Friday, 8 May 2026

Shoreham and Piddinghoe Spotted Sandpipers (28 April to 08 May 2026)

Tuesday 28 April 2026. Adur to Cuckoos Corner with Otis: 2 Stock Doves, 2 Oystercatchers, Skylark heard, single Sand Martin and Swallow flying N, Reed Warbler and Whitethroat heard and a Reed Bunting.

Wednesday 29 April 2026. Shoreham Fort/Boardwalk with Megan and Otis: 5 Ravens on/at nest.

Ravens at nest site


Thursday 30 April 2026. Widewater seawatch 07:40-11:40, moderate E, clear. Common Scoter 4E, Swift 1E, Oystercatcher 2E, Grey Plover 88E, Whimbrel 54E, Bar-tailed Godwit 135E, Turnstone 3E, Sanderling 17E, Knot 1E, Kittiwake 2E, Sandwich Tern 4E:2W, Pomarine Skua 2 pale morphs landed on sea at 09:37 and drifted W to 10:15 when continued flying E, Gannet 1E, Swallow 5E and House Martin 1E.

Grey Plover on the beach at Widewater
mixed wader flock passing Widewater
mostly Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plover

Pomarine Skua on the sea off Widewater (extreme right)

Friday 01 May 2026. Widewater seawatch 06:00-08:45, moderate/light SE, clear. Common Scoter 10E, Oystercatcher 2W, Grey Plover 2E, Whimbrel 12E:1W, Bar-tailed Godwit 26E, Kittiwake 1E, Black-headed Gull 45E, Mediterranean Gull 1E (first-summer), Common Gull 51E, Sandwich Tern 32E:3W, Arctic Skua 1 dark morph E, Gannet 23E, Swallow 2E and a Wheatear on the beach. Beeding Triangle with Otis, 09:20-12:40, 27 species recorded including female/immature Marsh Harrier flying west, 3 Red Kites, 2 Buzzards, 14 Skylarks (mostly heard), 3 Swallows, Chiffchaff and Blackcap heard, 9 Whitethroats, 2 Song Thrushes, 4 Stonechats (a pair and 2 males), 2 Wheatears, 4 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinches (heard), 4 Linnets, 2 Goldfinches and 2 Corn Buntings.

Wheatear at Widewater
Bar-tailed Godwits passing Widewater

Whimbrel on the beach at Widewater

Wheatear at Beeding Hill
Stonechats on the Monarch's Way


white-winged Jackdaw on Beeding Hill

Saturday 02 May 2026. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: several Skylarks, 3 Chiffchaffs, Cetti's and Reed Warblers heard, male Chaffinch in song, 2 Linnets and a Goldfinch.

Sunday 03 May 2026. Brooklands with Megan and Otis: male Tufted Duck on the lake with Cetti's, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler and Blackcap mostly heard.

Monday 04 May 2026. Piddinghoe: 2 summer plumaged Spotted Sandpipers.

Spotted Sandpiper north of Piddinghoe





Tuesday 05 May 2026. Knepp South Section, 07:50-12:40 with Otis: 3 Stock Doves, introduced storks, 8 Red Kites, 2 Buzzards, 2 Cuckoos heard, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Kestrel, 2 Ravens, Long-tailed Tit, 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcaps, Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser and 5 Common Whitethroats, 7 Nightingales heard (none seen despite some effort) and 4 Linnets.

Wednesday 06 May 2026. Adur with Megan and Otis: 2 Oystercatchers, Whimbrel, 3 Common and 8 Great and 14 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Red Kite, Skylark, Swallow, 4 Reed Warblers, Whitethroat and 2 Goldfinches.

Whimbrel on the Adur

Thursday 07 May 2026. South Downs Farmland Birds survey at Lancing Hill, 32 species including 4 Grey Partridges (2 pairs), 9 Stock Doves, Red Kite, Green Woodpecker heard, Kestrel heard, Jay, 10 Skylarks, 11 Swallows, 2 Cetti's Warblers heard, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, 7 Whitethroats, 3 Song Thrushes, Meadow Pipit, 8 Linnets, 4 Goldfinches, 2 Corn Buntings and a male Yellowhammer.

Grey Partridge on Lancing Hill
Yellowhammer on Lancing Hill
Brown Hares on Lancing Hill

Friday 08 May 2026Widewater seawatch 09:35-11:05, moderate ESE/clear, with Otis. Gannet 13E, Black Swan on lagoon.




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