Monday 25 May 2025. Lancing Hill Farmland Survey: 34 species including 2 Grey and a Red-legged Partridge, Swift, Red Kite, Green Woodpecker, Jay, 9 Skylarks, Cetti's Warbler heard, 8 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 9 Whitethroats, 3 Stonechats, Chaffinch, 11 Linnets, 13 Goldfinches and 2 Corn Buntings.
Tuesday 26 May 2026. West Mill stream with Otis and DB: 3 Swifts, Skylark, Sedge and Reed Warbler, Nightingale heard and 3 Reed Buntings. No sight or sound of any Turtle Doves.
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| Sedge Warbler at West Mill |
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| Scarce Chaser at West Mill |
Thursday 28 May 2026. Church Norton with DB: 101 Ringed and 2 Grey Plover, 4 Whimbrel, Curlew (yellow flag 5V), 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 16 Dunlin, 18 Sanderling, 350+ Black-headed and 50+ Mediterranean Gulls, 500+ Sandwich, 20 Little and 6 Common Terns, 2 Gannets offshore. Sidlesham Ferry: male Shoveler, 47 Avocets with 12 chicks, 10+ Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, 111 Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank and Cetti's and Sedge Warblers heard. Amberley Wild Brooks/Rackham: Lapwing 10+ female Marsh Harrier, 3 Red Kites, adult White-tailed Eagle, 3 Buzzards, Kestrel, 2 Hobbies, Reed Warbler head and Blackcap.
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| adult White-tailed Eagle at Rackham |
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| dwarfing a Buzzard |
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| impressive when seen well even if the IoW releases might be a bit more of an introduction than a reintroduction |
Friday 29 May 2026. Cuckoos Corner with Otis: 6 Stock Doves, Red Kite, 3 Buzzards, 3 Skylarks, 3 Swallows, 5 House Martins, 4 Reed Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 8 Linnets and 2 Reed Buntings. Lavington Plantation/Common, 19:40-22:10, with DB: 5+ Nightjars, Cuckoo (seen!!), 2 Woodcock (!!), Hobby, Dartford Warbler, Stonechat and Tree Pipit. Drove to Ambersham where crashed out for the night.
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| Reed Bunting at Cuckoos Corner |
Saturday 30 May 2026. After a somewhat uncomfortable night Ambersham/Heyshott Commons, 04:40-10:30, with DB: Nightjar and Cuckoo heard, Red Kite, 2 Buzzards, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, male Woodchat Shrike (found by DB, I was looking the other way at the time), Jay, Woodlark, 4 Swallows, Willow Warbler heard only (despite much effort trying to see it, unimaginable even 5 years ago), 2 Chiffchaffs, 10+ Dartford Warblers (though only 2 males seen well), 2 Mistle Thrushes, 5 Stonechats, Tree Pipit, a loose flock of 9 Bullfinches, 2 Siskins and 2 Yellowhammers. Pulborough Brooks, 11:00-12:45, with DB: Egyptian Geese, 4 Shelduck, 7 Gadwall, 4 Avocets with 7 young, 10+ Lapwings, Red Kite, adult White-tailed Eagle, 2 Buzzards, Hobby, Sand Martin, 6 Swallows, Sedge Warbler, 3 Whitethroats, Blackcap heard, 2 Nightingales heard and 5 Treecreepers.
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| male Woodchat Shrike on Ambersham Common |
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| it remained in the more open southerly part of the common while we were watching it |
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| a very smart bird when seen well |
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| Dartford Warbler on Ambersham Common |
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| Gold-ringed Dragonfly on Heyshott Common, it had just caught and was eating a bee |
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