Seawatching, Woodchat and Least Sandpiper (01-07 April)

Tuesday 01 April. Widewater 06:45-09:15. Moderate NE, clear: Brent Goose 28E, Canada Goose 1W & 1 on lagoon, Mute Swan 26, Shelduck 1E, Teal 6, Common Scoter 7E:3W, Great Crested Grebe 5 offshore, Oystercatcher 2E:3W, Black-headed Gull 15E, Sandwich Tern 13E, Red-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 1E, Gannet 21E. 

Wednesday 02 April. Widewater 06:50-09:20. Moderate/strong NE, clear: Shoveller 66E, Common Scoter 64E, Coot 2, Great Crested Grebe 3 offshore, Black-headed Gull 6E, Common Gull 15E, Sandwich Tern 18E, auk sp. 2W, Fulmar 2E, Gannet 21E, Little Grebe 1. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: 2 Stock Doves, Red Kite, Skylark (heard), 2 Long-tailed Tits, Chiffchaff and 3 Goldfinches.

Thursday 03 April. Widewater 06:30-11:20. Moderate E, clear: Canada Goose 10E & 1 on lagoon, Mute Swan 32, Shoveller 31E, Teal 4E & 4 on lagoon, Common Scoter 153E, Great Crested Grebe 2 offshore, Oystercatcher 2E, Grey Plover 2E, Black-headed Gull 16E, Mediterranean Gull 2E (adults), Common Gull 28E, Sandwich Tern 5E, Common/Arctic Tern 2E, auk sp. 2E:3W, Red-throated Diver 1E, Fulmar 2E, Gannet 10E, alba Wagtail 1E. 

Friday 04 April. Widewater 06:15-08:10. Moderate NE, hazy: Egyptian Goose 2NW, Shoveller 2E, Common Scoter 5 on sea, Woodpigeon 12E, Great Crested Grebe 2 offshore, Avocet 1E (06:30), Oystercatcher 2E, Black-headed Gull 13E, Mediterranean Gull 7E (adults), Sandwich Tern 33E, Common/Arctic Tern 6E, Gannet 11E, Little Egret 1E, Kestrel 1E. Middle Road: Lord Derby's and Red-necked Parakeets. Crown Road: Swallow 1N (poor view). Happy Valley/Thundersbarrow/Mile Oak/Southwick Hill: Buzzard, 2 Kestrels, 4 Skylarks, 3 Chiffchaffs, male Blackcap, 3 Greenfinches, 45 Linnets and 4 Corn Buntings.

dawn at Shoreham Beach 

Great Crested Grebe off Widewater

female Lord Deryb's and male Ring-necked Parakeets

Saturday 05 April. Widewater 06:20-07:45. Strong NE, clear, with RP: Moderate/strong NE, clear, with RP: Shelduck 3E, Common Scoter 8E, Great Crested Grebe 1 offshore, Avocet 1E (06:42), Oystercatcher 2E, Black-headed Gull 13E, Mediterranean Gull 2E (adults), Common Gull 40E, Sandwich Tern 14E, Red-throated Diver 1E, Gannet 7E:2W. Newhaven West Beach with RP: Fulmar, Raven (& another Tarring Neville), female Woodchat Shrike and 4 Goldfinches. Mill Hill: 2 Stock Doves, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and 2 Goldfinches.

sunrise from Shoreham Beach

Woodchat Shrike at Newhaven West Beach

Sunday 06 April. Widewater 06:20-09:30, moderate/strong NE, with RP. Brent Goose 29E, 28 Mute and a Black Swan on the lagoon, Shelduck 4E, Shoveler 2E, Teal 2E + 2 on lagoon, Eider 1E (male), Common Scoter 18E, Black-headed Gull 34E, Mediterranean Gull 14E (adults), Common Gull 2E, Sandwich Tern 26E, Guillemot 1 on sea, diver sp. 1E, Gannet 32E, Fulmar 1E, Swallow 1E, Chiffchaff 2. Medmerry (Earnley/Stilt Pool/Beach to Breech. 14 Brent Geese, female Wigeon, 4 Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 8 Avocets, 4 Ringed and 2 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Curlew, 14 Sanderling, 10 Dunlin, Least Sandpiper (on Stilt Pool), 19 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Buzzards, Swallow, Willow Warbler (heard), male Redstart, 2 Yellow and a White Wagtail and 3 Reed Buntings. 

Least Sandpiper on the Stilt Pool at Medmerry

nice to see it well after a dodgy flight view during a couple of hours search along the beach

... and shake your right foot ...

one of 19 Mediterranean Gulls heard and seen flying high over Earlney

Monday 07 April. Widewater 06:10-09:20, moderate/strong NNE, with RP. Brent Goose 39E, 2 Mute and a Black Swan on the sea and later flying E, Canada Goose 5W (landed on lagoon), Greylag Goose 7E, Common Scoter 6E, Great Crested Grebe 1E, Black-headed Gull 57E, Mediterranean Gull 82E (80 adults), Common Gull 6E, Sandwich Tern 51E, Gannet 10E, Grey Heron 2E, Little Egret 5E, Chiffchaff 4, Linnet 3. 

swans off Widewater