West Sussex (22-31 August 2025)

Friday 22 August 2025. Beeding Hill triangle: 07:55-12:45, with Otis: Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzards, 3 Kestrels, 9 Swallows, 4 Chiffchaffs, Sedge Warbler, 8 Whitethroats, 2 Redstarts, 9 Whinchats, 3 Stonechats, 13 Wheatears, Yellow Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipits, 45 Linnets, 21 Goldfinches and 6 Corn Buntings.

Whinchat along the Monarch's Way in Warren Bottom

Wheatear at Truleigh Hill

Otis on the Downs near Truleigh Hill

Saturday 23 August 2025. Borde Hill Gardens with Megan, Josh, Selina and Otis: Long-tailed Tit and Firecrest.

fruit bronzes at Borde Hill

Sunday 24 August 2025. Lancing Hill/Ring/Steepdown 06:40-11:20, with Megan and Otis from 09:30 by which time it was very quiet. 2 Stock Doves, Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Kestrels, Jay, 3 Skylarks, 22 Swallows, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser and 10 Common Whitethroats, male Redstart, Wheatear, 5 Linnets and 8 Goldfinches.

Lesser Whitethroat on Lancing Hill

Monday 25 August 2025. Mill Hill 06:15-08:50: 3 Stock Doves, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Peregrine, 6 Swallows, Cetti's Warbler (heard), 4 Long-tailed Tits, Chiffchaff, 18 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser and 19 Common Whitethroats, 6 Yellow Wagtails (flying south) and 4 Goldfinches. Dacre Gardens-Bramber with Megan and Otis: 2 Little Egrets, Chiffchaff, 3 Whitethroats and a Linnet.

sunflower field from the Downslink near Botolphs

Tuesday 26 August 2025. Mill Hill 06:10-08:55: 2 Stock Doves, Buzzard and Green Woodpecker heard, Kestrel, Jay, 7 Swallows, Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaffs, Reed Warbler, 24 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser and 18 Common Whitethroats and 4 Goldfinches. 

Wednesday 27 August 2025. Adur with Otis: Black Swan with 4 Mutes, 4 Lapwings, 66 Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, 12 Redshank, 200+ Black-headed, 3 adult Mediterranean, 43 Great and 3 Lesser Black-backed and 720 Herring Gulls.

Mediterranean Gulls on the Adur

Thursday 28 August 2025. Mill Hill 06:45-10:10 (last part with Megan and Otis): 3 Stock Doves, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard heard, Green Woodpecker, 2 Jays, 2 Swallows, Cetti's Warbler heard, 3 Long-tailed Tits, Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaffs, Reed Warbler, 18 Blackcaps, 3 Lesser and 14 Common Whitethroats, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, 5 Yellow Wagtails, Tree Pipit and 3 Goldfinches. 

Hot Air Balloon drifting east over Mill Hill

first time I've seen one with an invisible basket

Blackcap on Mill Hill

Yellow Wagtails on Mill Hill

Wheatear on Mill Hill

Tree Pipit on Mill Hill

Friday 29 August 2025. Shoreham Fort/Harbour with Otis. The eclipse drake Eider, 10 Turnstones, 100+ Herring Gulls and an immature Shag.

Great Black-backed Gull on the Western Arm of Shoreham Harbour

I was late getting onto this presumed Shag as it disappeared around the Eastern Arm at Shoreham Harbour

fortunately what was presumably the same bird appeared on the East Arm to confirm my thoughts

Saturday 30 August 2025. Mill Hill, 06:40-08:50: 2 Stock Doves, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Peregrine, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 5 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, a Lesser and 12 Common Whitethroats, Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Goldfinches and 2 Corn Buntings. Brooklands with Megan and Otis: 6 Little Grebes and 8 Blue Tits.

Long-tailed Tit on Mill Hill

Spotted Flycatcher in the wood on Mill Hill 

juvenile and adult Corn Buntings on Mill Hill

Green Woodpecker and Woodpigeon on Mill Hill

juvenile Little Grebe at Brooklands

adult Little Grebe sat on a post at Widewater (a first for me, made a nice change from the usual gulls)

Sunday 31 August 2025. Mill Hill, 06:40-08:50: Much quieter than on recent visits with

3 Stock Doves, 2 Sparrowhawks, 3 Buzzards, Chiffchaff heard, 12 Blackcaps and 11 Whitethroats. Worthing Pier with Megan and Otis: 2 Little Egrets west.

Sparrowhawks over Mill Hill

West Sussex and a Grandson (11-21 August 2025)

 Monday 11 August 2025. Cowbotton/Lancing Ring/Steepdown (last part with Megan and Otis): 5 Stock Doves, Buzzard, 2 Great Spotted and a Green Woodpecker, Skylark, 7 Swallows, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, 2 Lesser and 44 Common Whitethroats, juvenile/female Dartford Warbler, 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, male and juvenile Stonechat, 2 Chaffinches, Bullfinch heard, 20 Linnets, 15 Goldfinches, 45 Corn Buntings and a male Yellowhammer. Crown Road: Sparrowhawk.

