Local White-fronted Geese and my first Adur Little Gull (12-27 January 2026)

Monday 12 January 2026. Widewater seawatch 08:20-09:20, mod SW:  Brent Goose 1E, Goosander 1E (red-head), Great Crested Grebe 1E:12W, Razorbill 2W:1 on sea, auk sp. 5W, Red-throated Diver 7W, diver sp. 12W, Gannet 3W. Widewater/Lancing Beach Green with Megan and Otis: 34 Mute Swans, red-head Goosander (considered different as the lagoon bird was seen before and immediately after that flying west), Moorhen, 8 Coot, 7 Little Grebes, Oystercatcher, 21 Ringed Plover, 4 Turnstones, 90 Dunlin, Kingfisher and Kestrel. Middle Road with Otis: female Lord Derby's Parakeet.

Goosander on Widewater

        

Kingfisher on Widewater

Lord Derby's Parakeet above Sullington Road bus stop

Tuesday 13 January 2026. Downslink, Henfield-West Mill in the rain with Otis: a loose flock of 50+ Canada, 76 Greylag and 51 White-fronted Geese, 15 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 40+ Wigeon, 30 Mallard, 10 Pintail, 50 Teal, 530 Lapwing, Grey Heron, 4 Long-tailed Tits, Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, 20 Blackbirds, 30 Fieldfares, 60 Redwings, Grey Wagtail, Chaffinch and Bullfinch heard.

 some of the White-fronted Geese from the Downslink

Wednesday 14 January 2026. Dacres Gardens to Bramber Castle with Megan and Otis: Common Sandpiper, 2 Buzzards, 6 Redwings, Chaffinch, 3 Linnets and a Goldfinch.

Friday 16 January 2026. No Man's Land figure of 8 circuit with David Buckingham and Otis: Red-legged Partridge, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Red Kites, 3 Buzzards, Tawny Owl, Kestrel, Raven, 200+ Fieldfares, Redwing, 12 Chaffinches, 30 Linnets, 40 Corn Buntings and 8 Yellowhammers. Old Toll Bridge River Adur at low tide: 94 Lapwing, 300+ Common (no rings) and a first-winter Caspian Gull. I was not careful enough putting a half-filled water bottle into my bag which had my camera in it not in its usual drybag. A slight leak caused the camera to die [repair estimate £600]. No recognizable Caspian Gull photos although I tried digiscoping with minimal success.

Saturday 17 January 2026. Widewater, 08:10-09:20, light/mod SE: Brent Goose 43E, Common Scoter 3E, redhead Goosander, 7 Coot and 7 Little Grebe on lagoon, Great Crested Grebe on sea, Oystercatcher 3W, Kittiwake 1E:1W (adults), Razorbill 2W, auk sp. 3W, Red-throated Diver 25E:8W, diver sp. 1E:2W and Gannet 4W. Shoreham Fort/Boardwalk with Megan and Otis: 2 Purple Sandpipers. Adur at low tide with Otis: 92 Lapwing, Dunlin and Grey Heron. Few gulls, none of note.

House Sparrow in our front garden, camera working somewhat after a night in the airing cupboard

Common and Black-headed Gulls on the Adur, a final flurry before the camera died completely

Sunday 18 January 2026. Middle Road/Sullington Way: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets.

Monday 19 January 2026. Lancing Ring/Steepdown with Megan and Otis: Kestrel, Jay, 8 Skylarks, 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Linnet, 20 Corn and 2 Reed Buntings. Middle Road/Sullington Way: female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets.

Lancing College and Southwick Power Station

Tuesday 20 January 2026. Widewater, 07:55-09:25, mod SSE, very bright: Brent Goose 119E (9 groups), Goosander on lagoon, Great Crested Grebe 2 on sea, Kittiwake 9E:27W (included a single first-winter), Little Gull 1E (adult), Razorbill 51E:24W, auk sp. 45E:22W, Red-throated Diver 1E:13W, diver sp. 3W, Fulmar 1E and Gannet 44 offshore. Circumnavigation of Southwick Canal with Otis: noting of any note at all.

Thursday 22 January 2026. Adur circuit with Megan and Otis: 10+ Teal, 65 Lapwing, 3 Grey Plover, Kingfisher, 2 Stonechats (male and female on saltings opposite the Waterfront) and a Rock Pipit (my 100th species seen this year, all locally).

Rock Pipit on the Adur, west side. It would be interesting to see this bird in a couple of month's time as it didn't look as smudgy below as most Rock Pipits do

Saturday 24 January 2026. Crown Road: A Red Kite seen flying E from our back window. Five Ways/Room Bottom/Truleigh Centre/Perching Manor Farm/Sussex Ornithological Society Event: Red Kite, Kestrel, 5 Skylarks, 4 Redwings, 2 Stonechats, 8 Meadow Pipits, Goldfinch, 5 Corn Buntings. A very interesting talk by the Farm Manager on the history of the farm (now in its 4th generation) and steps taken to support wildlife and Downland landscape although I embarrassed myself loosing my balance and having to be rescued by the very helpful farm owner in her 4x4. Very nice to learn about an area I've wandered around many times in recent years and see some of it off footpath. Two years ago I asked Megan to look out for a walking pole in the charity shop where she volunteers, to assist my climbing up Pirre Ridge in Darien. It proved very useful especially descending near vertical trails but I never imagined I'd be using it on the South Downs, let alone still being unbalanced and in need of rescue. Fortunately an hour later I was pretty much back to normal although was very grateful for a lift home from Chris Corrigan while Adrian Thomas drove my car from the Five Ways (Beeding Hill NT) car park to the Truleigh Centre were it was safer left overnight. All rather concerning.

flooding on Beeding Brooks

Sunday 25 January 2026. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis, after going to the Truleigh Centre to collect my car. Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine (on chimney), Skylark heard, 3 Redwings and 2 Song Thrushes.

Tuesday 27 January 2026. Adur with Otis, mid-afternoon on a rising tide: 65+ Lapwing, 2 Grey Plover, 6 Redshank and the adult Little Gull. The latter the first I've actually seen on the Adur rather than flying by along the beach, something I'd bemoaned in my 'Gulls on the Adur' SDOS presentation (see here) before Christmas. Despite no camera and a travel scope without a tripod, as I wasn't expecting any gulls to look through, I surprised myself getting some identifiable digiscoped images by resting the scope on one knee while sitting by the SSSI sign.

adult Little Gull on the Adur