Shoreham area (13-26 July)

Sunday 13 July 2025. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: 4 Swallows, Whitethroat and 5 Goldfinches.

Monday 14 July 2025. Shoreham Harbour (East side) with Megan and Otis: Eider, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Raven.

juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull on Southwick Beach, a rather heavy billed bird that had me scratching my head until I noticed its legs

Shoreham Harbour Eider now in full eclipse plumage

Tuesday 15 July 2025. Widewater 06:35-08:35, strong SW, clear: Oystercatcher 1E, Whimbrel 1E, Mediterranean Gull 2W (adults), Sandwich Tern 3E:2W, Fulmar 1E, Manx Shearwater 1W (jmid-distance at 07:20) and Gannet 7E:14W. Adur (Toll Bridge to the sea) with Otis: Black Swan, 8 Oystercatchers (including a juvenile), 5 Lapwings, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpipers,18 Redshank, Greenshank, 5 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Little Egrets and a Kestrel.

Whimbrel by the Dogs Trust

juvenile Oystercatcher opposite Coronation Green

Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls on the Adur

Wednesday 16 July 2025. Worthing with Megan and Otis:

looking west at low tide

looking east

Thursday 17 July 2025. Lancing Ring/Steepdown with Megan and Otis: Quail heard, 9 Swifts, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, 5 Skylarks, 4 Chiffchaff, 5 Whitethroats, Redstart heard by Merlin (not located in a brief look), 9 Linnets and 9 Corn Buntings

Corn Buntings on Steepdown

Otis on lookout duty (self-appointed)

Friday 18 July 2025. Adur (Toll Bridge to the sea) with Otis: 22 Mute and the Black Swan, 4 Oystercatchers, 6 Whimbrel, 3 Common Sandpipers,20 Redshank, Greenshank, juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Sandwich Terns, 3 Little Egrets, Meadow Pipit, 4 Linnets and 10 Goldfinches.

Saturday 19 July 2025. Brooklands and adjacent beach with Megan and Otis: 10 distant Scoter (flying W), 2 Little Grebes, very few gulls (none remotely interesting), 5 Sandwich Terns and 2 Reed Warblers.

Sunday 20 July 2025. Widewater 08:20-11:00, moderate/strong S, clear: Common Scoter 4E, Swift 13E (single loose flock), Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull 2E:11W (all ages), Sandwich Tern 21E:4W, Fulmar 1E, Gannet 129E:2W. Any passing shearwaters (Balearic and Manx seen at Selsey and to east within my time frame) were likely too far out to be visible off Widewater. Adur (Toll Bridge): Black Swan, 3 Oystercatchers, 2 Whimbrel, and a Common Sandpiper.

another gull I didn't see well enough to be sure of - rather too many like that these days

Monday 21 July. A Cattle Egret flew E over Golden Sands while I was cycling to Worthing.

Tuesday 22 July. Beeding Hill triangle (Beeding Hill NT car park-Thundersbarrow-Truleigh Hill-Room Bottom), 09:10-13:10, with Otis: 84 Swifts, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Red Kites, 2 Buzzards, 5 Kestrels, Raven heard, 12 Skylarks, Swallow, 5 Chiffchaffs, 6 Whitethroats, 3 Stonechats, 5 Meadow Pipits, Chaffinch, 14 Linnets, 9 Goldfinches, Corn Buntings and a male Yellowhammer.

Stonechat beside the Monarch's Wat

poor weather to the west

fortunately it didn't come our way

Wednesday 23 July 2025. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: Swift, Sparrowhawk, 3 Sand Martins, 2 Swallows, 3 Whitethroats and 8 Goldfinches.

male Common Blue at Mill Hill

partly obscured female Common Blue at Mill Hill

Thursday 24 July 2025. Adur with Megan and Otis: 25 Mute (including 3 cygnets) and the Black Swan, Oystercatcher, 2 Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, adult Mediterranean Gull and 3 Reed Warblers.

Friday 25 July 2025. Cowbottom/Steepdown triangular walk with Otis: Red Kite, 4 Buzzards, Green Woodpecker, 450 Jackdaws, 400 Rooks, 9 Skylarks, 6 Swallows, 15 House Martins (distantly over Lancing College), 3 Chiffchaffs, 8 Whitethroats, 2 juvenile Mistle Thrushes (seen 2km/1h50 minutes apart), 2 Chaffinches, 20 Linnets, 6 Goldfinches and a Corn Bunting.

Mistle Thrushes in Cowbottom

Saturday 26 July 2025. Cowbottom & Steepdown (latter with Megan and Otis): 3 Swifts, Cuckoo, 2 Stock Doves, 4 Buzzards, 2 Great Spotted and 5 Green Woodpeckers, 5 Jays, 9 Skylarks, 2 Sand Martins, 16 Swallows, 11 House Martins (10 distantly over Lancing College), 2 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Chiffchaffs, 5 Willow, Sedge, Garden and 19 Whitethroats, 4 Song Thrushes, 6 Meadow Pipits, a male Chaffinch (Merlin told me was a Redstart), Bullfinch heard, 39 Linnets, 26 Goldfinches and 2 Corn Buntings.

