, 3 Redwings and 3 Goldfinches.

Sunday 23 March. Shoreham Boardwalk/Fort with Megan and Otis: 14 Teal, 4 Oystercatchers and a Raven (head visible on nest). Middle Road: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets in usual pre-roost tree.

Monday 24 March. Widewater, 06:30-09:25, moderate NE, moderate viz: Brent Goose 2E, Shoveler 1E (male):1 prob. immature o/sea, Teal 2E (mf with Shoveler), Common Scoter 9W, Red-breasted Merganser 5 o/sea, Great Crested Grebe 10 o/sea, Stock Dove 1E, Woodpigeon 12E, Oystercatcher 1W, Black-headed Gull 115E, Mediterranean Gull 5E (all adults), Common Gull 8E, Sandwich Tern 5E, Gannet 3 offshore, Chiffchaff 1 in, Wheatear 1 female o/beach. Brooklands with Megan and Otis: Jay, Cetti's Warbler seen well, Chiffchaff heard. Middle Road: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets in usual pre-roost tree.

female Wheatear at Widewater

Cetti's Warbler at Brooklands

Tuesday 25 March. Brooklands with Otis: Great Spotted Woodpecker heard, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrest and White-spotted Bluethroat. I'd gone to Brooklands hoping to see a Firecrest that had been seen in the past week or so, with Nick Bond seeing two shortly after we'd visited the previous day. No luck again today but as I was leaving Dave Sadler, who I'd met earlier, phoned to say was I still about as he'd just found a Bluethroat! I hurried back and as I approached could see he was watching/photographing what was presumably it. I hurried up and it was, hopping around on the ground partly obscured just inside the reeds. While I was getting my camera out, not having thought to do so on my approach, it went further in and was lost to view. I waited 15 minutes for it to reappear but then had to hurry home as we were leaving for Malmesbury and I was going to be late. The Bluethroat didn't reappear for an hour or so after I'd left but then showed very well intermittently later that afternoon and the following day. A34/M4: 6 Red Kites and a Buzzard.

Wednesday 26 March. Malmesbury River Walk with Megan and Otis: Little Egret and Treecreeper seen, Green Woodpecker, Chiffchaff and Bullfinch heard.

Malmesbury

Thursday 27 March. Chippenham River Walk with Megan and Otis: Little Egret, Red Kite and 2 Goldcrests seen, Chiffchaff and Grey Wagtail heard.

Megan and Otis at Malmesbury Abbey

Friday 28 March. Malmesbury with Otis: 2 Chiffchaffs and a Greenfinch. Avebury with Megan and Otis: 2 Ravens, Chiffchaff heard, Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinches and a Corn Bunting. Drive home: 5 Red Kites and a Buzzard.

Malmesbury

Megan and Otis at Avebury

Silbury Hill

the largest artificial prehistoric mound in Europe

built in several stages between approximately 2470 and 2350 BCE

purpose unknown

Saturday 29 March. Widewater, 06:20-08:45, moderate NE, moderate viz: Brent Goose 2E, Mute Swan 32, Teal 26, Common Scoter 8E, Red-breasted Merganser 1E, Coot 2, Great Crested Grebe 2 o/sea, Oystercatcher 1E, Sandwich Tern 1W, diver sp. 1E, Fulmar 1W, Gannet 2 offshore. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: Kestrel, Peregrine (on quarry chimney), 2 Skylarks, 2 Chiffchaffs seen and 2 more and a Blackcap heard.

Sunday 30 March. Shoreham Boardwalk/Fort with Megan, Nessa and Otis: Raven standing on nest.

Monday 31 March. Widewater, 06:55-09:20, light NE, clear: Canada Goose 3E, Mute Swan 35, Shelduck 4E, Common Scoter 1E, Woodpigeon 2 in: 9 out, Coot, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe 3 o/sea, Oystercatcher heard, Sandwich Tern 1E, Red-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 1E, Gannet 5 offshore, Cormorant 12W, Grey Heron 1E, Skylark and Chiffchaff heard. Adur with Megan and Otis: Oystercatcher 4, Curlew 1 (N0), Sparrowhawk 1, Skylark 1, Cetti's Warbler heard. A23 to Gatwick: Buzzard 1.

Shelduck passing Widewater

Curlew N0 on the Shoreham Airport Saltings

from Richard Allan: N0 is the most frequently seen Curlew on the Adur from the GWCT reintroduction scheme. It was released on the Burpham estate in July 2022 and seems to appear on the Adur in Spring and Autumn, having been tracked to Pembrokeshire previously