Stonechat at Cowbottom

Redstart at Lancing Ring

Spotted Flycatcher at Lancing Ring

harvesting on Steepdown - on the previous circuit 45 Corn Buntings and a Dartford Warbler had come out of the oat crop ahead of the Combine Harvester while on 26 July I had seen a Sedge Warbler in the top of the crop. Better migrant habitat than one might expect!

Tuesday 12 August 2025. Adur (Toll Bridge to the sea) with Otis: 14 Mute and a Black Swan, 8 adult and the Town Quay juvenile Oystercatcher, 2 Lapwings, summer-plumaged Grey Plover, 7 Ringed Plovers, Whimbrel (heard), Dunlin, 41 Turnstones, 27 Redshank, Greenshank, 500+ Herring Gulls, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Buzzards, Green Woodpecker (on the Rec), 3 Swallows, Wheatear (on the beach) and 2 Goldfinches.

Wheatear on Shoreham Beach

Grey Plover opposite Town Quay

just coming out of its very smart summer plumage

with Ringed Plover

Wednesday 13 August 2025. Grandson Sebastian born 00:01 North Sussex woodland with DB & RP: 5 Stock Doves, 2 distant Honey-Buzzards, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, Swallow, House Martin, Nuthatch and 45+ distant Crossbills.

Megan made it up to Camberwell on the day

Thursday 14 August 2025. Mill Hill, 06:45-09:00: 15 Stock Doves, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, 2 Peregrines (on quarry chimney), 7 Swallows, 100+ Jackdaws, 600+ Rooks, Chiffchaff and Blackcap heard, 8 Common Whitethroats and a Linnet. Adur with Megan and Otis: Black Swan, 6 Oystercatchers, 4 Lapwings, 10 Ringed Plovers, 2 Whimbrel, 4 Dunlin, 25+ Turnstones, 25 Redshank, Greenshank, Grey Heron, 400+ Herring Gulls, Kestrel and 3 Linnets.

Sebastian, Nessa, Chris and me

                   

Friday 15 August 2025. Cowbottom triangle with Otis, 08:45-11:50: Grey Partridge, Stock Dove, 3 Red Kites, 4 Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kestrels, 3 Swallows, 3 Willow Warblers, 6 Whitethroats, Redstart, 3 Stonechats, 2 Wheatears, Bullfinch heard, 8 Linnets, 4 Goldfinches and 50+ Corn Buntings.

Redstart on Lancing Hill, presumably the similar looking bird seen in the same tree on 11th

too slow, Kestrel in Cowbottom

Wheatears in Cowbottom

Red Kites at Coombe Head

this one in heavy moult

Saturday 16 August 2025. Mill Hill 06:20-08:30:  Mill Hill, 06:45-09:00: 3 Stock Doves, Green Woodpecker, Peregrine (on quarry chimney), 2 Jays, Swallow, 2 House Martins, Cetti's Warbler heard, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps, 5 Whitethroats and 2 Goldfinches. Boardwalk/Fort with Megan and Otis: Eider (off Kingston Beach), 2 Turnstones, 26 Redshank, Sandwich Tern, 4 Little Egrets and 4 Wheatears.

Sunday 17 August 2025. Middle Road: Jay. Megan, Otis and I visited Sebastian in Camberwell.

Monday 18 August 2025. No Man's Land triangle, 06:00-12:00: Sparrowhawk (took a Linnet), 2 Red Kites, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 20 Swallows, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, Sedge Warbler, 6 Whitethroats, Redstart, 4 Whinchats, 5 Stonechats, 5 Wheatears, 5 Yellow Wagtails, Chaffinch, 50 Linnets, 30 Goldfinches, and 45 Corn Buntings.

Yellow Wagtails, including this grey juvenal, by the Monarch's Way west of Stump Bottom

Whinchat by the Monarch's Way

with Whitethroat

Corn Bunting by the Monarch's Way

Sparrowhawk with Linnet by the Monarch's Way

Tuesday 19 August 2025. Mill Hill with Otis, 08:30-11:00: Buzzard, 6 Swallows, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Chiffchaffs, 5 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 14 Whitethroats , Spotted Flycatcher, Greenfinch and 4 Goldfinches. 

Wednesday 20 August 2025. Mill Hill 06:35-08:35: Stock Dove, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker heard, Peregrine (on quarry chimney), 8 Swallows, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, Reed Warbler, 5 Blackcaps, Garden Warbler, a Lesser and 20 Common Whitethroats, Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Yellow Wagtails (flew N), Tree Pipit and 6 Goldfinches.

Long-tailed Tit on Mill Hill

Thursday 21 August 2025. Mill Hill 06:30-10:45 (Megan and Otis from 09:20): 7 Stock Doves, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Peregrine (on quarry chimney), 9 Swallows, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 15 Common Whitethroats and 6 Goldfinches.

Painted Lady on Mill Hill