Garden Warbler at Lancing Ring

Buzzards at Cowbottom

Cuckoo from Steepdown

Skylark on Steepdown

Sedge Warbler on Steepdown

Autumn is coming (01-12July)

Tuesday 01 July 2025. Adur (Saltings-Cuckoos Corner) with Otis: 6 Oystercatchers, 6 Lapwings, 51 mostly adult Mediterranean, 22 Great and 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 5 Little Egrets, 2 Skylarks, 14 House Martins (collecting mud), Whitethroat, Meadow Pipit, 4 Linnets and singing Corn and Reed Buntings.

White-letter Hairstreak from the Norfolk Bridge

mostly Mediterranean Gulls on the Adur

Wednesday 02 July 2025. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: 2 Stock Doves, Skylark, 2 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, 3 Whitethroats, 6 Linnets and 7 Goldfinches. Crown Road: Stock Dove and 3 Swifts.

Thursday 03 July 2025. Boardwalk/Fort/Adur partly with Megan and Otis: 2 Oystercatchers, 22 Great and 8 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and a Linnet.

Grey Mullet at Harbour Way

Friday 04 July 2025. Adur-Cuckoos Corner with Otis: Stock Dove, 3 Oystercatchers, 5 Lapwings,100+ Black-headed, 14 mostly adult Mediterranean and 2 Common Gulls, 2 Grey Herons, 3 Little Egrets, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker (heard), Skylark (heard), 10+ House Martins, 2 Reed Warblers, Whitethroat, 2 Greenfinches, 3 Linnets and a Goldfinch.

Mediterranean (and Black-headed) Gulls on the Adur

Saturday 05 July 2025. Widewater with Otis, 06:50-08:30, moderate SW, clear. Teal 3W, Whimbrel 2W, Black-headed Gull 70W, Mediterranean Gull 40W (32 adults), Common Gull 1W, Lesser Black-backed Gull 5W (2 juveniles), 10 Great Black-backed and 40 Herring Gulls offshore, Sandwich Tern 4W and Gannet 8W.

juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull off Widewater

Mediterranean Gull off Widewater

Sunday 06 July 2025. Adur (Cuckoos Corner-Shoreham Beach) with Otis: 5 Oystercatchers, Whimbrel, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, Little Egret, 2 Kestrels, Whitethroat and 2 Linnets.

young Oystercatcher off Ship Street

Whimbrel on the Adur

Monday 07 July 2025. Buckingham Park with Otis: 14+ Blue Tits. Crown Road: Stock Dove.

Tuesday 08 July 2025. Beeding Hill triangle (Beeding Hill NT car park-Thundersbarrow-Truleigh Hill-Room Bottom), 08:30-13:00, with Otis: Stock Dove, Red Kite, 2 Buzzards, 3 Kestrels, 16 Skylarks, Sand Martin, 5 Swallows, 3 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, 21 Whitethroats, a family of 5 Wrens, 2 Stonechats, 6 Meadow Pipits, Greenfinch, 8 Linnets, 5 Crossbills, 5 Goldfinches and 4 Corn Buntings. The Crossbills were flying low to the north calling over the Monarch’s Way opposite the Beeding Hill car park and included a red male. Virtually the first birds I saw on our walk and really pleasing.

female Stonechat on the Monarch's Way

Meadow Pipit at Truleigh Hill

Wednesday 09 July 2025. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: 2 Swifts, Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler (always good to see a potential migrant in bushes), Blackcap, 6 Whitethroats and 4 Goldfinches.

Thursday 10 July 2025. Knepp south Section with Otis, 08:30-12:30: 2 Turtle Doves, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Red Kites, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, 4 Swallows, 2 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, male Grey Wagtail and 2 Chaffinches. Shoreham Town Centre: At least 3 Swifts over Ship Street early evening.

distant Turtle Dove at Knepp, viewed from the yellow route tree platform

Friday 11 July. Adur with Megan, Nessa and Otis: Black Swan, Teal, 3 Swifts, Oystercatcher, juvenile Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, 4 Little Egrets, 3 Mediterranean Gulls and Kestrel. Pulborough RSPB with RP: 18 Lapwing, 2 adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, Common Snipe, 5 Green Sandpipers, 2 Greenshank, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker heard, 30 distant Sand Martins, Nightingale heard. Wiggonholt Common with RP: 5 Nightjars, Hobby heard

juvenile Ringed Plover from the Norfolk Bridge

Teal opposite the Shoreham Airport

juvenile Mediterranean Gulls on the Adur

Whimbrel still on the Adur

Saturday 12 July. Shoreham: A Swift over Crown Road and 11 Turnstones opposite Town Quay.