Gulls, Shrike and Harriers (11-22 November 2025)

Tuesday 11 November 2025. River Adur (Toll Bridge to Saltings) with Otis: 46 Lapwings, 2 Grey Plover, 13 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 20 Redshank, Greenshank, 111 Great and 11 Lesser Black-backed and an adult Yellow-legged Gull, Jay, 6 Skylarks, 2 Meadow Pipits and 2 Goldfinches.

adult Yellow-legged Gull on the Adur

Greenshank on the Adur Saltings at low tide

Wednesday 12 November 2025. River Adur (Toll Bridge to Dog's Trust) with Megan and Otis: 49 Lapwings, 2 Grey Plover, 26 Ringed Plover, 7 Dunlin and 70 Great Black-backed Gulls. Middle Road: Sparrowhawk over at dusk.

Thursday 13 November 2025. Beeding Brooks with Otis: 5 Canada Geese, Kestrel, Great Grey Shrike, 20 Fieldfares and 2 Meadow Pipits. River Adur (Toll Bridge to Dog's Trust) with Otis: 48 Lapwings, 49 Ringed Plover and 17 Dunlin.

Great Grey Shrike by the Adur at Beeding Brooks

Fieldfare at Beeding Brooks

Friday 14 November 2025. Widewater with Otis, 09:15-11:30, light SSE, rain: 30 Mute Swans, 2 Teal, red-head Goosander, 12 Little Grebes and a Kingfisher on the lagoon. 09:30-11:00 seawatch: Kittiwake 4E (one a juvenile), Mediterranean Gull 1 adult E, Sandwich Tern 1E, Great Skua 1 offshore then E, Razorbill 9 on sea, unidentified auk 1E and Gannet 3E. Adur with Otis 11:45-14:00, dull and wet: 49 Lapwings, 3 Grey Plover, 47 Ringed Plover, 19 Dunlin and amongst 500+ gulls 116 Great Black-backs and a first-winter Caspian Gull.

first-winter Caspian Gull on the River Adur

Saturday 15 November 2025. River Adur (Toll Bridge to Widewater) with Otis, 09:45-14:45, very light wind, fog slowly clearing: 44 Lapwings, 55 Ringed Plover, 17 Dunlin, Kestrel, Chiffchaff heard, 6 Meadow Pipits and 11 Goldfinches along the river and 30 Mute Swans, the red-head Goosander, 3 Coot, 13 Little Grebes and 1-2 Kingfishers at Widewater.

Kingfisher at Widewater

red-head Goosander at Widewater

another sighting of the leucistic Herring Gull

Sunday 16 November 2025. Brooklands with Otis: adult Mediterranean Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, Coal Tit, 6 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Goldcrests. River Adur at low tide: 3 adult Mediterranean, 131 Great Black-backed and the adult Yellow-legged Gull and 1000+ Starlings (flying E in 3 flocks).

adult Mediterranean Gull at Brooklands

Great Black-backed gull 40T on the Adur. It was ringed when a chick in Le Havre, Normandie, FRANCE in June 2015 and has been reported from Boulogner, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE in April 2016, on the Adur twice in November 2015 and Le Havre in June 2022, April and June 2023, April 2024 and 20 June 2025.

adult Yellow-legged Gull on the Adur

Monday 17 November 2025. Buckingham Park: 3 Jays. River Adur at low tide: 24 Ringed Plover, 29 Dunlin and 88 Great Black-backed and the adult Yellow-legged Gull.

this gull caught my eye as a potential second-winter Caspian but it didn't do a lot before disappearing

adult Yellow-legged Gull on the Adur

Tuesday 18 November 2025. Beeding Hill triangle with Otis, 09:15-11:45, just 19 species including 3 Kestrels, 2 Peregrines, 2 Skylarks, 8 Stonechats, 3 Chaffinches, 18 Goldfinches and a Corn Bunting. Sherwood Rough with RP: Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Coal Tit, 2 Firecrests, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Nuthatches, Hawfinch and Crossbill (heard). Black Rabbit/Arundel WWT riverbank, 15:30-17:00, with RP: Water Rail (heard), 31 Cattle a Great and a Little Egret, 5 Marsh and 2 Hen Harriers (including an adult male), Tawny Owl (heard), Peregrine, Cetti's Warbler (heard) and 80 Linnets.

Stonechats along the Monarch's Way

male Hen Harrier coming into roost at Arundel WWT (photo: Richard Phillips)

ring-tailed Hen Harrier coming into roost at Arundel WWT (photo: Richard Phillips) - note we'd changed viewing position 

Wednesday 19 November 2025. River Adur before low tide: 7 Ringed Plover, Curlew, 6 Dunlin, 600+ Black-headed, adult Mediterranean, 26 Great Black-backed and the Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Meadow Pipits.

Thursday 20 November 2025. Widewater: 33 Mute and the Black Swan, red-head Goosander, 4 Coot, 16 Little Grebes, a Great Crested Grebe on the sea and a Kingfisher.

Friday 21 November 2025. Stump Bottom/No Mans Land eastern circuit, 09:10-12:50, with Otis. 31 species seen including 8 Red-legged Partridges, 6 Stock Doves, Red Kite, 4 Buzzards, 3 Kestrels, 3 Skylarks, Chiffchaff, Fieldfare, 2 Redwings, 4 Stonechats, 7 Robins, 7 Meadow Pipits, Chaffinch, 200+ Linnets, 35 Goldfinches and 9 Corn and 5 Reed Buntings.

the most colourful of five Reed Bunting seen at Stump Bottom

Saturday 22 November 2025. Widewater, 08:00-09:30, mostly seawatching in mod/strong SW and decent visibility: Brent Goose 1W, Eider 1w male W, Common Scoter 1E,  Great Crested Grebe 5E:1W, Kittiwake 2W, Mediterranean Gull 2 adults W, Razorbill 1E:16W, unidentified auk 1E:6W, Red-throated Diver 2E:1 on sea, larger diver sp. 1E, Gannet 2E:1W and Cormorant 19E. Also Brent Goose, 33 Mute and the Black Swan, 5 Coot, 8+ Little Grebe and a Meadow Pipit on/by the lagoon. Southwick Canal with Megan and Otis: Peregrine on Power Station chimney.

Peregrine on Southwick Power Station chimney